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At the instigation of and with considerable assistance from John Taubeneck who first love is steam
cranes, here is a preliminary list of surviving (rotary) steam snow blowers /
ploughs by manufacturer, the two terms seem to be used interchangeably. For a general
introduction see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotary_snowplow. The
initial paragraph of the above article reads (I have corrected their
spelling of Patterson RD).
"The rotary was invented in Toronto, Canada, by dentist J.W. Elliot in 1869. He never built a working model or prototype, although he wanted
to. Orange Jull of Orangeville, Ontario, expanded on Elliot's design, building working models he tested with sand. During the winter of 1883–1884, Jull contracted with the Leslie Brothers of Toronto to build a full-size prototype that proved successful. Jull later sold his design rights to Leslie Brothers, who formed the Rotary Steam Shovel Manufacturing Company in
Patterson, New Jersey. Leslie Brothers contracted with Cooke Locomotive & Machine Works in
Patterson to do the actual construction."
For this reason, they are often referred to as Leslie Snow
Blowers.
This list includes only those steam powered machines
which are still as built. There are a number of surviving conversions,
most of which are electrically powered. Note that confusingly they may emit
steam when working as it is used to protect vulnerable parts such as fuel
pipes to the generator and also prevent icing up of the cutting blades. Prime
examples of this are Union Pacific Railroad former Southern Pacific Rotary Snow
Ploughs SPMW 209/211 as seen on the web 'in steam'.
Since this page was first prepared in 2018, Rhätische Bahn
steam snowblower 9212 / R12 has had its 18 year restoration completed and I
have add a page of pictures of it
at work in December 2020 and April 2021 (added 1st May 2021)..
It has since been joined by standard gauge Gotthardbahn, 100
in February 2021, I have some pictures
of it in steam from Georg Trüb (added 2nd May 2021),
Latest addition is a picture of the blower at
Ogden, Utah,
51167 Rogers (10th August 2022).
We would appreciate submission of pictures to fill the gaps as experience
suggests that some of the links given will prove to be ephemeral.
American Manufacturers
Cooke for Leslie Brothers Manufacturing Company, Patterson, New Jersey
7 Cooke 12-1887 Northern Pacific RR #2 retired 01-14-68
Steam Preservation Society Cadillac, MI 04-19-68
Lake Superior RR Museum Duluth, MN 02-15-75
https://www.flickr.com/photos/23711298@N07/18649892100
Retired 09-20-57 or 09-58
24 Cooke 01-1889 Denver & Rio Grande RR #2>OM (3’ gauge)
Denver & Rio Grande Western RR #OM
Cumbres & Toltec Scenic RR #OM 1970
http://drgw.free.fr/DRGW/MOW/Snow/Rotary/CTS-00-387_en.htm
This is James Waite's picture from May 2014.
25 Cooke 02-1889 Denver & Rio Grande RR #2>ON (3’ gauge)
Denver & Rio Grande Western RR #ON
US Army Skagway, AK 1942
White Pass & Yukon RR #3 retired 1947
(used a riprap in Skagway River 1968)
http://www.whitepassfan.net/whitepass/engines/rotary/rotary-3.html (link dead by 12th April 2018)
http://wpyphotos.com/MW/rotary/rotary-3b-river.jpg
54 Cooke 1897 Caile Farte Romane (Romanian Government
Ry)
Display Sibiu, Romania
https://noflytripping.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/dsc03017.jpg
55 Cooke 11-1898 Long Island RR #193
Ron Ziel 1968 (stored in New Jersey)
Steamtown Foundation 1988
Steamtown National Park Scranton, PA 1993
https://www.nps.gov/stea/planyourvisit/upload/lirr193.pdf ((link broken 1st November 2019))
56 Cooke 11-1898 White Pass & Yukon RR #1 (3’ gauge) retired 02-64
Display Bennett, BC
(restored to operation 1996)
Display Skagway, AK
http://www.whitepassfan.net/whitepass/engines/rotary/rotary-1.html (link dead by 12th April 2018) The
picture below from Wikimedia Commons is used under the Creative Commons
scheme.
59 Cooke 01-1900 Colorado & Southern RR #03>0270>99201 (3’gauge)
(converted to standard gauge 1903)
(converted to 3’ gauge 1935)
(converted to standard gauge 1949)
Burlington Northern (not relettered) 1970
Colorado RR Museum Golden, CO 10-72
https://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g33447-d263364-i86070748-Colorado_Railroad_Museum-Golden_Colorado.html
61 Cooke 09-1900 White Pass & Yukon RR #2 (3’ gauge) retired 02-64
Sumpter Valley RR Restoration Baker, OR 1980
Summit Historical Society 1989
Display Breckenridge, CO
(lettered Denver, Leadville & Gunnison Ry #01)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevenm_61/14732155903
The picture below from Wikimedia Commons by John Peeken is used under the
Creative Commons scheme.
62 Cooke 10-1900 Buenos Aires & Valparaiso RR
(metre gauge)
F. C. Transandino
Cruz del Eje, Argentina
http://trenesdel90y2000.blogspot.com/2010/09/
American Locomotive Co. (Cooke Works)
43060 Cooke 10-1907 Transandean Construction Co. Argentina
(metre gauge)
F. C. Transandino #1
Maestranza del Trasandino at Los Andes, Chile.
https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=es&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amigosdeltren.cl%2Fel-trasandino-los-andes-mendoza&edit-text=&act=url
http://www.trenesdechile.cl/maquinas/BarreNieves-EnLosAndes.jpg
43670 Cooke 12-1909 Stock
After 1911 Laramie, Hahns Peak & Pacific RR #099
Colorado, Wyoming & Eastern #099 1914
Laramie, North Park & Western RR #099 1924
Union Pacific RR #099>900099 1951
Forney Museum Denver, CO 10-69
http://metroworld.com/bigtoys/rail/snow/rotary/up02.jpg
44037 Cooke 11-1907 Northern Pacific RR #10
Puget Sound Ry Historical Assn. Snoqualmie, WA 1968
Northwest Ry Museum Snoqualmie, WA 1999
https://www.trainmuseum.org/index.php/northern-pacific-railway-steam-rotary-snowplow-10
The
picture below from Wikimedia Commons is used under the Creative Commons
scheme.
