# When is a snow plow necessary?



## birdy (Nov 13, 2008)

When is a spreader or some other kind of snow fighting equipment necessary?

The reason I ask is that at an open house for the New Mexico Railrunner, a representative of the line when I asked, kind of vaguely told me that they didn't need any snow plows because the trains could just kind of push through any snow they come across.

Snow falls around here in the 12 inch to 18 inch range are a once or twice a year ocurrence. I've seen snow falls of 36 inches.

Seems to me that the all-weather capability of a train is a major selling point and they need to make sure the train runs especially in bad weather....

P.S. I saw a train move through a crossing here on Nov. 10, so I suspect the mid-December opening is still on course. Stand by for lots of at-grade crossing accidents.


----------



## George Harris (Nov 13, 2008)

First, adding the height of rail and tie plate, it takes about 8 inches to get above the rails at all, except at road crossings. Dry snow is no problem at all even if much deeper. The first place you are likely to have problems is at road crossings if the melts/refreezes so that you have ice in the flangeways. It is then possible for the wheel flanges to ride up on the ice and with any sideways push of any kind come back down with one on the wrong side of the rail head. A snowplow does nothing for you there. In fact, a road snow plow can make this situation worse. The only thing to do for this porblem is men with picks and shovels chipping out the ice and shoveling it off to the side.

Normally where snow plows come into play is in case of drifts over the tracks, which can be a particular problem in cuts of the line is cross ways to the wind direction and with deep dry snow giving you the volume of material to fill in the cut.

If you have a snow less than about 12 inches there is llikely to be no issue at all, barring drifted over areas. Maybe the first train through would need to slow down and ease through road crossings, particularly the first train after the highway department plows the road. They have a habit of leaving a ridge of snow across the tracks. Up to about 18 inches, the first train through it might have to go slow as it will be pushing snow aside.


----------



## Joel N. Weber II (Nov 16, 2008)

The MBTA subway system's strategy for dealing with snow is basically just to keep the trains running all night long. Once every several winters, this fails; the surface portion of the Green Line outbound of Kenmore and/or Prudential is probably the most vulnerable. Typically the snow piled on the ground is several feet high if they give up on running the trains.

I'm not sure what the MBTA Commuter Rail system does, which would be more relevant to your question.

I am not aware that any part of the MBTA system owns any snow plowing equipment, though it's entirely possible that they have it and I'm just not aware of it.


----------



## AlanB (Nov 16, 2008)

Joel N. Weber II said:


> I am not aware that any part of the MBTA system owns any snow plowing equipment, though it's entirely possible that they have it and I'm just not aware of it.


Next time you find yourself riding any line but the Fitchburg line into or out of North Station, just look to the shop side of the tracks and you'll see two large snowplows sitting on the rails awaiting the next storm.


----------



## WhoozOn1st (Nov 25, 2008)

I'm gonna use this topic as an excuse for my annual Rotary Rant.







'Tis the season!


----------



## WhoozOn1st (Nov 25, 2008)




----------



## PetalumaLoco (Nov 25, 2008)

Wow, a turbine propelled train that leaves snow in it's wake.

(It is traveling away from us, right? :blink: )


----------



## WhoozOn1st (Nov 26, 2008)

PetalumaLoco said:


> Wow, a turbine propelled train that leaves snow in it's wake.
> (It is traveling away from us, right? :blink: )


Petaluma, you're not far away. Mosey on over to Roseville if you get a chance. A number of rotaries sitting around. Not turbine powered, but pushed by engines as the blades spin and throw snow aside. Never seen one in action in person, but by all accounts a killer spectacle.






White Pass & Yukon

EDIT: Serious foamers always wanna break out the rotaries. We live for that stuff. HAHA!!


----------



## MrFSS (Nov 26, 2008)

Check out this

.
And, *THIS* one.


----------



## PetalumaLoco (Nov 26, 2008)

WhoozOn1st said:


> PetalumaLoco said:
> 
> 
> > Wow, a turbine propelled train that leaves snow in it's wake.
> ...


Whooz

You do know I was kidding? Yeah, you do.

I have some pics I shot in the other PC of a rotary plow, but I forget where it was on display. Darn brain cell is not very reliable these days.


----------



## WhoozOn1st (Nov 26, 2008)

Check out this 


And Petaluma, I'm stupid sometimes (okay maybe often) and didn't realize you were kidding. Doesn't matter, cuz not everybody knows about rotaries; some explanation never hurts.


----------



## Neil_M (Nov 26, 2008)

PetalumaLoco said:


> I have some pics I shot in the other PC of a rotary plow, but I forget where it was on display.


There is this monster at the St Louis Transport Museum.....

http://50031.fotopic.net/p54952193.html


----------



## battalion51 (Nov 27, 2008)

Now I do have to say this. Almost every train regardless of season has a snow plow on it. The plows help push the white stuff when it stacks up, but not quite to rotary levels. They continue to carry the plows year round to help push debris (cars) out of the way in the event of a collision. Even in areas with no snow fall, most smart railroads want snow plows. The former head of Mechanical for Tri-Rail begged and pleaded for snow plows to be put on every motor and cab car to help protect the trains.


----------



## amtrakwolverine (Dec 6, 2008)

heres another video of a UP Rotary 900082 in action.


----------

