Rotary Plows


Rotary plows, developed in 1883 by Orange Jull and marketed by the Leslie Brothers, are the largest of pieces of railroad snowfighting equipment. These behemoths can throw snow hundreds of feet from the tracks and can clear a swath through a dozen or more feet of snow. Due to operating expenses, however, they rarely see service. A measure of their importance can be seen in the fact that Union Pacific and BNSF each have no fewer than 10 rotaries available. Today most rotaries are powered by electricity supplied from a trailing locomotive, a specially converted power car, or an internal diesel engine. Several steam powered rotaries survive, and a few are operable today.

A list of all surviving rotary snowplows is also available.

Background Photos
Standard Gauge Rotaries
Narrow Gauge Rotaries
European Rotaries

Background Photos

[THUMBNAIL] A photo of Edward Leslie, one of the original Leslie Brothers. Edward "started it all" when he founded the family business, then took his brother Samuel into the business. Due to a patent rights dispute, Edward's descendants did not inherit the rotary business.
Photo: Leslie family, courtesy of Allan Leslie

[THUMBNAIL] Edward Leslie poses with an early rotary plow. It is not clear which plow this is; although it appears to be marked as a company demonstration unit, it definately is not the original prototype rotary plow. It could be one of the plows displayed at the 1893 Columbian World Exposition in Chicago.
Photo: Leslie family, courtesy of Allan Leslie

[THUMBNAIL] One of the Leslie Brothers' early advertising pamphlets.
Photo: Leslie family, courtesy of Allan Leslie

Standard Gauge Rotaries

[THUMBNAIL] UP 900075 at the Illinois Railway Museum .
Photo: Jeff Lubchansky

[THUMBNAIL] Union Pacific 900080 at Cheyenne. This is Union Pacific's oldest rotary, but it is one of the newest in the country; it was built by UP in 1958 (originally numbered 080). Parts from an old rotary were used in building this plow. It is powered by an internal 16-576C diesel (same as a GP9), rated at 1750 hp. During January 1997 this plow was on loan to BNSF, working 24 hour days to clear snowed-in lines.
Photo: Rick Steele

[THUMBNAIL] Another view of UP 900080 at Cheyenne.
Photo: Rick Steele

[THUMBNAIL] UP 900080 in the snow. The plow is probably working the Feather River Canyon in this view.
Photo: photographer unknown

[THUMBNAIL] Union Pacific 900081 at Cheyenne. Another one of UP's homebuilt plows, this one was built in 1966 and is powered by a 3000 hp diesel. It was built using components from a variety of sources; the cab side window appears to be from an Alco PA. The plow was retired in 1994 and is now at the Museum of Transport, St. Louis.
Photo: Rick Steele

[THUMBNAIL] UP 900080 at the Museum of Transport, St. Louis.
Photo: Dave Pierson.

[THUMBNAIL] Union Pacific 900082 at Cheyenne. This was the last rotary built by UP, being completed in 1971. It is similar in design to #900081; it is powered by a 2500 hp diesel. This plow was used as recently as October 1997.
Photo: Rick Steele

[THUMBNAIL] Union Pacific steam rotary 900099 at the Forney Transportation Museum, Denver, CO. Built in 1909, this plow was successively numbered LHP&P 099, CW&E 099, LNP&W 099, UP 099 and UP 900099. It is one of several ex-UP plows in museums around the nation.
Photo: Brian Fritz

[THUMBNAIL] Southern Pacifc MW208 (with MW205) at Sparks, NV, 12 June 1993 These plows are electric plows converted from steam rotaries. They have long been stored out of service without their F7B power units attached. MW205 was originally SP 715, then SP 706, and finally SP 7205 before receiving its current number; it was converted to electric power in 1958. MW208 was SP 707, SP 712 and SP 7208; converted 1970. Union Pacific's plans for these plows are unknown.
Photo: M. Gilbert

[THUMBNAIL] SP MW205 and MW208 at Sparks, NV, 23 December 1996. MW205 was built in 1920 as SP 715; MW208 was built as SP 707 in 1927.
Photo: Tim Harris

[THUMBNAIL] Another view of the SP rotaries at Sparks.
 Photo: Tim Harris

[THUMBNAIL] A third view of the rotaries at Sparks.
Photo: Tim Harris

[THUMBNAIL] Southern Pacific MW205 and MW208 at Sparks, NV This view clearly shows the big blade and the coupler hardware that can be installed to facilitate moving rotaries around a yard.
Photo: Richard Percy, courtesy of Jim Czarnecki

