I’m trying to locate a shell and chassis for Walthers’ now discontinued ALCO/Leslie rotary snow plow. This is the older, square widowed plow that they used prior to the longer, round-windowed ones that still exist. There are a couple of Google Image photos of the type I’ve got in mind. One on the Donner Pass route being pushed by cab-forwards and one clearing snow as a loaner for the old McCloud RR in 1952, though I can’t make out the plow’s MOW side number in that photo (that one shows some hooked gizzies along the side that are curious items). I’d take either Walthers’ undecorated model (932-1950) or their SP issue (932-61505). All for a kit bashing project of a dummy so I don’t need the guts that drive both the unit and the blower blades. Nor do I need a tender, having secured a fabulous Intermountain AC-11 trailer from those very helpful folks. At this point I’m not yet inclinded to secure the original stock item (with the funky tender) from folks offering them on eBay - though I may have to go that route later. To get started, does anyone out there have a copy of the Walthers parts breakdown that was boxed with these plows?
I can’t help you with what you are looking for but I would love to see it when it is finished. I’m working on one using the Athearn kit.
It might be a while, friend. Retirement is still 10 months away! BTW, I posted something about a year ago regarding SP plows when I was considering the round-windowed versions that came later. One responder says that the Athearn version was far too long for scale and that he had to shorten it for the SP version. I’ll try to copy his response later this evening and forward it to you.
John B
The Athearn plow is a Lima prototype. 3 were built, going to UP, SOO, and CRI&P. IIRC, all 3 wound up on the UP. These were post WWII steam powered rotories. They had 3 cylinder Shay power plants inside the carbody(Lima owned Shay).
Jim
TWO 3 cylinder Shay power plants!
Also sort of interesting is that the boilers were installed reversed from all the other rotaries. Which, of course, meant they weren’t likely to be burning coal anytime soon. By having the smokebox door at the rear and easily accessible, maintenance was a bit easier.
One of my sooper-someday projects is doing one of the UP ones. I’ve got a tender tucked away from a Bachmann GS-4, which is pretty close. And the plow, from the olden days, when they were Hi-F powered.
Ed
Ed
Posted by RR_Mel on Monday, November 28, 2016 8:08 PM
I’m unawear of the SP using tenders for snow, the SP had steam powered rotary snowplows early on and converted them to diesel traction motors in the late 40s and early 50s.
This is my SP go to site:
http://espee.railfan.net/sp_rotaries.html
I kitbashed an Athearn Snow Plow closer to SP specs. The Athearn is too long so I removed a section from the middle to obtain a total of 45’. I motorized the blower with a low speed gear motor controlled from an Athearn F7 B Snail.
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/2010/10/october-19-my-sp-snowplow.html
IF yer doin’ a steam rotary, you need a tender. Here’s an SP one:
And here’s the Precision Scale Models catalog offering the above:
http://www.precisionscaleco.com/MO%20News%20Sept%20Oct%202014.pdf
Ed
Thanks for finding my old post Atuvian.
The Athearn isn’t an exact SP version but it’s close enough for me, I’m not a rivet counter. The shorting was a fairly easy kitbash. I did add an additional 4 ounces to insure it wouldn’t derail and used shelf couplers to help stabilize it being pushed by my Athearn F7B Snail.
It tracks very good and has never derailed. The Athearn Snail has worked out very nice using a Digitraxx 126 decoder.
Mel
Modeling the
Good stuff, Mel. And good thinking regarding the extra weight and the shelf couplers.
Ed,
Thanks for the photo. Much more clear than the one that I pulled off Google images last night but not quite clear enough to read the MW number under the rear windows. I do note that this differs slightly from the Walthers body as as the rear door is astern of the aft pair of windows and the shell’s “porch and overhang” has been enclosed with it’s own added window. BTW, the “hooks” that I perceived on the smudgy 1952 McCloud RR photo are merely hinges/latches for the three access panels below the middle windows.