Rotary SPMW 209 in Truckee

[phillyslasher]

Is that whole setup driven from the cab of the rotary? or is there a crew in the locos pushing?

[MrUp8444]

I saw 8444 at 1:16.

[TrainTrackTrav]

What a sound! God bless!

[trainlover479]

does it still run on some kind of steam?

[BudmanPackfan]

@trainlover479 the rotary is diesel-electric. The B unit is a power car that also has a steam generator to provide steam heating to the the snow cutting surfaces of the rotary plow, by the hinges, etc to clear ice and snow so they can keep the moving parts functioning.....

[101southsideboy]

does the engine with the rotatory actually  pull the train? or does the other engines pushing the rotatory engine push the train?

[cchan006]

@101southsideboy: The other engines (either the Geeps or the SD70ACe's) push the rotary and the B-unit behind it.

[southparkline1]

@cchan006 The B-unit does not push the rotary but are modified to be power cars providing the power to run the rotary blade and the equipment on board the rotary. The only thing that moves the rotary are the UP engines attached.

[sniperjdp]

Very cool video. When that storm hit the pass I was on Amtrak #6 to Reno on March 23. After passing Emigrant Gap an avalanche happened behind us that shut the Donner Pass route down until these snow plows finally cleared it up on March 28. To get an idea of how much snow was up there on Donner click on my YouTube user name and look for the videos of Amtrak #6 over Donner Pass. The snow was up to the widows on the upper level of the passenger cars approaching Soda Springs.

[Dproud2700]

Does anyone know if the UP still has one of its own rotaries still at Roseville? I remember when they first brought it to Roseville to show that the "UP" could handle it. Final results were found that the unit did not have an up-to-date brake system or could handle the snow drifts that we have in the Sierras. I do know and have the video when one of the UP rotaries handled the Ex-WP line.

[RailsandRoads]

Does the rotary really have a Whistle? i love the A-200 air horn it was using

[cchan006]

@RailsandRoads: Yeah, it does have a steam whistle, but at Truckee, sounded like he ran out of steam. I heard it loud and clear in Roseville a week or two before this, and others have recorded its wonderful whistle.

[RailsandRoads]

@cchan006 sweet! ill look up videos of it

[Alwaystrains]

@cchan006 I don't think they ran out of steam, I think it was because they had just fired up the boiler before this run and they hadn't made enough steam yet. If I'm correct, it usually takes a couple hours to fully boil water into steam starting with cold water.

[probscus]

i think this will feature in my next nightmare cos it is really sorta creepy

[bosscar302]

This is so freaking awesome! To see these very old, and very cool warhorses, brought back to life and put in front of those modern locomotives and clear the way! So all the other trains can follow through. I've looked at those cool rotary plows just setting at Roseville for years and years and wondering if they will ever use them again before they get scrapped. Man, they better not scrap them! They are gold!

[madleech]

Bet they had no shortage of people volunteering to run the rotaries up the mountain :)

[MultiHornguy]

Is this the one that is at the Western Pacific Museum? What kind of horn is that?

[cchan006]

@MultiHornguy: The one in Western Pacific Museum (in Portola) is a sibling. I have a video of that posted, too. That honker horn is a Leslie A-200, I think.

[RailsandRoads]

@cchan006 yes, its a Leslie A-200 honker

[jetfighter53]

Keeping the road clear is a cumbersome job.You almost got snowed over when you shot this Super Video

[canyondogh]

Excellent complement to the Rotary coverage ! I need to get this link around as well : >) .

[SuperStarRendon]

Awesome catch

[Squawk7600]

WOW!! Too bad you couldn't have caught it throwing snow, but OTOH getting these shots is awesome-- can see detail etc of the "monsters" that you wouldn't see out plowing snow. Must have been miserable weather-- thanks for getting this and sharing-- absolutely awesome!!

[PRRK4Lover]

Wow! F unit!

[Alwaystrains]

Sweet!!! I want to see that so badly!!!!

[ROADTRAIN23]

Awesome video!

I so wanted to see the rotaries!

[CMRSclub]

great catch!! I was up in Truckee just last week!! Drove up there and caught some night shots! Not as nice as this but nice none the less!!

[TRAINMANCW]

AWESOME CATCH EXCELLENT

[CaliforniaRailfan101]

Well, now I know where UP 8444 is! Nice power set of SD70ACes!

[iusetano]

Rare and Historic indeed. Excellent video.

[fixierider97]

wow! those things are a bit frightening!

[spacecalander]

ahh brings back old times, they should have saved a few SP tunnel motors to use with the spreaders, very nice video, thanks for the post.

[mafarnz]

Even without throwing snow, this is way cool to see in action!

[844jim]

Interesting to see #8444 parked there in Truckee.

[michaelcorleonepate]

Pushed by SD70ACes.Nice.

But I have a question: You said that there wasn't enough steam for the whistle. So is the rotary operated on steam?

[mafarnz]

@michaelcorleonepate The blades are powered by old traction motors, supplied with electricity from the F7B unit behind the plow. The B unit also has a steam generator, and the steam is used on various things on the plow to keep it from freezing up.

[DRGWSD40T]

nice to say the rotary, too bad is wasent being pushed by a cab forward :P

[Espee9180]

I figured UP might bring the rotaries out after the last storm, was waiting for videos of them. Awesome work getting out there and nice catch on the #8444 as well!