STEAM ROTARY

This 1991 video depicts snow-clearing operations on the former Rio Grande Narrow Gauge (now Cumbres & Toltec Scenic RR) in northern New Mexico and Colorado. The rotary OY is steam operated, but can only power a blade, thus locomotives are required to push it ahead.

The southern Rockies are the fabulous scenery for this incredible event as K-36 locomotive 487 and 488 push the rotary higher into the mountains to clear drifts as high as the top of the Rotary. The sound of the engines and sights are incredible as we here all the whistling signals, and roaring exhausts.

It took one day to plow the few miles of snow to Cumbres Pass (10,015 ft) and a second day to plow eastward to Osier. On the second day a special passenger train was run for photographers. You'll see scenes from two camera-crews, and learn how the plow works from the chief mechanical officer of the railroad, John Bush. Unique and timeless scenes are recorded as crews dig out switches and the train operates in trenches of snow. This was our first rotary video