# Test run for new caboose plow.



## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

Last year, after trying to put an Aristo blade on a long steel caboose, there was much too much overhang and derailing of the rear truck. Plowing was very unsatisfactory as evidenced by this youtube video. First half of video is night plowing with just SD45 pilot plow. Second half is plowing with the booseplow ver.1.0 .


This year, the caboose body was reversed, and mounted on the chasis of the Aristo plow. This placed the front truck under the blade, rather than behind the blade under the car. Overhang in curves was reduced significantly. 

A body mount coupler [kadee] was installed on the caboose plow. There was a remarkable improvement in the ability of the car to not derail the back truck on 8ft curves while pushing snow. The body mount also resolved a coupler aliignment problem caused by the truck springs being compressed under the load of the 10lb. cabooseplow. Suggestions for adding a third spring or unsprung trucks were made. I have considered both. Eventually, one of those two options will probably be done. 


I had to tighten the pivot screw on the front [plow end] truck so that there was very little side to side movement. With the screw looser, on the tighter curves, the car could lean and catch the plow tip corner in ballast, or worse yet, a switch motor. The rear truck was left with plenty of play [3-point effect]. Now the plow behaves much better. 


The weights added to the car include 6oz of wheel weights on the deck of the plow blade, an SD45 weight at each end of the car, two lgb weights midships in the car, and an 8in long 12v. gel cell battery running the length of the car [also powering the 5 LED lights]. 
The plow detail work hasn't been finished yet, so I will only post these preliminary pictures for now. So far, a brass [rivited] cover for the top of the plow has been fitted, rear overhang on the roof shortened, and the ladder at the rear modified. A rear deck still needs to be finished, since the original plow deck only extended to the end of the caboose. The new deck will provide additional support for the body mount coupler.




























Future postings wil show details of construction and modeling. A video will also be posted after the next plowable snow.


JimC.


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

Here are some of the construction detail shots.





















Jim Carter


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

Very nice Jim! Looks like it does its job well too.


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

New video of the reworked caboose plow. Now has body mount coupler. 

Snowplowing 12/16/08

After the runs today, I pulled two pounds of weight out of the car. I didn't have a single derail today.



JimC.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

[No message]


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Sure runs better than a plow on the front of an engine! I'm glad you're having more luck than I!


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

That looks like a lot of fun and the caboose plow looks really good









I'll be traveling to our layout in Colorado right after Christmas. They have been getting a good dumping of snow theses past few days so maybe we'll be able to plow some snow if it isn't too deep or icy by then.


I wonder how many bashes have been done out there to the Aristo Plow? I bet quite a few. I wanted a large wedge plow for the front of a Bachmann 2-8-0 and looked for just the Aristo plow part for a while. Out of production at the time so I got the plow + gondola instead. Took off the plow and modified it to fit the Bachmann 2-8-0 pilot and turned the left over gondola into a crane tender. The plow for the 2-8-0 pilot (stored near the roundhouse) and the gondola/crane tender can both be seen in this photo.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Cool! (literally)


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Jim looks like it really did the trick this time. May still have to add a 3rd loco.







Later RJD


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

I am very pleased with the plow outcome. The body mount coupler made a huge difference, as did the forward placed truck under the blade. 

RJ, You are right. I may need a third engine handling the grades I have on curves. Steve found out about that issue too. Even though I run SG equipment mostly, my layout has the look, curves, and grades of a NG layout.

JimC.


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

More pictures.

Grandson Luke helping....










Plowing the back mainline.......










JimC.


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## smcgill (Jan 2, 2008)

Jim great job! When I did mine i noticed that the engines were scraping the snow so I added wings to mine!


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Now that you added wings you definitely will need to and more motive power. Later RJD


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