# USA Rotary



## Wolfie 1047 (May 12, 2010)

It's been a couple of years (about 7) since I last used my USA Rotary when it became a victim of a small object on the tracks. I finally got a new blade assembly for it and it will be painted in the next few days. While I have this thing apart, I am thinking of making some upgrades. The first thing is the motor for the blade. I got away with moving a very light dusting when it was used, I realize it's not made to move mountains but I do want a little bit more of a bite, if you will. Any suggestions for this? Also considering putting some battery and a speed control in it to speed up or slow down when needed. Other than that, a set of Aristo 29100 trucks will be mounted underneath, along with possibly adding a few extra lights. Any suggestions are appreciated!


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

From what I heard, the rotary blade just won't do much no matter what motor you use. It's mainly because the snow crystals don't scale down! 

There's been quite a few threads on rotaries, and most success seems to come from a vacuum cleaner impeller. 

I'd keep it as a pretty model, and if you really want to clear snow, look over the ones that work that people have built. 

Regards, Greg


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

I had our USA Rotary upgraded with a new motor and battery power conversion. Jonathan Bliese of Electric & Steam Modelworks did the conversion for us.


He installed an Accucraft K-27 motor to move the blade. The rotary is controlled via Airwire and has Phoenix sound. Like the prototype, it must be pushed by a locomotive to move along the tracks.


The really nice part about the conversion is the ability to throttle up or down to control the blade speed without worrying about track power loss. The Phoenix sounds also add to the realism.


As far as the ability to plow? I'm not sure how well it would work. Before the conversion it only worked with fluffy powder. And it was track powered so it never really worked all that well, especially in the snow. Since the conversion I haven't tried it in the snow.


I hope to do so this winter...that is if I can get out to our place in Colorado. I live most of the year in Southern California, but our layout is in Colorado. So if I can get out there this winter I'd like to try out the plow in snow.

Here's a pic of it in action before the conversion (I kitbashed the rotary tender from an Aristo C-16 tender):


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Seems I read someone glued the blades so they did not flop around and it did better. Not sure about that though.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Back when the USAt rotary came out, about 1990, I was very tempted to get one. I didn't because it was said that it was more for show and lacked the ability to really throw snow. About that time a fellow member of the Denver Garden Railway Society, Ken Orme, built a few rotarys that actually had the power to do the job, at least move up to a couple of inches. I got one and have really enjoyed it. Here is Virginia I don't get to use it as often as I did in Denver. It does the job if the snow isn't too deep or to heavy.


The battery is a 6 volt gel cell. Ken made the fan, I think that a impeller from a vacuum cleaner would be a lot easier to use.





































Chuck


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

When running a rotary or any plow for that matter it is very important to put it outside so that it gets cold. You don't want the snow to melt and then refreeze. Another thing that helps is to spray the impeller or blades with a light coat of PAM or WD-40, before you start plowing, it helps keep the snow from sticking to the blades.


Chuck


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## Phippsburg Eric (Jan 10, 2008)

From the photos it looks like that plow has a pretty good speed reduction of perhaps 12:1 so that the impeller is not spinning so fast. that would give it more torque too so it would not bog down as much when it is working. My feeling of many of the rotary plows i have seen is that they turn too fast so that they cannot actually grab the snow and throw it. 

If you are re-working the USA trains machine, i would incorporate a gear or belt drive which slows down the impeller and gives more torque.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Eric:

The impeller still spins quite fast, but the reduction must help. It threw the snow about 8' over the fence into the neighbors yard. 


I think that with some teeth on the front of the blades would help chop up the snow that gets packed up in front of the Rotary. 


Chuck


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