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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. Location:Buffalo, NY [no date] Photo Revised: June 2, 2005 |
 CR 1000 Kodi Marlin (47K) |
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The front part is actually a jet engine afixed 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. Unfortunately, I do not have a number for the unit. Location: Altoona Railfest 1997 Photo Online: July 17, 1998 |
 Paul Tupaczewski (47K) |
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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) 3-99 Photo Online: June 4, 1999 |
 Roger Dooley (73K) |
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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: Goodman Street Yard (Rochester, NY) 3-15-00 Text Revised: June 2, 2005 Photo Revised: June 2, 2005 |
 CR 64513 Otto Vondrak (100K) |
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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: Goodman Street Yard (Rochester, NY) 3-15-00 Photo Online: July 8, 2000 |
 CR 64513 Otto Vondrak (69K) |
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The original Russell builder's plate for 64513. Location: Goodman Street Yard (Rochester, NY) 3-15-00 Photo Online: July 8, 2000 |
 CR 64513 Otto Vondrak (75K) |
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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 have long since been in storage when this photo was taken. Location: Allentown, PA 11-97 Photo Online: February 19, 2005 |
 CR 64561 Stirling Woodin (111K) |
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The three plows pictured here were sitting down by the old, abandoned Reading Company roundhouse. During the 1980s, these plows had been in service. I don't know if they still were in the 1990s, or if they were in permanent storage. Location: Allentown, PA 11-97 Photo Online: February 19, 2005 |
 CR 64561 Stirling Woodin (145K) |
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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 11-97 Photo Online: February 19, 2005 |
 CR 64561 Stirling Woodin (124K) |
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Nick did some quick research on this former-CR plow now owned by the Buffalo Southern. Here is what he found:
Owner: Conrail. Buffalo, NY History: CR 64599, ex-CR 60021, ex-NYC X-659, nee-NYC&HR X-659 Builder: Cooke, 1/1889, 28 Power: Electric, power from slug mother Modifications: Converted 1951, overhauled 1978. Status: Operational, last used winter 1993-94 Location: Buffalo Southern RR 04-06 Photo Online: June 20, 2006 |
 CR 64599 Nick Wilson (152K) |
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Close-up of the rotary section. Location: 04-06 Photo Online: June 20, 2006 |
 CR 64599 Nick Wilson (224K) |
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You can clearly see the old 1970s logo on the side of this beast. Location: 04-06 Photo Online: June 20, 2006 |
 CR 64599 Nick Wilson (211K) |
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Close-up of modified journal boxes. Location: 04-06 Photo Online: June 20, 2006 |
 CR 64599 Nick Wilson (172K) |
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Rear of plow. Location: 04-06 Photo Online: June 20, 2006 |
 CR 64599 Nick Wilson (159K) |
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Close-up of rear coupler. Location: 04-06 Photo Online: June 20, 2006 |
 CR 64599 Nick Wilson (183K) |
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Paul Strubeck informed me that Conrail bought this Jordan spreader in the 1970s and that it's a later Type J spreader operated by hydrolics. CSX had recently moved 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 instead. Location: Brownsville, PA 5-25-05 Photo Online: June 2, 2005 |
 CR 64620 Dan Meharry (92K) |
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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. Hydrolics adjusted the side wings of the spreader. Location: Brownsville, PA 5-25-05 Photo Online: June 2, 2005 |
 CR 64620 Dan Meharry (140K) |
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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. Paul Strubeck, a CRCyc reader, says this is a Model A spreader, most likely an ex-NYC
machine and is also air operated. Location: Detroit, MI 1997 Photo Revised: June 2, 2005 |
 Shawn O'Day (41K) |
Erie Lackawanna:
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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 here, so I thank John for the photo. Location: Sinking Spring, PA 5-6-90 Text Revised: June 2, 2005 Photo Revised: June 2, 2005 |
 EL 1307 John Schodowski (65K) |
Penn Central:
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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: Kankakee Line 1978 Photo Online: March 13, 2004 |
 Robert Morrow (52K) |
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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 5-6-90 Photo Revised: June 2, 2005 |
 John Schodowski (71K) |
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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 5-6-90 Photo Revised : June 2, 2005 |
 PC 60076 John Schodowski (71K) |
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