A modern version of the rotary snow plow. The blades in the front would spin. The ducts would direct the snow to either side of the track.
Class:
Location: Buffalo, NY
Photo Date: Unknown
Photographer: Kodi Marlin     Added: July 13, 1998

The front part is a jet engine affixed onto the vehicle. The jet angles downward and blows away the snow that it doesn't instantly melt. I would have loved to see this remover in action.
Location: Altoona, PA
Photo Date: ?-97
Photographer: Paul Tupaczewski     Added: July 13, 1998

Here is another model of a jet snow blower. The heat from the jet would melt the snow, while the force would also blow it off the tracks. They were amazing monsters to hear working.
Location: Framingham, MA (Nevens Yard)
Photo Date: 3-99
Photographer: Roger Dooley     Added: June 4, 1999

A single-track Russell snow plow built by the Russell Snow Plow Company in Ridgway, PA. Built in January 1937, 64513 is one of the oldest Russell plows Conrail owned since most were built after World War II during the late 1940's. Given its number, its most likely an ex-Pennsylvania Railroad plow. Single-track plows are split down the middle are are designed to push the snow to both sides of the track. Double-track plows are designed to throw the snow to the right-hand side of the track only. Otto says the fellow in the photo is his boss, a closet railfan and art director of Otto's magazine.
Location: Rochester, NY (Goodman Street Yard)
Photo Date: 3-15-00
Photographer: Otto Vondrak     Added: July 8, 2000

The door gives the operator access to the plow. The cupola in the front of the plow gives an operator full view of the track ahead since a locomotive would couple up behind the plow and push it down the track through the snow.
Location: Rochester, NY (Goodman Street Yard)
Photo Date: 3-15-00
Photographer: Otto Vondrak     Added: July 8, 2000

The original Russell builder's plate for CR 64513.
Location: Rochester, NY (Goodman Street Yard)
Photo Date: 3-15-00
Photographer: Otto Vondrak     Added: July 8, 2000

Taken on the Altoona scrap line. This plow had a built date of 4-52.
Location: Altoona, PA
Photo Date: 5-3-98
Photographer: Dennis Sautters     Added: January 19, 2019

The other side of CR 46579. Plow behind it is CR 64578, with a built date of 12-41.
Location: Altoona, PA
Photo Date: 5-3-98
Photographer: Dennis Sautters     Added: January 19, 2019

Double-track Jordan snow plows CR 64561 and CR 64563 pictured here were built in 1948. Double-track plows were designed to throw snow to only one side of the track, unlike single-track plows, which threw it to both sides. They had long since been in storage when this photo was taken.
Location: Unknown
Photo Date: 11-97
Photographer: Allentown, PA     Added: February 19, 2005

The three plows pictured here were sitting down by the old, abandoned Reading Company roundhouse. During the 1980's, these plows had been in service. I don't know if they still were in the 1990's, or if they were in permanent storage.
Location: Allentown, PA
Photo Date: 11-97
Photographer: Stirling Woodin     Added: February 19, 2005

In this close-up shot, the old numbers are showing threw the rust and peeling paint. I believe the 64561 and 64563 were former PRR plows.
Location: Allentown, PA
Photo Date: 11-97
Photographer: Stirling Woodin     Added: February 19, 2005

When CR 64599 was shot, it was owned by the Buffalo Southern. It had been the Buffalo, NY plow for Conrail. Originally, it was CR 60021 before being renumbered. Prior to Conrail, it was ex-NYC X-659, and before that NYC&HR X-659. It was built by Cooke on January 28, 1889. (Yes, that year is correct!) It ran as an electric powered from a mother slug. The NYC converted it in 1951, and Conrail overhauled it in 1978. Conrail last used it during winter 1993-94, and then sold it to the Buffalo Southern Railroad.
Location: Buffalo, NY
Photo Date: 4-06
Photographer: Nick Wilson     Added: June 20, 2006

Close-up of the rotary section.
Location: Buffalo, NY
Photo Date: 4-06
Photographer: Nick Wilson     Added: June 20, 2006

You can clearly see the old 1970's logo on the side.
Location: Buffalo, NY
Photo Date: 4-06
Photographer: Nick Wilson     Added: June 20, 2006

Close-up of modified journal boxes.
Location: Buffalo, NY
Photo Date: 4-06
Photographer: Nick Wilson     Added: June 20, 2006

Rear of plow.
Location: Buffalo, NY
Photo Date: 4-06
Photographer: Nick Wilson     Added: June 20, 2006

Close-up of rear coupler.
Location: Buffalo, NY
Photo Date: 4-06
Photographer: Nick Wilson     Added: June 20, 2006

Conrail bought this Jordan spreader in the 1970's and that it's a later Type J spreader, which was operated by hydraulics. CSX had recently moved CR 64620 to the former-Monongahela Railroad's turntable and work yard when Dan spotted it. Conrail usually painted the Jordan spreaders yellow, though the Reading Car Shops did repaint some spreaders black.
Location: Brownsville, PA
Photo Date: 5-25-05
Photographer: Dan Meharry     Added: June 2, 2005

Most photos you will see in books show only the spreaders from the front, so it's nice to see the complicated workings of the entire unit. Hydraulics adjusted the side wings of the spreader.
Location: Brownsville, PA
Photo Date: 5-25-05
Photographer: Dan Meharry     Added: June 2, 2005

The number on this Jordan spreader is blocked, and Sean didn't remember it. Usually, we see photos of these plows at rest. It's nice to see one working, this time clearing the Lincoln Branch in outside Detroit. Of course, as you can see, these plows were used for more than snow removal. This is a Model A spreader, most likely an ex-NYC machine and is also air operated.
Location: Detroit, MI
Photo Date: ?-97
Photographer: Shawn O'Day     Added: October 23, 1998

A former Delaware, Lackawanna, & Western double-track Russell snow plow. It later became Erie Lackawanna 1307. It had been sitting as this scrap dealer since the early days of Conrail, so I'm not sure if it ever saw much, if any, service on Conrail, especially since it remained in it EL paint and numbers. Its sister unit painted in Conrail yellow, CR 64570 (ex-EL 1305, nee-DL&W 95903) can be found in Conrail Color Guide to Freight Equipment Vol. 1 on page 37. Most of this unit has fallen apart from rot and rust. The equipment was finally removed in the late 1990's. Ironically, in the many years that I lived in Sinking Spring, I never took photos of the scrapped equipment there, so I thank John for the photo.
Location: Sinking Spring, PA
Photo Date: 5-6-90
Photographer: John Schodowski     Added: August 20, 1998

According to CRCyc reader Paul Strubeck, this is a Model 2-200 Jordan spreader, most likely a former New York Central unit. The blocked number makes it difficult to be certain.
Location: Unknown
Photo Date: ?-78
Photographer: Robert Morrow     Added: March 13, 2004

This double-track Russell snow plow has seen better days. Since most of it is gone, it's hard to tell if this was one of many former-Pennsylvania Railroad plows Conrail owned. It was sitting at the scrap dealer in Sinking Spring along with the EL Russell plow above.
Location: Sinking Spring, PA
Photo Date: 5-6-90
Photographer: John Schodowski     Added: August 20, 1998

Conrail inherited a bizarre mix of ancient MoW equipment from its predecessors. This flanger car, which could easily take care of lighter snow fall than the Russell plows, is one of those examples. It was at the same scrapper as other equipment pictured on this page.
Location: Sinking Spring, PA
Photo Date: 5-6-90
Photographer: John Schodowski     Added: August 20, 1998