Trainspotting - Rotary Snow Blower Comes to Soda Springs

March 29, 2011: It was serendipity. Heading back to "downtown" Soda Springs which is just a blinking light, only one lane of traffic was going over the railroad crossing. There were cars parked all along the other lande.Irritating. A crowd was gathered on the railroad tracks. Some were pointing cell phones. Other, more serious types obviously, had long telephotos, tripods, and video cameras. Some were just spectating - but at what? Coming from the east was a strange looking engine followed at some distrance by a rotary blower.

The first engine swept the second track. The rotary, an old Southern Pacific blower, pushed by three engines, was blowing snow off the track. The transcontinental route would soon be open after a five day closure due to really heavy snowfall. We've had so far in March, almost 750 inches of snow with ten feet falling in the last week. It was time to pull old equipment out and let it do its work.

Rotaries were originally designed in 1869 but the first successful run was not until 1883-84. There were originally steam powered but in the 1950's most were converted to diesel which generated electricity to run the rotary blade. Steam power was not strong enough. Behind the rotary is a "snail" which provides the electrict power and steam heat for the rotary engine. The "snails" have no traction power. The rotaries are the largest pieces of snow fighting equipment and can throw snow hundreds of feet. Look at the logo right. The rotary weighs 265,000 lbs.! It was built in 1937.

As the rotary came up the railroad crossing it slowed its already slow speed, blew the steam whistle, and stopped. People scrambled all around taking pictures of the engine and having their pictures taken in front of the mammoth blades.