[THUMBNAIL] Southern Pacific MW221 and power car MW8221, Roseville, CA, 17 Aug 1996. This plow was originally SP 717, built 1922; the "snail" was SP F7B 8292.
Photo: Evan Werkema

[THUMBNAIL] Southern Pacific MW211 and power car MW8211 at Roseville, CA, 17 Aug 1996. The plow is ex-SP 7211, built in 1937, the power car ("snail") is ex-SP F7B 8292. This plow-snail set was called into service over Donner Pass in 1997.
Photo: Evan Werkema

[THUMBNAIL] ex-Southern Pacific at the California State Railroad Museum, Sacremento, CA, 18 June 1995. Built in 1937 as SP 7210, this plow was converted to electric power in 1968 and was retired to the museum in 1983.
Photo: Evan Werkema

[THUMBNAIL] Southern Pacific rotaries in action on Donner Pass. SP's Roseville-based plows are the among the busiest and best-known in the country. Here a plow set made up of two rotaries, two powercars and four 6-axle diesels works upgrade through light-medium snow. Like the plows at Sparks, these plows were converted from steam to electric power, receiving current from F7B powercars.
Photo: photographer unknown

[THUMBNAIL] SP MW209 (leading) and MW221 in action in Yuba Pass, 1 April 1982.
MW209 was built in 1929 as SP 706; it was called into service over Donner Pass in 1997. Photo: Brian Jennison

[THUMBNAIL] Burlington Northern 972555 at Mandan, ND, 18 January 1997. This plow was one of five BN plows called into action early in 1997. It was built in 1925 as GN 95009.
Photo: Gerald Olson

[THUMBNAIL] BN 972555 on the Linton Sub, 19 January 1997. The plow is cutting through a drifted-in cut, throwing an impressive amount of snow, and the diesels behind are clearly working hard.
Photo: Gerald Olson

[THUMBNAIL] BN 972555 approaches a grade crossing in Braddock, ND, 19 January 1997. The snow is lighter here, but the plow is still creating quite a snowstorm.
Photo: Gerald Olson

[THUMBNAIL] BN 972555 breaks through a grade crossing, Braddock, ND, 19 January 1997. Unfortunately the scanned image doesn't clearly show the snowstorm the plow is churning up as it cuts through the roadside snowbanks.
Photo: Gerald Olson

[THUMBNAIL] Burlington Northern (ex-Northern Pacific) working at milepost 50 on Stampede Pass, 19 January 1972. The passenger train is Amtrak #32, the eastbound Empire Builder. The identity of the rotary is unknown, but it is probably #41 or #42.
Photo: Jim Fredrickson, courtesy of John Phillips

[THUMBNAIL] Northern Pacific 9, a steam rotary, at Lewiston, Idaho 6/4/1967.
Photo: Marked "Honderson", courtesy of Walt Ainsworth

[THUMBNAIL] Northern Pacific 10 on the turntable at Lester, WA (Stampede Pass), pre-1956 Built in 1907, this plow was never renumbered or converted to electric power, and survives to this day (see below).
Photo: Ruth Eckes, courtesy of John Phillips

[THUMBNAIL] Front view of ex-NP 10, derelict at Snoqualmie, WA, on the Puget Sound & Snoqualmie RR.
Photo: Brian Fritz

[THUMBNAIL] Left-side view of ex-NP 10, derelict at Snoqualmie, WA, on the Puget Sound & Snoqualmie RR.
Photo: Brian Fritz

[THUMBNAIL] Left-side view of ex-NP 10, derelict at Snoqualmie, WA, on the Puget Sound & Snoqualmie RR.
Photo: Brian Fritz

[THUMBNAIL] Right-side view of ex-NP 10, derelict at Snoqualmie, WA, on the Puget Sound & Snoqualmie RR.
Photo: Brian Fritz

[THUMBNAIL] Cab closeup of ex-NP 10, derelict at Snoqualmie, WA, on the Puget Sound & Snoqualmie RR. It has been reported that this plow is to be cosmetically restored in 1998.
Photo: Brian Fritz

[THUMBNAIL] Santa Fe 199361 at Topeka, KS, 29 June 1990. This is a homebuilt rotary, using the blade and carbody components from an 1892 rotary (ATSF 99802) and the frame of a steam locomotive tender (from 4-8-4 #3765). It was built 11/1959. BNSF called the plow into action in 1997, but it broke down and was unable to complete it's assigned task.
Photo: Evan Werkema

