Large Scale Central

A Steam engine melting snow?

Prototypes
#1

Today at a open house and inbetween buyers I was reading a book about trains and came across a curious sentence. In 1952 the New Haven had 3 2-8-2 Mikado’s still on their roster and they “used them as snow melters in yard work through the winter of 1956.”

That was the only mention of it so for those in the know how did they do it? I’m curious.

I guess it makes sense that one of these locos could have been fired up when a snow storm was approaching then when it left piles of snow all over the yard and switches etc… the loco would go out and then what? Would a guy with a hose shooting steam from the boiler melt away the snow? Or did they have another way to use the loco to melt the snow?

#2

Todd, I don’t have the answer but I guess if they just parked one over a switch for 5 or 10 minutes the radiant heat would melt pretty much anything underneath.

#3

I don’t know how they might have done it, BUT, I do Know that on the Durango & Silverton they do have a hose attached that they can “Shoot” boiler water with, Kinda like a pressure washer. I can see something like that being used to clear the switches in the yard.

Just a Thought…

#4

IN another book I have there is a photo of a fella holding a pipe attached to a hose which I assume is attached either to the loco or another steam source and he is steam cleaning linkages and wheels on a engine. I bet they had a similar arrangement for melting snow and it probably worked pretty good too.

I suppose they could have parked the engine over a switch or diamond and blast steam out the side valves. Forget what they call those valves but when opened they make for some nice photo ops. HA !

Todd

#5

Todd Haskins said:

IN another book I have there is a photo of a fella holding a pipe attached to a hose which I assume is attached either to the loco or another steam source and he is steam cleaning linkages and wheels on a engine. I bet they had a similar arrangement for melting snow and it probably worked pretty good too.

I suppose they could have parked the engine over a switch or diamond and blast steam out the side valves. Forget what they call those valves but when opened they make for some nice photo ops. HA !

Todd

I think that device is called a ‘steam lance’ and it is used for cleaning out the flues (as well as any other dirty bits.) It can certainly be used to clearing snow around yard switches, etc.

But have a look on Youtube at the 1955 BT film on diggin out a train stuck in the snow. The boiler melted the snow around it BUT then it re-froze all over the loco’s frame and motion. Fun movie but not a fun job.

#6

Incidentally, UP 844 was relegated to this service in the winter in Cheyenne before steam became so popular. It was described to me that they used the heated water from the boiler to spray it on the switches. I assumed they used a hose and wand type setup like what was already described.

#7

I have pictures of steam engines in the Buffalo NY area from the late 1880’s/1890’s with snow caked on the boiler.