How trains clear snow drifts from the rails - Railway Snow Plows 

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Losh sakes

I know. I always thought that was something the Rev W. Awdry made up. I was shocked to hear that engines actually did that in real life

A large part of the reason for it is that without modern weather forecasts nobody knew if they were clearing the snow during the middle of a storm or the end of it, and if you set off and start clearing a line during the middle of the storm without a plow facing behind you, you might not be able to get home because of the amount of snow had fallen on the track behind you… Then the plow would require a rescue consisting of another plow coming from the depot, (which could then easily mean you end up with two plows, both facing the wrong way as even more snow falls, and you needing another rescue!) So, assuming your snow removal plans don’t include “wait until it melts in the spring”, (and for some lines it does,) it really is best if the snowplows can come home on their own even if it keeps snowing. There was a brief time when good weather forecasts started being a thing that the rotary plows in the US didn’t follow this rule: they had the rotary on the front but just a regular plow in the back figuring that not that much snow would fall and it would be okay... Several got stuck during a particular bad storm, and the rule is now if the snow is bad enough to justify using a rotary at all, you need one on the back too.

@@gimmespamnow Huh, interesting. Thanks for sharing. I'm an American, so I don't have as much knowledge on European railway operations, but reading your comment has given me a greater insight to how back-to-back snowplow trains worked

Hey, yeah!

I think I just found it. "Assault on Snow" by WB productions. Can't find any clips online though...

@@joelpaltzer8732 Canadian National had F7s modified for snow clearing duties

@@TomLuTon these ones were former UP locos that they sold off to a local short line railroad. After the pair of F7s couldn't get the job done, UP came out with it's rotary plow to finish the job. The description says it was filmed during the winter of 88 basically on the boarder between Colorado and Wyoming.

Update: my father ripped the VHS to DVD a few years back and we were able to watch it together the other weekend. Really hope some clips make their way online because it was quite the watch.

can you mayhaps provide the video by downloading the dvd to pc

Damn I drew the line with the rotary ploughs

Didn't realize the snow GOT that deep, even with some distance from the Great Lakes; also hope Union Pacific & the other big railroads look into restoring more steam engines in future, considering there are still plenty that deserve to be in preservation or in service for lighter work if they're in good enough shape.

dang thats deep ive seen 7 or 8 foot drift here in the cascade mountains but that insane

@@IndustrialParrot2816 Yeah it happens obviously part of it is that it gets pushed to the side as time goes on and just keeps accumulating snow, its fun looking at old pictures of trains running along side the snow drifts that are so high you could use the engines and cars as a bridge to and from both banks. So crazy.

And that's why Canada invented the rotary plow^^

Effective, but also very dangerous!

Diesel doesn't freeze, it gels. It would also be relatively easy to pipe a heating tube through the fuel tank to circulate engine coolant through to warm the fuel. "Snowy conditions" is relatively vague, because just because it's snowing, it doesn't mean it's cold enough to gel the diesel.

DnD TTTE?

@@ianjackson4721 yes

Thomas fans: "I think we all know where this is going."

Most engines hate snow. Donald and Douglas were used to it. They knew what to do.

Lol

Meet the pyro

Holy Hell That must've been one hell of a story to tell the rescue crew if any were needed

Bruh moment right there

The funny thing is using a jet turbine IS still a snow cleaner in the US, although its primarily relegated to yard services. Get a jet turbine over a frozen switch and watch as the snow blows away and the ice melts. Where I live locomotive mounted plows are sufficient for the mainline, and the plows are just permanently mounted to the locomotive.

Jet engines were used in Germany too, to get rid of the ice on swiches. One of these can be seen at the Meuselwitz narrow gauge railway.

I thought I was the only one who heard that. 🤣

That’s appropriate. I’ve been shovelling the bucking snow for two days now.

Ya-ho!

Not to the Swiss apparently.

@@trainlover16 Those wankers south of us don’t even know how to speak proper German so I’m not surprised ;D

@@scanida5070 *angry german-ish gibberish* XD

Sometimes all you need is patience and hothot Gas.

I've read about a train being divided into three separate sets of wagons when it ran through a snowdrift (the locomotives continued for some distance before discovering this). They then went forward, switched lines, came back, & attempted to push the broken wagons forward to reunite the train. The idea of propelling goods wagons through snowdrifts with only the three man team of driver, fireman & guard was sheer folly, & the wagons became derailed. This led to single line working being enforced over that section. This was a contributory factor in a larger disaster that followed.

The Swiss Rotary Snow Plow shown at 02:46 once was rolled over by an Avalanche

this is completely viable and it makes me sad