I would like to add an SP rotary plow to the MOW sidings and rolling stock that I’m planning for a new layout modeling the early 50s in Southern Oregon. As this will primarily be for static display (it will be off-season for snow removal) I don’t want to spend wads of dollars but I would do a nice kit. Athearn has an RTR Leslie (SP #211) with a following EMD B unit but this might be from a decade or two later. Walthers is expecting its Leslie (#715) obviously from an earlier era. It has rectangular windows and tows a coal (?) tender. Here’s the rub: all the Web photos I’ve been able to find recently on Espee snow removal around this time shows round-windowed plows under steam. I’m not real anal about exact prototypes but as a plow is by nature an eye-catcher I want it to be plausible. Should I get the Athearn, change the number, dirty it up and off-load the B unit? Should I order the Walthers and just eat the windows issue? Is there something else out there that won’t require kitbashing? I’d appreciate some informed assistance with this little dilemma.
Those two SP rotaries that UP now uses out of Roseville for Donner Pass clearance were originally built in the 1920’s and '30’s and originally steam powered and used oil tenders. They were converted to electric power sometime after the late 1950’s, so you should be okay with the Athearn model. Just lose the B unit and put an oil tender behind it.
I have the Walther’s Leslie on my MR, but it’s closer to a Rio Grande prototype. But since that’s the primary railroad that I model, it’s okay. But the Athearn is DEFINITELY very close to the SP models.
Thanks, Tom. The Athearn is supposed to have a motor-driven blade assembly. If this is going to be inoperative for my purposes will I have to take the motor out, cut a lead or install some sort of microswitch? Running DC I’d rather have options to blocking off the sidings.
If it’s going to be mostly ‘static’ on your layout, I’d just block off the siding. I run mine very seldom, but I have to admit that it’s fun to watch that blade whirling around when I’m running it, even if I don’t have any model snow to plow, LOL!
I have the Athearn one, & I like your idea with the switch. Mine has a rubber O ring drive, but it would be better to disconnect the power via a switch, so you have the option to spin it up without much effort.
I am seriously thinking of doing that to mine too, on mine I added a power truck to the rear (some modificatons), but it can now propel itself.
It’s available on YouTube however be warned, if you have a metered or slow internet connection, the film is about 30 minutes long. The footage featuring snow plows is about 24 minutes in.
Among the last improvements made to many of the steam rotaries were new tenders of increased capacity, surplus AC 11,12 class tenders appear to be the most common. SP also had several retrofitted with wing extensions, a program which would continue through the conversion process.
You could fab up some wing extensions, add a replacement tender and be darn accurate to the prototype.
Now who’s up for modeling the ancient relic assigned to the Modoc Line, never rebuilt, and rarely used , it was the last wood bodied plow and the last Cooke example on the roster. That would be an challenging build!
