Snow Clearing Train (Rotary Plow)

Overview

A rotary snow clearing train removes deep, packed, or drifted snow that a simple wedge plough cannot push aside. Instead of shoving snow ahead of it, the machine cuts into the drift with a rotating auger and hurls the snow well clear of the track with a high-speed impeller. This lets it open lines blocked by metres of snow on mountain passes and exposed routes, where the volume of snow would otherwise overwhelm a plough blade.

The train is self-propelled and works at low speed against heavy resistance, so it pairs a powerful prime mover with a robust front rotary head. The body rides on two Railway Bogie running-gear units, and a heated Operator Cab gives the crew a clear view of the snow face ahead.

How it works

The Diesel Engine supplies both traction and the large power demand of clearing. At the front, the Rotary Snow Head does the cutting: a Rotary Drive Motor drives, through the Rotary Reduction Gearbox, a Cutting Auger that bites into the snow and feeds it inward to a Throwing Impeller that flings it out under high speed. The thrown snow passes into the Discharge Chute, whose Chute Rotation Motor aims it to whichever side of the track is clear, away from the line, structures, and the crew.

To clear the full track gauge and widen the swath, the Flanger & Side Wings assembly drops a Flanger Blade between the rails and spreads Side Wing Plough ploughs outward, all positioned by hydraulic Wing Hydraulic Cylinder actuators fed from the Hydraulic System. The operator controls head speed, chute direction, and the wings from the Cab Control Display in the cab, while a 12 V Battery bank starts the engine and powers control and lighting circuits.