Steam & Excursion > Not Every Operation Had One Of These But It Sure Came In Handy!

Most logging railroads that operated in areas of heavy snow simply shut down during the winter months because the snow made both logging and log hauling nearly impossible.  However, some of the heartier outfits simply kept going.  This required special equipment though.

The Long-Bell Lumber Co. of Weed, California did their best to operate year round even though they received quite a bit of snow during the winter.  In order to keep the logging line open they were one of the only logging railroads to ever have their own rotary snowplow.  Here it is parked at Tennant, California in May 1940.  Wil Whittaker stopped to take her portrait. All we know about this huge rig was that she was built by Cooke many years before this photo was taken.

She must have been quite a handful to keep on the track due to the temporary nature of logging lines in the woods.  She really was a unique piece of equipment for any logging line to own.

Martin



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 05/06/16 03:51 by LoggerHogger.

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The proverbial piece of work...literally.

That's interesting. Cooke built rotaries look.... Well, just like that  except they usually have a car body over the center. This looks like 'just' a 'normal' rotary, but with a standard locomotive cab at the back, the operator perch in front, and the boiler out in the open in between.

I assume the wheel man is back with the fireman instead of midway up the right side.

SRK

Steve Krause
Chillicothe, IL

It appears that the original carbody was dispensed with and has been replaced with this home built two operator cabin structure. 

Another unique post by L-H!  
Is that an air tank hanging almost to the rail head?  Why one earth would they do that?  Doesn't seem like it would make a good plow for the rear truck either?  Seems like the snow would likely wedge up underneath it, instead of getting shoved aside?

 
> Is that an air tank hanging almost to the rail
> head?  Why one earth would they do that? 

Appears to be a common "V" flanger plow.  Odd angle and interesting rivets.

Oh, thanks!  The curve I am seeing is from a hollow cylinder (plow) not a full cyinder (air tank).

It looks like it was built by Hal Roach's Little Rascals. 

..........Or the legendary Rube Goldberg.

Any info on disposition?
Maybe scrap, maybe export for 3ft guage, maybe a museum somewhere?
Maybe buried under a glacier somewhere?