Motive Power Review

Snowfighting Photo Gallery

Wedge Plows

Wedge, or "V", plows are a mainstay of the snowfighting fleet. They are also among the simplest pieces of snowfighting equipment. Wedge plows may by symmetric, throwing snow to both sides (for single-track lines), or they may throw snow only to one side (for double-track lines). Most wedges have "wings" to allow them to clear a wider path, and many have flangers.

[THUMBNAIL] Missouri Pacific 186 wearing a Union Pacific herald at Villa Grove, Ill, on 11 August 1989. A perfect example of the conventional US Russell plow; the large wings are visible, set into the body just behind the "V" blade.
Photo: Dan Dawdy

[THUMBNAIL] ex-Soo 261 on the Wisconsin Central at Stevens Point, 14 June 1989. Another typical US plow, this one shows the wings cut away at the lower corners to clear trackside obstructions. A flanger is visible just ahead of the rear truck.
Photo: Dan Dawdy

[THUMBNAIL] Conrail 64524, 64570 and 64515 at Gangs Mills, NY, July 1996. These plows were part of Conrail's large snowfighting fleet.
Photo: John Stewart

[THUMBNAIL] Closeup of CR 64524 at Gangs Mills, NY, July 1996.
Photo: John Stewart

[THUMBNAIL] Closeup of CR 64570 at Gangs Mills, NY, July 1996. This is a double-track plow, throwing snow only to the right.
Photo: John Stewart

[THUMBNAIL] Closeup of CR 64515 at Gangs Mills, NY, July 1996.
Photo: John Stewart

[THUMBNAIL] Conrail 64513 at Rochester, NY, 14 Feb 1996.
Photo: John Stewart

[THUMBNAIL] Conrail 64525 at Rochester, NY, 14 Feb 1996.
Photo: John Stewart

[THUMBNAIL] Rochester & Southern MW2 at Rochester, NY, 12 Feb 1996. This is a very typical US plow.
Photo: John Stewart

[THUMBNAIL] Another view of R&S MW2 at Rochester, March 1996.
Photo: John Stewart

[THUMBNAIL] Western New York Chapter, National Railway Historical Society's plow at Hamburg, NY. The plow is in primer in preparation for painting, May 1996.
Photo: John Stewart

[THUMBNAIL] WNY NRHS's plow after repainting, at Hamburg, August 1996.
Photo: John Stewart

[THUMBNAIL] An Ann Arbor Railroad plow at Cadillac, MI, in September 1985.
Photo: Jeff Lubchansky

[THUMBNAIL] NYS&W plow #91.
Photo: Jeff Lubchansky

[THUMBNAIL] Chesapeake & Ohio 914022 at Ludington, MI, 4 October 1986. This is an elderly wooden Russell snowplow.
Photo: Dan Dawdy

[THUMBNAIL] Belfast & Mooshead Lake #74 at Belfast, Maine. A double-track plow such as this seems a bit excessive for a single-track coastal shortline.
Photo: Andrew Toppan

[THUMBNAIL] Chicago & Northwestern 6421 at Janesville, WI, 20 Feb 1994. C&NW's double-track plows throw snow to the left, due to C&NW's left-hand running.
Photo: Dan Dawdy

[THUMBNAIL] Milwauke Road X900103 at Sturevent WI in March 1988. This is another double-track plow.
Photo: Dan Dawdy

[THUMBNAIL] Left side view of MILW X900103.
Photo: Dan Dawdy

[THUMBNAIL] New Jersey Transit plow #9931R at Summit, NJ, 29 March 1995. This is a relatively modern double-track plow. It is turned on wyes at West End and Denville so it can plow the double and triple track line.
Photo: Gary Kazin

[THUMBNAIL] Delware-Lackawanna wedge at Steamtown, Feb 1996. This is a Canadian-style plow.
Photo: John Stewart

[THUMBNAIL] Depew, Lancaster & Western 400783 at Lancaster, NY, May 1996.
Photo: Ted Cherry, courtesy of John Stewart

[THUMBNAIL] St. Lawrence & Raquette River RR's ex-CP wedge plow.
Photo: Mark Laundry

[THUMBNAIL] St. Lawrence & Raquette River RR's ex-CP wedge plow.
Photo: Mark Laundry
Snowfighting Photo Gallery
Compiled and Maintained by Andrew Toppan (actoppan@hazegray.org)
Copyright © 1997-2003 by Andrew Toppan
All photographs are copyright by the photographers
Reproduction, reuse or distribution without permission is prohibited