Rotary SPMW 209 in Truckee

I drove over snowy Donner Pass in an attempt to catch the rotary in action, and found it parked at Truckee, CA. I caught it doing many things EXCEPT throwing snow, but recorded video anyway to cherish this rare and historic occasion.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• SP
• UP
• Union
• Pacific
• Donner
• Pass
• rotary
• snow
• plow
• Jordan
• spreader
• SPMW
• 209
• Truckee
• SD70ACe
• 8444
• train

[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.

[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.

[Ulleval73]

Great film. Okay, so I'm not a rail fan expert...now, how many pieces of power are on this plow? Do I count four? Yea, that's the question for you all.....the snow plow unit is also a power unit adding to the "push" needed to remove snow, right?

[phillyslasher]

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

[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.....

[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.

[MrUp8444]

I saw 8444 at 1:16.

[TrainTrackTrav]

What a sound! God bless!

[trainlover479]

does it still run on some kind of steam?

[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.