This morning we awoke to about 4 inches of white stuff thta was just powdery enough to PLOW the RR !! YAAH
I brought out the rotary, the GP38, the NW2 and the aristo plow for the back in case I wanted to back into some of the sidings. I let the equipment sit for about 45 minutes to acclimate to the cold. Off we go, flipped the switch on the rotary applied power to the locos and they spun their wheels. Iced they should have sat out longer. Finally got it going and the first hurdle was the new addition on the rotary cowl hit a tunnel portal and stopped it dead. Fixed that and off we go and still spinning wheels? Found the NW2 wasn’t moving and was a dead weight?? Hope it didn’t short out. I found out my rotary needs a pre cutter in addition to the large wing nut on the front because it wasn’t throwing the snow as well as I hoped it would. I built it last year and this was the first true test.
Also found out I should have cleaned the track yesterday because track powered locos don’t like dirty track or ice patches so I was doing alot of pushing with my hand. I did grab a photo but wanted to get video so I picked up the train and brought it down back to a nice straight section of track. Got it all set up flipped the switch and… should have cleaned that track… push by hand until it goes run to get into position with the video click the record and dead batteries!!! Ok back inside and new batteries installed and back out to more ice and dirty track and a stalled rotary that didn’t want to eat the snow.
The rotary was taken out of service and the aristo plow put at the head and off we go but by that time the sun was hitting the snow and meltign it a bit making it heavier so between the ice on the rails, the heavier snow and grades both up and down I wasn’t getting very far besides frustrated so I used my pole sander to clean off the rest of the track and packed up the trains and came inside, damp, cold and hungry.
I have plowed before with success using the aristo plow but today was not a good day.
I thought this was supposed to be FUN??
Todd
FYI it’s going to be 72 in Miami Beach today. I saved some of our snow from this weekend for you to plow, and Mother nature gave it to you. Tie a red brick to the top for added traction…LOL
Better yet, where are the “PICTURES”.
We were told we’d wake up to a little white stuff-NOPE…pretty and sunny right now at about 54. Loads of rain over-night too (plenty)
that is from a few years back…actually the last time I had track on the ground (at the old house) and really the last ‘snow’ we’ve had to speak of
Todd, sounds like fun to me 
Thats why you need battery power and RC for plowing. I learned that the first year of plowing. As long as you clean the tracks before the snow you will be ok but when you get snow the starts to accumalate over time, then it becomes more difficult. We got another 4 inches of snow on wed morning but freezing drizzle ontop of that made things a little crusty. Looks like I will have to get out the trusty old plastic shovel (its a kids shovel that was cut down to the width of my widest car). Works great and never failed me haha.
This morning we went down to 19 degrees and a high hit 25.
Todd
You need to clean track just like you said.
I run all the equipment I’m going to us the day before. I also park the rotary’s train and plow train in engine shed or the tunnel. The rotaries batt. go in the house to stay worm.One other thing all my engines have lead in the tanks!! ( Leaded Gas!!!) this helps with traction.Camera batt. I forget most of the time…What snow wo got was Ice by the time I got to it. So no pick/videos yet!
Sean
Hi todd
It sounds like you got more SNOW on your side of the Cape. Sorry to hear of your problems with the track and equipment, I also thought you said you cleaned up the track yesterday. I guess I will have to put up with MORE SNOW once you square things away so you can do MORE testing. I also noticed that you forgot to mention the problem with the branches that hang over the track, Will you CUT THEM or just tie them back?
Ah the branches the “BOSS” won’t let me cut them so today I gave them a shake to get the snow off and that worked to clear the line. I did clean up the track of branches etc… but I should have ran the scotchbrite over it. Good news the NW2 was tested and it is fine. The trucks and pickups might have just been packed with snow an ice.
The GP38 might need more weight but I know that is fine line before you exceed what it was designed to pull then damage occurs.
Looking back I guess it was fun, I’m just glad the neighbors weren’t home to see me out in the cold playing trains. They think it is weird enough in the nice weather.
Any suggestions for a pre cutter on the rotary?
This is my rotary. What would you suggest as a pre cutter besides the wingnut?
(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/capecodtodd/_forumfiles/rotaryflowers.jpg)
Todd I don’t know what you could use for a pre-cutter, but maybe add a wedge at the bottom of the chute. To bring the snow up off the rails into the rotary…might help with some of the slipeage problems you were having.
Todd wait till the next ice or wind storm. Then snap those branches. The boss will never know you did it. 
Love the plow Todd…no snow in Lowell today! Not on the Cape this week.
btw…saw your Chrismas lights at the office on Christmas eve in Brewster/ 6A. Lovely!
John
If you have a small tap and die set, you could drill holes in the wing nut and screw a couple of blades onto it…
Hi Again Todd,
I will have to think a bit regardung your request for a CUTTER IDEA.
I made my snow plowing set up battery powered, after I had the ‘fun’ you did todd!
I think your shroud presents a large flat face to the snow. I think the trick is to get the impeller pushed into the snow. Maybe if you changed the shroud to present a thin edge? Then back it up with lots of power. Track power? No way.
My plow is a made from a USAT kitchen car and a defunct cordless drill. I found a 5" metal impeller and put a bolt through it right into the drill chuck that is screwed to the floor of the car. I knew track power wouldn’t cut it but a stronger battery might spin it better than the 12 volt one that was with the drill.
That photo I posted was actually from this past summer. I knew there was a problem with the flat edge on the shroud so about 4 weeks ago I put a 45 degree angle piece on 5 edges of the shroud to help get the snow in. No photo of that yet.
I think my biggest problem was I didn’t let all those metal wheels on the train get acclimated to the cold long enough and I was having ice issues. Then the snow started to change and get too heavy.
The trouble is I wanted the impeller to throw the snow out the directional chute so it sits a bit further back in the shroud to allow that. If I changed it and moved it forward it would eat into the snow better. I might have to try that.
Thanks guys for all the serious advice to my silly situation.
Hi John I’m glad you liked the lights in front of the office we get alot of comments and notice from them. We took down the schooner but I left the lights on the adirondack chairs and will put them back out for the Summer along with a light up umbrella maybe.
Hey Todd, thanks for the picture your snow plow looks great.
Chuck
The best snow plow I ever ran was an Aristo FA-1 with a heavy 12v lead acid battery inside and an on-off switch for control! In general I prefer to sweep off my track with a broom after I’ve had enough fun plowing. By doing this the rails and ties will warm up in the sun and help keep the track from icing later.