Collection: Northern Pacific Railway Steam Rotary Snowplow #10

Rotary snowplows are considered the big guns of snow fighting and were used to clear deep snow.  Consequently some years the rotary did not see any service.  Today a handful of rotary plows remain in service for exceptionally heavy snow falls but are powered with electric motors, not steam.

The "rotary" name refers to a large wheel on the front of the unit.  This wheel spins at 60 RPM and captures snow in a series of scoops.   Centrifugal force then propels the snow out the top and off to one side of the track or the other.  Power to spin the wheel comes from a steam engine located inside the car body.  The plow is not self propelled and must be pushed by a locomotive.

If you've installed QuicktimeVR on your computer, click here to take a virtual tour of the cab.

The Rotary is on exhibit behind the Snoqualmie Depot.  You can view it daily between 10 AM and 5 PM.

Workers scaled failed coatings with a needle gun, wire wheel and scraper.  The surfaces were further prepared with air sanders.  Bare metal surfaces including the roof was coated with a single-component zinc urethane.   The top coat is a gloss black paint.  Lettering was applied with a masking film.

In 2003 a grant from 4Culture was used to replace the car body windows.  The doors and cab front windows were all repairable and have been reinstalled.