Plowing Snow on Donner Pass

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

From Fox Weather. Beautiful:

https://www.foxweather.com/category/california

Edit Dec 13: I just realized that the video I referenced was moved down in the list, so it may not be obvious which one I meant. Luckily, MikeF90 furnished the youtube link below, so we’ll use his:

Train Plowing railroad tracks after winter storm - December 2022 - Donner Pass - YouTube

Thanks, Mike.

2

How many yards of snow will it take to alleviate the drought conditions that afflict West?

3

Does the crew in the plow / spreader have (m.u.) control of the pushing engines?

Or is ther a separate crew involved?

4

There are seperate crews. A crew that controls the engines and a crew that controls the snow plow and or spreader.

5

Jordan builds/ has built over a long period of time; Their 'Jordan Spreaders" to many different specifications; whch, in term, the ownng railroads have modified to their own needs, or specifications.

KCS RR has operated several different ones. There seems to be one that operates out of Pittsburg,Kansas, which it seems to be seen on a regular basis. Their(KCS RR) Jordan Spreaders have their own dedicated power; they are operated from the cab of the spreader; as the access to the diesels cab is restricted by having no windows.

See linked photo @ http://www.njmike.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=127290

or the Spreader atached to engine @ https://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=109856&nseq=157

6

Most of the Jordan Spreaders I have seen during my career do not have dedicated power ‘permanently’ assigned/coupled to the spreaders. Most get used in some form of work train with a regular train and engine crew operating the locomotive for the train. Jordan Spreaders are a utility tool in the MofW’s tool box to conquer the issues that maintenance personnel encounter.

7

There was a great article several years back in Trains that covered SP’s Donner Snow Crew.

They have dedicated power (maybe GP38-2) with icicle breakers and all-weather windos like you see on the spreaders.

8

Saw a recent post on TO with details (of course can’t find it). Here’s a new video on the YT WXChasing channel with good closeups (silent): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcmD_hCnwHQ

9

Thanks, Mike. That’s the one I meant, but it got shifted around in the link I furnished.