Did steam-powered rotary snow plows outlast the use of steam as a prime mover by any significant amount of time? Or were they all replaced or rebuilt with the transition to diesel power for locomotives?
Most steam rotary units were rebuilt with electic motors(usually Diesel-Electric traction motors) or scrapped. Boiler inspection/certification was then eliminated. Many of the conversions do not have a motor/generator to drive the traction motor. The are cabled up to an existing Diesel-Electric locomotive and tap the main gererator via special cables. BNSF has some old F units that are ‘power cars’ for their rotaries.
I suspect they lasted into the late 50’s/early 60’s, but were converted rather fast. There are still some working rotaries at museums(Mid-Continent Museum at North Freedom, WI for one). Also there is at least one working rotary in the ex-D&RGW narrow gauge.
Jim Bernier
They outlasted the diesels for a significant period, primarily as a result of the diesel traction motor’s aversion to blowing snow. While changed ventilation piping aleviated this problem, it was never fully solved until AC traction motors were introduced. The RTL Turboliners with hydraukic drive were the only passenger trains still running on the Empire corridor in the big snows of ‘76 & 77’.
Perhaps the only remaining steam powered rotary snow plow in operable use today is the OY on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad.
The White Pass Railway still has an operating oil fired, steam powered rotary plow #1 (original to the WPYR) sitting on a display siding in Skagway AK with rebuilt WP caboose 929. It was displayed inoperable (and looking pretty sad as I recall) at Bennett BC after being decommissioned about 1965. It was then moved to Skagway Shops and completely rebuilt about 2004 IIRC. It ran several times on plow photo extras in 2004 and 2005. My wife and I saw it this summer when at Skagway. It’s in good condition, however as WP is a summer (May-Oct) cruise ship tourist operation now, the need for an operating rotary plow really doesn’t exist. In my day in Carcross, Yukon, early to mid 70’s, the White Pass ran year around and Cats were used to clear the ROW, a Catskinner being stationed at the Summit. Sure wish I’d seen the Rotary in action.
Charlie
Chilliwack, BC
It was either July 1977 or July 1978 during a special “snowplow school” held at Cheyenne, Wyoming that Union Pacific had a steam powered rotary fired up and spinning. As far as I know that was the last time that particular unit ran, and it was retired shortly thereafter.
Today that unit sits forlorn and in pretty sad shape on display in downtown Hanna, Wyo.
The steam rotary plow is impressive to say the least. The OY at C&T really does the job as the DVD shows . No computer controled system , just team work.
Cannonball
In a related topic a few auxiliaries (wrecking cranes) were still steam powered into the 1970s on CPR. The heavy capacity ones were converted to diesel much earlier. The small ones were used less, mostly retained because of weight restrictions on branch lines, and there was no economic justification to spend the money to upgrade them. Even the 250 ton cranes are mostly gone now, replaced by side-boom cats and the like, and occasionally renting a rubber-tired one.
CP also converted at least one rotary to be powered from a B-unit in the 1950s, but not very much later the rotaries were all retired and scrapped. Trees and rocks often found in mountain avalanches are rather indigestible and bulldozers were a better bet.
John