Eastern Railroad Discussion > The Cutest Little Snow Plow You Ever Did See!

If there were one single object to describe the Upper Peninsula, this is it. I don't normally describe trains as cute, but I love this thing! 

Back story: Back on Jan 20th, My friend and I drove down from our college hometown of Houghton to Marquette, MI so he could look at a new car. Just before we left, my friend got word from Clint Jones, the president and CEO of the Mineral Range Railroad, that they'd be out using their new snowplow. So we grabbed our cameras and tripods and headed down to Marquette. We didn't know what we would see, but we knew from Clint that CN was sitting at Partridge Junction looking to go north towards Champion with both a ballast regulator (their snow plow) as well as the L540 local, and they were trying to figure out who goes first after the regulator (CN and MRAX share track between Humboldt and Ishpeming), so we figured we'd at least see something.

After the appointment at the dealership and a stop for lunch, we we're delighted to see that the Mineral Range had not yet broken through their crossing on US 41, and Clint's son was chipping away at the large snow bank with an ancient front-end loader. We made a turn for the crossing on M-98, called Clint for an update on their location, and waited. A few minutes latter, the loader came and cleared the crossing, then continued down the gauge (rather than the road) to the yard at Humboldt Mill rather comically. Then, 4 extremely long horn blasts at the US 41 crossing alerted us to get out of my nice warm car and turn on the cameras. It's a major highway crossing with only lights and bells, so the crews are a bit paranoid and like to make sure their presence is known. 

Now, we had never seen Clint's new toy until this very moment, so we were "awwww" - struck when it came around the corner. Catching up to them at the next crossing, another comedic moment; we hear them blowing for a small trail crossing fully expecting them to appear around the corner...and here comes the loader down the track. Lolz. They then managed to get the loader stuck in a ditch fouling the line so the train could only pull up to the crossing and not cross. This allowed us to get up close and personal with it.

The plow was made from what is now a neutered Plymouth switcher that Clint bought back in 2016. Now we know why he bought it.
It has wings that are powered either electrically or with fluid power, and a concrete block for weight. The two locomotives were the usual GP9s (the highhood is ex NKP and the chopped nose ex BN). Of course when they got the loader out of the way my camera had called it quits from the cold, but I was able to snatch a few last pictures with my phone. All in all, a very exciting afternoon with a very resourceful little shortline. 

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Very nice catch! Unusual one of a kind equipment.
RB

Ingenious. Thanks for this. Love the U P. d

As train modellers say, "There is a prototype for everything"

Doug

In case anyone wonders, 4-wheel cars are the first exemption of the Safety Appliance Act, and the FRA has no jurisdiction over work trains or snow fighting work equipment.  And you can't inspect track on the required schedule unless you run a work train over it so you can run the next train, and conduct interstate commerce.

The cement block should be a tank of water with a little heater so won't freeze, and if you derail the plow, drain the water so it will be very easy to pull back on when empty and rerail. Should be equipped with flanger blades as well  as wings.  Thanks for the post and video.

PS: As Proof.  The Valley RR in Connecticut has run in two past years the former narrow gauge Hoosic Tunnel & Wilmington wooden snow plow which has no brake shoes, not even hand brakes, and it was legal on its work train.  It only had some air pressure to lift a flanger blade.  Does a great job.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/26/20 11:03 by PlyWoody.

PlyWoody Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> In case anyone wonders, 4-wheel cars are the first
> exemption of the Safety Appliance Act, and the FRA
> has no jurisdiction over work trains or snow
> fighting work equipment.  And you can't inspect
> track on the required schedule unless you run a
> work train over it so you can run the next train,
> and conduct interstate commerce.
>
> The cement block should be a tank of water with a
> little heater so won't freeze, and if you derail
> the plow, drain the water so it will be very easy
> to pull back on when empty and rerail. Should be
> equipped with flanger blades as well  as wings. 
> Thanks for the post and video.
>  

Hmm, useful upgrades....perhaps for a version 1.2!

Have crossed that crossing on US 41 many times and this is the first action I have ever seen there.  Thanks for posting!!

A fellow Yooper

viatrainrider Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Have crossed that crossing on US 41 many times and
> this is the first action I have ever seen there. 
> Thanks for posting!!
>
> A fellow Yooper

The Mineral Range doesn't run every day, more like every other. This is actually the crossing on M-98,but it's the same line.

Posted from Android

Yes, been there many times, too.  Also glad to know where Clint is;  had not known for years!!

Thanks for posting this....