Hello Folks
In the late steam era in the easter US - central Pennsylvania, would there have been such a device as a snow plow that was bolted onto a locomotive as needed then removed in the spring?
I think I remember seeing something that looked like this in a photo of a MOW yard, but I can’t remember when or where. [%-)]
Thanks in advance.
All the best
Bill Rice-Johnston
Hi Bill,
The kind of detachable pilot plow you’re thinking of was most common on Western mountain railroads. I can’t say they were never used in central Pennsylvania, but they wouldn’t be typical of that area. (What was most typical was the footboard pilot used on Pennsylvania RR freight engines.)
The Western Maryland favored a permanent low wedge plow mounted below the pilot beam on its road engines. See photos on pages 425 and 426 of George Drury’s Guide to North American Steam Locomotives.
So long,
Andy
Howdy Bill; In WESTERN PACIFIC LOCOMOTIVES AND CARS, by Patrick Dorin there are two photos of removable snow plows. On page 8, is such a plow on a consolidation #35 at 1938. On page 51 is a photo of one on an EMD FT-A, 911-D.
Good luck, Rob