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F-Unit snow plows?

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  • Member since
    October 2007
  • From: Wisconsin
  • 378 posts
F-Unit snow plows?
Posted by Wikious on Friday, December 14, 2007 11:47 PM
Were there any prototypes that used snowplows on their F units, or did the front end act as one? I'm modeling a midwestern theme and snowplows are used on almost every engine I see around here, but I don't recall seeing them on F Units.

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: Robe Valley, Wa.
  • 719 posts
Posted by GN-Rick on Saturday, December 15, 2007 12:47 AM
The Great Northern Railway, Northern Pacific Railway and the Southern Pacific all used snow pilots on many of their F-units. SP's were different in shape and style from GN's and NP's. On the GN and NP, the more common applications of snow pilots were to passenger equipped and assigned units. Freighters more often retained the EMD factory pilot.  I can't really say what the SP's policies were on this equipment. Details West offers both the SP and GN/NP styles of pilots as detail parts.  There may have been other roads that used snow pilots, but I can't say for certain.
Rick Bolger Great Northern Railway Cascade Division-Lines West
  • Member since
    September 2002
  • From: California & Maine
  • 3,848 posts
Posted by andrechapelon on Saturday, December 15, 2007 1:24 AM

 Wikious wrote:
Were there any prototypes that used snowplows on their F units, or did the front end act as one? I'm modeling a midwestern theme and snowplows are used on almost every engine I see around here, but I don't recall seeing them on F Units.

SP had pilot plows on most road diesels they owned, including F's.

http://espee.railfan.net/nonindex/f-unit_photos/6190_sp-f7a-fred_a_stindt.jpg

http://espee.railfan.net/nonindex/f-unit_photos/6232_sp-f7a-fred_a_stindt.jpg

http://espee.railfan.net/nonindex/f-unit_photos/6291_sp-f7a-fred_a_stindt.jpg

http://espee.railfan.net/nonindex/fp7_photos/6450_sp-fp7-bob_dengler.jpg

http://espee.railfan.net/nonindex/fp7_photos/6447a_sp-fp7-bob_dengler.jpg

 

Andre

It's really kind of hard to support your local hobby shop when the nearest hobby shop that's worth the name is a 150 mile roundtrip.
  • Member since
    October 2007
  • From: Wisconsin
  • 378 posts
Posted by Wikious on Saturday, December 15, 2007 1:48 AM
 andrechapelon wrote:

 Wikious wrote:
Were there any prototypes that used snowplows on their F units, or did the front end act as one? I'm modeling a midwestern theme and snowplows are used on almost every engine I see around here, but I don't recall seeing them on F Units.

SP had pilot plows on most road diesels they owned, including F's.

http://espee.railfan.net/nonindex/f-unit_photos/6190_sp-f7a-fred_a_stindt.jpg

http://espee.railfan.net/nonindex/f-unit_photos/6232_sp-f7a-fred_a_stindt.jpg

http://espee.railfan.net/nonindex/f-unit_photos/6291_sp-f7a-fred_a_stindt.jpg

http://espee.railfan.net/nonindex/fp7_photos/6450_sp-fp7-bob_dengler.jpg

http://espee.railfan.net/nonindex/fp7_photos/6447a_sp-fp7-bob_dengler.jpg

 

Andre

Thanks for the pictures, they help out a lot. Big Smile [:D]

  • Member since
    September 2002
  • 7,474 posts
Posted by ndbprr on Saturday, December 15, 2007 8:17 AM
Up had some that were massive.  Probably half the height of the nose.
  • Member since
    August 2007
  • From: North Carolina
  • 158 posts
Posted by Bobster on Saturday, December 15, 2007 2:21 PM

Greetings,

    Rock Island had some.  They came from Union Pacific.  For a picture you can check out          

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ri/ri4168ags.jpg  

Enjoy the picture,

Bob 

Modeling in N scale: Rock Island freight and passenger, with a touch of  the following;  Wabash Cannon Ball,  CB&Q passenger, and ATSF freight and passenger.   I played in Peoria (Heights).

 

  • Member since
    December 2007
  • 416 posts
Posted by DSO17 on Saturday, December 15, 2007 6:56 PM
Back in the '60's on the east end of the Baltimore Div. of the B&O they just used an F-7A unit with a standard freight pilot as a snowplow. Did a pretty good job as I recall. Of course that's only for a foot or two of snow.
  • Member since
    October 2007
  • From: Wisconsin
  • 378 posts
Posted by Wikious on Sunday, December 16, 2007 5:24 PM
 Bobster wrote:

Greetings,

    Rock Island had some.  They came from Union Pacific.  For a picture you can check out          

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/ri/ri4168ags.jpg  

Enjoy the picture,

Bob 

That's like a perfect picture to try to model off of. My thanks! 

  • Member since
    July 2001
  • From: Shelbyville, Kentucky
  • 1,967 posts
Posted by SSW9389 on Sunday, December 16, 2007 5:58 PM
Western Pacific equipped several F7As with plows for use on the High Line to Bieber, CA.
COTTON BELT: Runs like a Blue Streak!

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