CMR offset Russell Plow

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I picked up a CMR offset plow this week and it's a big improvement over their earlier designs.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
The kit comes in three parts: body, frame and flange way plow. The frame detached during shipping.
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

The body is well executed. Most surfaces are smooth. There is some banding at the plow, but it appears they oriented the model to keep the thatching on easily sandable surface (without rivet detail). Good job!
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

There is some issues with the bottom of the plow skirt, but I think some light sanding should fix this.
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

The sides are smooth. Not much prep will be needed here. Notice they are using Bussey's "break away" wall support structure.
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

The only other issue I can find is the body is bowed slightly. I will use a clamp when I super glue the frame in.
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[Sokramiketes]

Looks like they started to use the Bussey method, but then printed the whole thing at an angle and missed the point.  Notice the wobble in the flat face of the plow front. 

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Looks like they started to use the Bussey method, but then printed the whole thing at an angle and missed the point.  Notice the wobble in the flat face of the plow front.

Yep. They should have used it for the entire bottom edge. But I think the model is still salvageable. I have wanted an offset plow set for years for my collection. I would have bought the right hand offset but this was the only one they had in stock. I think Conrail had one of these left hand offsets in Springfield. I'll pick up a few right hand offset plows when they are available again. Both Conrail and MBTA used these.

[sd45elect2000]

These are double track plows , the direction of the plow was to plow in the direction of travel on a double track. The CNW was a left hand railroad so if they had double track plows they would be different than a right hand railroad. They are meant to throw the show to the side, not onto another main track. They were also significantly more prone to derail, not that the wedge or single track plow was immune o derail.

Randy

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Well after taking the parts off the sprue and sanding some of the rough surfaces, I found my old order. I DID order the "left side" plow and they sent me a "right side" instead. I sent them an email to see if they can send the correct kit.

[sd45elect2000]

Well after taking the parts off the sprue and sanding some of the rough surfaces, I found my old order. I DID order the "left side" plow and they sent me a "right side" instead. I sent them an email to see if they can send the correct kit.

I could use one right side plow for the North Shore interurban.

Randy

[daniel_leavitt2000]

CMR replied this morning and is sending a replacement kit. I managed to break one of the walls while attempting to straighten it out. I'm going to clean the body up and hit it with primer. If it looks OK, I'll pass it along to Randy.

[sd45elect2000]

CMR replied this morning and is sending a replacement kit. I managed to break one of the walls while attempting to straighten it out. I'm going to clean the body up and hit it with primer. If it looks OK, I'll pass it along to Randy.

Oh wow! Really ? Thanks !!!!

Randy

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Here is the plow after some clean up:
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
I was able to remove most of the thatching. I didn't try to get too close to the rivets.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
The bigger issue is the bowing of the sheet side. I tried heating the body in hot water then bending it back. I managed to break a section off. You can see it glued back in place. It did straighten a bit but was back to its original condition the next day. The floor does not quite fit right. The bowing mitt be corrected if the floor is super glued to the body and clamped until set.

Randy, you still interested?

[sd45elect2000]

Here is the plow after some clean up:
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
I was able to remove most of the thatching. I didn't try to get too close to the rivets.

(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
The bigger issue is the bowing of the sheet side. I tried heating the body in hot water then bending it back. I managed to break a section off. You can see it glued back in place. It did straighten a bit but was back to its original condition the next day. The floor does not quite fit right. The bowing mitt be corrected if the floor is super glued to the body and clamped until set.

Randy, you still interested?

Oh hell yeah!

Randy

[randgust]

There's a standard Russell plow up in the Jackson Roundhouse rail museum in Minnesota (NP 30) that looks like it's been through the war on the blade and body.   These things got BEAT in service, so any irregularities in the plow face are actually OK, just sayin.  The entire blade edge is full of dents, bents, and patches.

We had one of those plows here locally for years, until the day that PC derailed it at ice in a road crossing and it did a dive into a creek. 

We made a shortline deal with Conrail in the 90's that was to include a decent Russell snowplow that was already parked on the line, but we didn't include the exact car number in the sale document.   CR swapped the good standard plow for a double-track plow (side throw) that was essentially useless at the last minute.    It just got donated to a museum a couple years ago.
http://fcvrrhs.org/snowplow-dl&w.html

[sd45elect2000]

Yup, they got pretty beat. None of them liked staying on the track . They are not as heavy as they look.

As far as brakes, forget it, they didn’t come with any brakes at all on the front truck and you locomotives with comp shoes are useless.

Maybe the roadmaster forgot about that timber crossing and peeled it up with the flanger. The flanger supposed to be spring loaded but they are pretty big springs.

The CP and CN built plows didn’t have the spring loaded flanger under the plow like Russel plows did , they instead have a tilt down nose with cutters , very nasty with crossings.

Randy

[daniel_leavitt2000]

CMR sent me the proper body. Unfortunately it didn't include the flange blade or under frame. I'll need to use the parts that came in the first kit.

The body had less bowing.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
New problem is the body is too narrow for standard trucks. It looks like I'll need to make some inside bearing trucks to fit.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
The front truck is caught on the body as shown above. The rear is also slightly high. I can shave some height off the bolster hole and use under slung trucks like those from ESM or BLMA. The only problem for this is that I think they only produce 70t friction bearing. I believe these used 40 or 50t trucks.

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]
Here is the Atlas plow for ride height comparison.

[nickelplate759]

You can always thin the upper bolster bar on the 40T 0r 50T truck with some careful filing, to approximate the shape of the ESM or BLMA bolster.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I think the Atlas one has a funky front truck. Take a look.