Here is a link to a blog post I made where I feature a video of a steam-powered snowplow extra on the Strasburg Railroad -

http://tracksidet.blogspot.com/2012/05/ ... extra.html

The engine: their Norfolk & Western 4-8-0 number 475.

Enjoy!

Very nice!
Gotta love the ''day after'' a big snow, with white earth and blue sky.

I have similar Super-8mm movie footage from Feb 1983 with #90,
including her being STUCK in a huge drift right in front of the station.

I keep praying for the day Steamtown does this on the Pocono Main, hopefully with that LIRR rotary they have up there.

Damn it, so much foam...

I was there late in the day for this. Just got off of the Pennsylvanian at Lancaster and met up with some friends. After some foaming at Irishtown Road crossing on Amtrak, we were close by to Leaman Place when we noticed coal smoke. Headed to Carpenters crossing, lo and behold: Following PRR 9331 was N&W 475, heading back to Strasburg after plowing the line.

It provided me with one of my favorite pictures...

The LIRR rotary plow at Steamtown would be nice to see running, but there are far better uses of resources. That plow was pretty well stripped when stored at Black River, thirty years ago, and I'm sure its gotten worse since. I suspect that all of the work that would have to go into a steam locomotive restoration would have to go into the plow as well.

And for what, a piece of equipment that may see service once a year, if that? What are the chances that Scranton will see enough snow that they need the rotary, and on the same day that a railfan 'plow extra' excursion is marketed? I know they did it in CO or NM, years ago, but that was to reopen a line, at a much higher elevation, that gets blocked by snow every winter.

Neat idea, but not too practical, I'm afraid.