I've been working on this rotary snow plow for my layout. It is based on the Union Pacific's 900082 that is in the CHeyenne Roundhouse and still used. 081 is in the St Louis Trans Museum, but it's pretty rusty, the one in Cheyenne is hard to take pix of it is so shiny.
The build is based on an Aristo FA-1B unit, a 12v battery powered drill motor/chuck is used for power, with an 18 volt battery to spin it faster. Unit is track powered at the moment. It uses a vacuum cleaner blade and I have tested it in snow and it works.
I'm using metal foil duct tape that I have embossed rivet patterns into using a artist's pounce wheel. Then peel off the backing and stick it on, it holds well! The discharge chute is just for looks, the one in this photo is being replaced. The bump on top for the driver is being re-done, as you can see it is not all glued down. Once it is down and covered with foil I will put some grills on top and walkways/stanchions.
Note the figure I made is now inside. Window foil will be removed on the sides to show the window.
Front window still needs to get the foil on it.
Jerry
web site:
http://thescrr.com/
No snow but I wanted to do a test run to make sure the top would clear my bridges/tunnels. Did, but barely!
Nice Job, We don't have any snow yet and Hope we don't get any, not much rain yet ether must be because I put all my trains away until the leafs drop and that hasn't happened ether.........
Dave in sunny and dry Ca.
The head is gray, hands don't work , back is weak, legs give out, eyes are gone, money go's and my wife still love's Me.
This is my first post, so may have missed something along the way. Sorry if I have. What is the scale you are working in. I was just wondering about the Vacuum cleaner motor and how it scales to the prototype. I am particularly fond of the rotary type snow blowers, and this is inspiring me to give it a go when I retire next month. Are there any prototype drawings out here in cyberland to work from. I doubt I can get much direct exposure in Tennessee to measure and photograph. Not much need for these engines around the Smokies.
It's about 1/29 scale, it is based on a Aristo FA-B unit, which is that scale. Blade is from a vacuum cleaner and the shell around it is a 4" plastic plumping pipe cap. So some stuff is just the size it has to be to work with and make fit. No plans for this, just working from pix I took and got from a friend. USA does make a D&RG rotary, it does not work but looks nice. Got the foil around the windows, now working on the roof.
The drill motor for the blade is it speed controled or just on or off in your model?
I have a dpdt switch on the back. It's a 12 volt drill using an 18 volt battery, spins it FAST!
I was in Cheyenne over Thanksgiving, was able to get in the UP steam shop on Saturday. Climbed up on top of the rotary. The top is all expanded metal with some low stanchions around the edge, no vents visible. There is an escape hatch in top of the cab.
Jerry Barnes Climbed up on top of the rotary. There is an escape hatch in top of the cab.
Did you remember to take along your automated graphic memory extension device? (camera?)
Tom Trigg
Nah, was an impulse to climb up there, wife was way worried, not much to see anyway. Just a bunch of the expanded metal walkway.
After the first snowplow run(guess I didn't post any pix here of that) I decided to put in a new blade that had been recommended by Rayman over on the MLS forum. Ron Senek got me one when he was getting one for his plow-thanks RON! Jim Carter had found a wing nut in the center would help break up the snow some so I added that. The red color is prototypical, sort of, the UP plow has red/silver blades.
Crew was getting bored waiting for snow so they painted the blades of the plow silver, just for grins.
Getting the Ozark handles on. Made a jig to drill all the holes right.
Jerry; That's a BUNCH of drillin'. Lookin good.
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