44596 Cooke 11-1907 Nevada Northern RR #B
http://metroworld.com/bigtoys/rail/snow/rotary/up02.jpg
45561 Cooke 09-1908 Paris-Orleans RR
French National Ry (SNCF) #ZR1 1938 retired 1973
Cite Du Train Mulhouse, France 01-78 The
picture below from Wikimedia Commons is used under the Creative Commons
scheme. (The snow is anything but real!)
51166 Rogers 11-1912 Union Pacific (OSL) #762>02011>051>900051
Private individual Blackfoot, ID 06-72
Mid-Continent RR Museum North Freedom, WI 1979
http://www.midcontinent.org/equipment-roster/service-equipment/oregon-short-line-762/
51167 Rogers 11-1912 Union Pacific (OWR&N) #061>900061
City of Ogden, UT Display 09-78
http://www.trainboard.com/highball/index.php?media/owr-amp-n-7827-steam-power-rotary-snow-plow.78685/
This picture is courtesy of Kevin Hoggett (10th August 2022)
56162 Cooke 12-1917 Stock
Copper Range RR #9
Laramie, Hahns Peak & Pacific #098(2nd)
Laramie, North Park & Western RR #098 1924
Union Pacific RR #900098 1951 retired 12-80
Hanna, WY Display
http://www.trainweb.org/dcstation/UP/UP900098.html
64381 Cooke 07-1923 Japanese Government Ry #K1 301>601
(1067mm gauge)
Otaru Transport Museum Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan
Otaru Synthesis Museum 2007
http://www.japaneserailwaysociety.com/jrs/otaru/snow_blower1.JPG
65053 Cooke 11-1923 Denver & Rio Grande Western RR
#OY
Cumbres & Toltec Scenic RR #OY 1970
https://davesriogrande.net/Rosters/DRGW/workcars/oy.htm
67650 Montreal 12-1928 Canadian National Ry #55361
Canadian Ry Museum Delson, PQ 1965
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=465858&nseq=54
Lima-Hamilton
See http://limalocomotiveworks.com/rotary_snow_plows.html
which indicates there are two survivors:
c/n 9387 C.O. 1213-SP Dec. 1949 Union Pacific Railroad 075 Retired 1979, displayed at Illinois Railway Museum, Union, Illinois.
See http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rspicture.aspx?id=10401.
c/n 9388 C.O. 1213-SP Jan. 1950 Union Pacific Railroad 076. Retired 1985, displayed at Hermiston, Oregon.
European Manufacturers
Henschel
Verkehrshaus Museum, Lucerne from the standard gauge Gotthardbahn.(100) built
in 1896.
See https://www.verkehrshaus.ch/en/museum/schienenverkehr/steam-powered-snow-blower. Below
is James Waite's picture, it has since been restored to working order and
there are some 2021 pictures of
it on this website.
ÖBB 986.101 is preserved non operational at the Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin in Germany. It was built in 1943.
The
picture below from Wikimedia Commons is used under the Creative Commons
scheme.
Further examples (in Europe) are:
Hungary:
Budapest Railway Museum: https://www.flickr.com/photos/locosteve/34466584620
Austria:
ÖBB 986.107 at Strasshof Museum: https://www.flickr.com/photos/locosteve/39866677962
Poland:
At Zduńska Wola Karsznice depot (10th April 2011), https://www.flickr.com/photos/15632944@N00/5609825168/in/album-72157626350820339/
and https://www.flickr.com/photos/15632944@N00/5609246677/in/album-72157626350820339/
At Chabówka Railway Museum.
The picture below from Wikimedia Commons is used under the
Creative Commons scheme.
Turkey
At Camlik Railway Museum, http://www.trainsofturkey.com/pmwiki.php/Network/SnowRemoval#toc5
Thunes
At Finse the summit of the original Bergen - Oslo line.
http://www.railpictures.net/photo/547565/
“This six axle rotary with four axle tender was built in 1914 by the Skabo
Jernbanevognfabrik, Sköien pr. Kristiania and the railways own Thunes workshops and was in use till 1976.”
http://rallarmuseet.no/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXTmqyYS8mw
Winterthur (SLM)
Metre gauge Rhätische Bahn Steam Snowblower 9213, SLM (2419/1910).
Operational; for detailed information see James Waite's article
on this site. This is his picture from a 2009 event.
Metre gauge Rhätische Bahn Steam Snowblower 9214, SLM (SLM 2399/1913),
preserved on the Blonay-Chamby museum
railway. See also https://www.dfb.ch/index.php?id=85&L=2.
(Link broken by December 2021) The picture below from Wikimedia Commons is used under the
Creative Commons scheme.
Metre gauge Rhätische Bahn Steam Snowblower 9212 / R12 (SLM ???? / 1913)
is on the DFB (Dampfbahn Furka Bergstrecke), seen here under repair. The
picture below from Wikimedia Commons by Martin Horath is used under the
Creative Commons scheme. Unlike the two above, it is not self-propelling.
See https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/RhB_R_11%2B12.
By late 2020, it was full restored as can be
seen in these two pictures by Georg Trüb, more
picture are available on this website (1st May 2021).
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