Mine is in black, with the aluminum/silver strips. The photos I found of 900005, it was in aluminum / silver paint job with the strips.
Thanks for the info. I tend to research everything I find that actually excisted. Actually, I think one of the photos I found was located in Columbus. I think I'll keep it in the black paint, as I purchased it.
Thanks much !
Mike.
My You Tube
There was a nice article in the UP Historical Society Magazine "The Streamliner", I believe Vol.6 #3 that covered these plows. Background - the great big blizzards in 1949 caught the UP poorly prepared. Most snow plows were old and in poor shape causing a high failure rate. After the blizzards the UP took a look at their plow needs. Since steam was in decline at that time there were extra tenders available and some were rebuilt into plows. These were placed in various locations through the system, often at terminals for branch lines such as Columbus, NE. If I remember right the 900005 was often at Columbus. Even if you don't run the plow, it makes a neat item to put on a weed grown spur waiting its call to action. Originally these were basic black, then at the end of the 1950's or early 60s the black and aluminum "barricade stripes" were added to the ends for visibility. Later the plows were painted aluminum overall retaining the "barricade stripes" on the ends in black.
I would certainly agree with everyone who suggests additional weight in a snowplow. As far as the operating cab function as mentioned above is control of the flanger and in some cases the plows had "wings" that could be extended left or right for plowing sidings or widening the path along the right-of-way. Flanger operators have to be able to see the flanger warning signs so they can raise them before encountering switch rails, crossings and motor-car setouts.
I wonder if newer plows don't have a control stand so that the operator can actually "run" the engines through an MU connection to the locomotives. Anyone in the cab of an engine following the plow would have a visibility range of about five feet. I hear a common occurrence is plows derailing at highway crossings that get iced over after the road plows push the snow up onto the track.
Keep Warm, ED
mbinsewi I'm still interested in what the train consist would have been.
Gidday Mike, looking a this video of a wedge snow plow. what ever it takes !!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RinMx0YA8xA
I find this snow business interesting from the prespective of living where a snow fall that actually sits on the ground for longer than half an hour once every several years would be an extremely unlikely event.
Cheers, the Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
twcenterprises Also, if it's a flanger in addition to being a plow, the operator will likely need to lift the flanger portion over crossings and turnouts. Brad After looking at the model, it does have the flanger, mounted to the front truck, underneath the main plow. If I remember in doing my research on these, not all had cabs, and not all of these had flangers. I'll have to double back, and see if the cab-less units had flangers. Great point. Thanks guys for all your input. Next year, I'm setting up my Christmas train, and this will make a great addition. I'm still interested in what the train consist would have been. Mike.
Also, if it's a flanger in addition to being a plow, the operator will likely need to lift the flanger portion over crossings and turnouts.
Brad
After looking at the model, it does have the flanger, mounted to the front truck, underneath the main plow. If I remember in doing my research on these, not all had cabs, and not all of these had flangers. I'll have to double back, and see if the cab-less units had flangers. Great point.
Thanks guys for all your input. Next year, I'm setting up my Christmas train, and this will make a great addition. I'm still interested in what the train consist would have been.
EMD - Every Model Different
ALCO - Always Leaking Coolant and Oil
CSX - Coal Spilling eXperts
I'd agree that concrete over anything else is the most likely material to be used as ballast (weight). It's cheap, easily available and solid.
Certainly not anything liquid.
Chris van der Heide
My Algoma Central Railway Modeling Blog
I'm with the Bear and Chuck. It's gotta be weighted, most plows are to some degree, as an empty car would derail too easily in such service.
I'd almost bet the ballast was sand, though. Easily available around the railroad and could be removed easily if conversion to another use was desired. Doubt it would shift much, even from bucking drifts. A little water would set it up like stone if that was a problem, as it would be winter when in use.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Almost certainly weighted, since an empty tender is light and the plow/flanger/cab wouldn't have added much weight.
I don't know, but I'd expect the weight to be something solid - gravel(ballast) or, possibly concrete. I recall seeing a gondola with a plow blade that, seen from above, had about 15 inches of cast-in-place concrete for a 'floor.'
My own Ki100 class wing plow has a full-height carbody, so no telling what's inside, other than some kind of machinery to extend and retract the wings and flanger.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with a snowplow that's permanently parked)
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
mbinsewi just what did the operator in this cab have control of?
Gidday Mike, according to this site....http://utahrails.net/up/900000-snowplows.php the plows in this series UP900005, UP900006, UP900007 and UP900008 were also equipped with a flanger.
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=388970
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=671535
At a guess I would presume that weight would have been added, whether it was water, allowing for expansion for freezing, or waste oil , another commidity a railroad would have plenty of, is only pure speculation on my behalf. Like you I will be interested in a proper answer.
I've picked up an Overland Brass (for only a few bucks at a garage sale) model of a UP push snow plow, road number 900005. This did actually excist, and I have found pictures of this plow while reasearching it. I've learned that the UP buildt these from Vanderbilt style tenders. My questions are, did they fill the tank with anything for extra weight? and what would the "plow train" that pushed this be made up of ? and, since they added a "cab", just what did the operator in this cab have control of?
Thanks,
Mike
Edit: Here's a link to pics of the prototype.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rspicture.aspx?id=153670