This may sound like a silly question but here goes: On a hood unit engine, do both ends have snow plows on them or are plows put only on the end that faces forward?
For one of my next projects (among the many I have on deck) I am planning to make myself a BN SDP40 in the Bicentennial Scheme (#1976). I have never put a plow on an engine (including my GP20s [another question on that later]). I have found what I think is the right plow (Details West #287) but I have no idea how many to get (1 or 2).
Now for the second question, what is the right plow for a GP20? They are Tyco shells with the large hole for the former truck mount coupler. (They have been replaced with a converted Athearn GP35 drive.) I figure I probably should put proper plows on them at some point to cover the hole.
Thank you in advance for any help that can be provided.
It can be either way, but most I have seen have plows on front. If a reverse plowing move is needed a second loco can be MUed back to back. Also gives extra power. For heavy duty plowing a snow plow would be coupled in front.
That is the best answer. I model Conrail. Many (most) of Conrail’s U23B, B23-7, GP30, some GP35, GP40, GP40-2, SD40, some SD40-2, GP15-1, GP38, GP38, and SD38 loco had plows front and back (source…Conrail Motive Power Review by P. Withers).
From the photos in the book, the rear plow was not always the same as the front. Some of the rear plows, and sometimes the front plow were of the weed cutter variety.
I checked all the images I had and the referenced plow seems to be to right one to me. (As this unit was a former GN unit, it also seems to be a resonable guess on that end as well.)
However, none of the images that I have (and I have checked all the usual sources) show the rear end of that engine. So I am stuck on that as well.
I guess I hadn’t looked at my images close enough [#oops]. I found two of them that showed the long hood end and it doesn’t have a plow on it. So answers my first question.