# Working Rotary Snow Plow



## d_sinsley (Mar 29, 2011)

Has anyone built or have plans for a scratch built working rotary snow plow. I think this would be a cool challenge? Not sure it would even be possible, but I am thinking you could use track power to run a electric motor to spin the plow. This would be pushed by a working loco just like the real thing. I don't know that I would every build one but just curious if anyone has.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

I did not build mine, but here are some pictures that might help. You should use a battery for the power in the rotary and track power or some other independent power source for the engine. They should be separate.




































Chuck


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## chuckger (Jan 2, 2008)

Here is a link to a build of rotory OY 


http://www.gscalecentral.co.uk/f/m39428.aspx


Chuckger


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

That is a great looking plow. Who did build it?


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## d_sinsley (Mar 29, 2011)

Thanks Chuck, that is a beast of a motor set up and it throws snow with serious intentions. That would be all to fun to play with. 

And to Chuckger, that is an awesome build. Do you know if he ever got it to throw snow like he wanted? It sure is pretty even if it doesn't actually chuck the white stuff.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Using advice from Marty Cozad and Ron Senek I built my rotary snow plow, based on a Aristo FA-1B chassis. Some inprogress pictures are on my web site, scroll down a ways to the Projects button, then pick the one with the snow plow. Some movies there also.
























I used a 12v drill for the parts, a 18v battery spins it real good. Vacuum cleaner blade for the front. I ended up battery powering the chassis, works better than track power on icey/wet track.


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## d_sinsley (Mar 29, 2011)

Thanks Jerry, 

I saw you had popped in on the other forum linked above and was hoping you would chime in here. It looks like yours throws snow pretty decent.


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

I know I had seen a working live steam, 1/20.3 rotary snowplow. Did a quick Google and found this photo. I believe someone in the Pacific Northwest built this one. One of a kind as far as I know.


















ALL brass, too!


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## d_sinsley (Mar 29, 2011)

Jerry, 
Just looked at the photos and video of your plow at work. Pretty cool I have to say. It seemed it threw the snow to the right better than the left. I assume your reversed ploarity on the motor and just spun the fan the other way. Is the increased success due to the curveature of the fan blades and if so which had the better results? I assume spinning it so it scooped the snow was the ticket? 

Now I have gone and done it. I want to build one, a good old steam narrow gauge one. Add that to the list of many builds I want to achieve. Haven't finished the first build yet. Fn3 is so much more fun to build in than HO.


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## smcgill (Jan 2, 2008)

If I can do it you can!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbDL...ature=plcp
It's all about having fun!
Sean


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

Not scratch built, but we had our USA Trains rotary OM snow plow modified to work better in real snow.


Jonathan Bliese of Electric & Steam Modelworks converted our USA plow to run on battery and Airwire control. In addition to the battery power conversion, he changed out the plow motor with a powerful Accucraft K-27 motor. Now it has loads of power and torque to plow through snow. It also has a phoenix sound board for snow plow sounds.


Our plow must be pushed by another loco to move, but that's prototypical. It is really great to operate the plow on one frequency while pushing the train with a locomotive on another frequency. It's also fun to blow the whistles just like a real rotary snow plow does for communicating with the pushing locos.


The tender is a kitbashed Aristo/Delton C-16 tender.


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## d_sinsley (Mar 29, 2011)

Sean, That looked like a pretty good snow chucker. What did you use for the motor and blade?


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## Dan Pantages (Jan 2, 2008)

Gary, that looks like one of Jim Hadden's.


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## cape cod Todd (Jan 3, 2008)

Hello 
I built a rotary plow in anticipation of a lot of snow like we got last year and guess what this year was pretty much a bust for us here on the Cape. 
I used a work car from USAT and built around that. The cupola is from LGB. I used a 5 inch metal vacuum fan blade that I found on Ebay. Since it was a 5" I had to custom build the shroud for it. The power is from a 12volt cordless drill that I disassembled adn mounted inside. I routed the power through a DPDT switch at the back so I could reverse the direction of the blades depending on which way I wanted to throw the snow. The extra bits like the wheel shrouds and the flange was also custom built from plastic pieces like window shades and a PVC pipe. 
Here is a video of it in action against some wet snow. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgPlIqOjDB4&feature=results_video&lr=1&ob=0 

What is great about rotary plows is they were unique to each RR so whatever design you come up with no one can tell you it is wrong. 
Good luck and Happy RRing 
Todd


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## smcgill (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By d_sinsley on 02 Apr 2012 08:57 PM 
Sean, That looked like a pretty good snow chucker. What did you use for the motor and blade? 



http://www.mylargescale.com/Communi...Ca%20href=" target="_blank">







http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/...wer001.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"> 

Old cord less drill, plastic 4" vacume impella mounted on original shaft chucked into drill chuck!
Home Crapo gave me the 4" to 3" reducer. 
Set impella in drill press and spun it and hit it with a file untill moved freely inside unit.
Batt. Powered track to iffy
Sean


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## d_sinsley (Mar 29, 2011)

Sean, 
That link didn't take me anywhere. 

Sounds like pretty much the way to go is 12v drill, 18v power pack, a vacuum impeller and some imagination. 

Todd, yeah my prototype never had one. It wasn't until the NP took over and converted to standard gauge that rotary plows showed up. Not sure what they did to move snow Because I have never seen or read anything that indicated that they even plowed at all. They should have had one, so I will make them one ;-).


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## d_sinsley (Mar 29, 2011)

Hey Todd, 

Just watched your video, very nice plow. That is just about the look I was thinking of.


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## smcgill (Jan 2, 2008)

Boy they don't give you much time to edit this stuff.
How is this .
[url="


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## smcgill (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By d_sinsley on 03 Apr 2012 07:20 PM 

Sounds like pretty much the way to go is 12v drill, 18v power pack, a vacuum impeller and some imagination. 

I use 2-12 V to go with 12V or 24V { MORE POWER UGG }
Sean


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## chuckger (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi D Sinsley, 

In the second edition of Slim Gauge Cars, there is an 8 page story by C Cambel III on rotory OM. This includes a very detailed set of plans for the rotory and tender. there is also another story 5 pages long on detailing the plow, tender's, and a tank car that later became part of M's train. If you want to build a rotory get a copy of this plan book there is a lot of usefull info in it. 
There is also some plans in back issues of Gazette, I'll try to get a list of those posted. 

Chuck


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## d_sinsley (Mar 29, 2011)

Thanks Chuck even if I don't build one that sounds like an interesting read. I will have to pick one up.


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## jake3404 (Dec 3, 2010)

Excellent Matt, 

I wondered if anyone had converted the USA trains Rotary into an operating one. I might look into that. I dont have a spare K-27 motor sitting around but I can probably use a 12v motor.


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## cape cod Todd (Jan 3, 2008)

I thought about getting a USAT rotary then converting it but the cost was crazy! They usually go for $150 and up whereas a work series bunk or kitchen car can be had for about $40. Most of the work to build a rotary plow is done at this point. It will take a bit of engineering to fit a drill motor, chuck and battery securely inside but it can be done as we have seen here. I would recommend a 4" blade vs the 5" that I used due then you won't need to custom build your shroud. 
Good luck and let us know how you make out with your build. 
Todd


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Chuck's really clears the way! 

(It's April. I don't even want to THINK about snow!)


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