[THUMBNAIL] Santa Fe 199361 in 1987.
Photo: Doyle Davis

[THUMBNAIL] Santa Fe 199361 in 1987.
Photo: Doyle Davis

[THUMBNAIL] Santa Fe 199361 in 1987.
Photo: Doyle Davis

[THUMBNAIL] LIRR 193 at Steamtown. This is the only rotary plow in the eastern US.
Photo: Jeff Lubchansky

[THUMBNAIL] CN 55361 at the Canadian Railway Museum, Delson, Quebec. This is the only rotary plow in Canada.
Photo: Jeff Lubchansky

Narrow Gauge Rotaries

[THUMBNAIL] Colorado & Southern rotary #99201 at the Colorado Railroad Museum, Golden, CO. Built in 1900 as 3 foot gauge plow C&S 03, it was soon converted to standard gauge, then back to 3 foot in 1935, returning to standard gauge in 1943. The plow was rebuilt in 1949, but retained steam power until its retirement. The plow was numbered #0270 before receiving its final number.
Photo: Brian Fritz

[THUMBNAIL] Cumbres & Toltec Scenic (ex-Rio Grande) plow OY at Chama, NM This wooden 3 foot gauge steam plow, built in 1923, is operational and sees regular service.
Photo: Brian Fritz

[THUMBNAIL] Another view of OY at Chama
Photo: Jim Stover

[THUMBNAIL] Recent photo Cumbres & Toltec Scenic plow OY at Chama, NM
Photo: Brian Fritz

[THUMBNAIL] C&TS steam rotary OY at Chama, 3 May 1993, "ready for battle" just before the annual line-opening plow run.
Photo: Jeff Osborne

[THUMBNAIL] C&TS OY plowing at Coxo, CO, 3 May 1993.
Photo: Jeff Osborne

[THUMBNAIL] C&TS OY working through deep snow at Coxo, CO, 3 May 1993.
Photo: Jeff Osborne

[THUMBNAIL] C&TS OY working through deep snow at Coxo, CO, 3 May 1993.
Photo: Jeff Osborne

[THUMBNAIL] C&TS OY plowing at Coxo, CO, 3 May 1993.
Photo: Jeff Osborne

[THUMBNAIL] C&TS OY plowing at Coxo, CO, 3 May 1993.
Photo: Jeff Osborne

[THUMBNAIL] Rio Grande plow OM on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic, Chama, NM Another wooden 3 foot gauge steam unit, this plow was Denver & Rio Grande #1 before becoming OM. Built in 1889, this plow is stored inoperable in a rotten condition. K-37 #492 is behind the plow.
Photo: Brian Fritz

[THUMBNAIL] Another view of OM at Chama
Photo: Jim Stover

European Rotaries

[THUMBNAIL] Donner Pass in the 1950's? No, this is a Norwegian State Railways plow working upgrade through deep snow. Norway's plows are built to the same Leslie designs as most rotary plows used in the US.
[THUMBNAIL] A spectacular view of a Norwegian plow throwing a massive arc of snow.

[THUMBNAIL] Another Norwegian plow throwing a huge plume of snow.

[THUMBNAIL] A Norwegian plow moving through the yards, pushed by a single steam locomotive.

[THUMBNAIL] A Swiss National Railways rotary plow working on the Gotthard Line. Swiss plows run off electric power from the overheat catenary, and have a pair of independent dischage chutes. These plows are similar to the "highway type" plows in use on some US railroads.
[THUMBNAIL] Another view of a Swiss plow on the Gotthard Line.

[THUMBNAIL] A spectacular view of a Swiss plow working through deep snow on the Jungfrau Railroad.

[THUMBNAIL] A Swiss-built self-propelled steam rotary plow. Unlike US steam rotaries, this plow is self-propelled, using 0-6-6-0 running gear, plus a separate drive mechanism for the plow blade.
Photo: Courtesy of Rainer Buchheim.
[THUMBNAIL] A US-built rotary plow at a railroad museum in Moulhouse, France. This plow is Alco/Cooke Works #45561, built 9/1908 for service in France. After retirment in 1973 it went on display as seen here. Removal of the side panels gives a good view of the plow's internal workings.
Photo: Courtesy of Rainer Buchheim.
This feature created and maintained by Andrew Toppan.
Copyright © 1997, 1998, Andrew Toppan. All Rights Reserved.
All photographs are copyright by the photographer.

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