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ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE, LEAVERITE and NORTHERN RAILWAY
Snow Fighting Trains

Snow fighting is a big issue on the Rocky Mountain House, Leaverite and Northern Railway. Specialized equipment and highly trained crews keep the tracks clear (most of the time). The Snow Train with rotary snow plow and support cars are shown in the photo essay below. Most of the train is pretty grubby except the caboose fresh from the paint shop and the new tender for the plow.

The snow train consists of Rotary O2 and tender, water tanker W69, coal car O174, kitchen car O185, bunk car O183, and a waycar. Wedge plow O3 and steam shovel O4 are also available for snow service.

DSP&P Consolidation #64 pushes Rotary O2 enroute to Climax Hill. The horses pulling the beer wagon seem unconcerned by the rattling of the rotary as it passes.


The original USA Trains rotary was freelanced into DSP&P  Rotary O2.. To improve visibility in blowing snow, a cupola has been added. A roof and backhead were added at the rear using Hartland parts, as were a bell and whistle on the roof. The tender is from an LGB Mogul with sound added.

DSP&P Snow Train on Trestle #4. The plow has been kitbashed to include boiler backhead detail, fireman's platform and protective roof over tender. Side curatins are still at the laundry. The tender
 is a standard gauge unit converted to narrow gauge, rescued from the CPR Ogden Shops (contains steam sound and whistle for plow).

The complete snow train: caboose, bunk / tool car, kitchen car, coal car, water car, 2-8-0 Consolidation #64, plow tender, rotary plow O2. A wedge plow is also available for light duty.

Snow train snakes around Big Rock on the High Line.

Snow train leaving the Town of Leaverite.

Passing Crain #1 oil derrick and Mack AB tank truck.

Passing Rocking "Are" Ranch, on the way to Climax Hill, crossing Lower Steel Bridge.

The other plow, wedge O3, returning from a cleanup run along the base of Big Rock. DSP&P #15 "Breckenridge" is above, crossing Trestle #6 over the easten tip of Shadow Lake on the High Line.


Wedge plow O3 sitting in the yard during a summer respite. This is also my track cleaning car, with emery cloth under the plow blade and a scrubbing pad under the body. It was kitbashed from an Aristocraft plow, shortened by 3 inches, with a Hartland headlamp added to backdate the original modern headlight.


Headshot of DSP&P wedge plow O3 showing rusting plow blade before it gets scoured clean and shiny by the icy snow next winter.


DSP&P 2-6-0 Mogul #17 is shown here in the reflected light of the engine house, with its pilot-mounted snow plow, ready for its early morning run to Glacier and Leaverite.


When the snow and rock falls from avalanches are too dangerous for the rotary plow, Steam Shovel O4 can be brought forward to clear the line. The enclosed cab is a real comfort to the crew in the minus 40 temperatures of the North. This is kitbashed from an LGB flatcar and a JS Woodcrafts steam shovel with the track assembly removed.


Snow train auxillary cars: Coal car O174 and Water car W69.


Snow train auxillary cars: Bunk/Tool Car O183 and Kitchen car O185


Snow train auxillary cars: Work Caboose O187 and well-worn spare Waycar #90