Nostalgia & History > Milwaukee Rotaries in Iowa

Yes Americas Resourceful Railroad used roatary snow plows here in Iowa.

1st shot is at Lawler IA on the Mason City Line from Feb 18, 1979.

Seconds is also at Lawler, same line, January 31 of 1982.

Both them winters were very very very cold and brutal.

Credit both photos to Larry Stirler, from my collection.

Thank you for looking,

MILW86A

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Great photos!
Larry was certainly a brave soul.
ALLEN

Seems to be very rare photos and an interesting contrast to the high mountain variety that gets lots of attention. Winter RR'ing is always an interesting study.

anything still surviving

Thanks, wonder??, probably brought them down from Aberdeen??? The Mason City line had a lot of Spreader Work and the
Aberdeen area had a BNSF rotary one year.

Bob

I believe MILW had steam rotary's based at Mitchell and Aberdeen, SD well into the 70's.

The second photo is of MILW X900215 which once was equipped with a pantograph to run off the catenary.

krm152 Wrote:
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> Great photos!
> Larry was certainly a brave soul.
> ALLEN


Well, he wasn't that brave as the late LaVerne Andreesen
and Dr. Philip Hastings accompanied him on those sojurns.

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

Not that rare as both UP and BNSF have to use them almost every winter to clear some of their Mid-west lines; especially if the wind makes huge drifts!
Peter Arnold

TCnR Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Seems to be very rare photos and an interesting
> contrast to the high mountain variety that gets
> lots of attention. Winter RR'ing is always an
> interesting study.

Posted from iPhone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/22/14 10:22 by pismopete.

Well, not so much anymore. In fact, these were the last times these
plows were used in Iowa. And I don't recall anyone else using rotaries
in Iowa since then. A couple of winters ago in Nebraska and North Dakota,
yes, but not in Iowa. And while there was thought of using one in Minnesota
a couple of years ago, that never happened either. Chalk it up to global
warming making for less snow.

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

pismopete Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Not that rare as both UP and BNSF have to use them
> almost every winter to clear some of their
> Mid-west lines; especially if the wind makes huge
> drifts!
> Peter Arnold
>
> TCnR Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Seems to be very rare photos and an interesting
> > contrast to the high mountain variety that gets
> > lots of attention. Winter RR'ing is always an
> > interesting study.
>
> Posted from iPhone

Any info on disposition of the Milwaukee Rotaries?