Rotary Snow Plow units....

Classic Trains General Discussion
1

Did the Rotary’s move under their own power, or did they require a “prime mover” behind them? Most photo’s show a locomotive in back of the Rotary 's… were some steam powered, and some diesel ?

Thanks… Bob

2

Steam rotaries required a locomotive behind for propulsion. Their steam engine was used for spinning the blade. Some steam rotaries were converted to diesel operation later. I do not know if these can move themselves, but even if they can, they have several locomotives behind to push.
-Daniel Parks

3

Diesel rotaries also were incapable of movement under their own power. BN and SP used de-motored F7B’s to provide electrical power to the rotaries for the blade and other needs. The diesel rotaries were also capable of MU’ing with the trailing locomotives which made operation a little easier.

4

Thanks, guys… I had always wondered about it. Now I finally know !

Bob

5

Of coarse pulling a bit to the left and slightly [#offtopic] as it were. Many electric streetrailway systems, ran snowsweepers, plows and some roteries to clear city streets for their passenger cars and freight locomotives. These units were self contained and powered.Heres a couple of examples(note these are preserved at a railway museum I’m a member of)First is snowsweeper S-37 second plow TP-11click to emlarge both pictures.If you would like more info on our museum visit it at www.hcry.org

6

HI Bob.
Rotary’s where powered by one or more locomotives, depends on the railroad and snow depth. On Donner pass, SP used what they called a super set in more recent times. with 4 locomotives and a rotary on each end. It may look like 6 units, but the F7- B units are non powered and power the rotary’s themselvs.
Hope this helps.
Jay

7

Did you know that the rotary plow was a Canadian invention? To battle our snowdrifts, eh?
Trainboy

8

some steam rotary plow were able to move alone, but not in operation, only ‘light’ in the yard, as the engine was too weak to press the plow in the snow.

(e.g. the swiss narrow gauge rotary on Raetische Bahnen).

sebastiano

9

I have been up inside a f7-b rotary they have cool windows that spin and sling off snow and slush like on ship board having other b units hooked behind lets the crew walk between units glennbob

10

The Milwaukee Road had electric rotary plows with pantographs. Were these self powered or did they have to be pushed as well?