Battling Mother Nature with Snow Removal

By Clell G. Ballard
Published on December 7, 2015
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The blower has a fairly large “mouth” where the snow enters.
The blower has a fairly large “mouth” where the snow enters.
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The unit’s throttle control is positioned between the handles. Below them is the clutch control lever. The direction of the chute is on the left. The blower’s 18-inch width is clearly shown on the handle.
The unit’s throttle control is positioned between the handles. Below them is the clutch control lever. The direction of the chute is on the left. The blower’s 18-inch width is clearly shown on the handle.
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The cogged steel wheels look like they came from a machine manufactured in the 1920s. Surprisingly, they work very well.
The cogged steel wheels look like they came from a machine manufactured in the 1920s. Surprisingly, they work very well.
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The early Craftsman snow blower with an orange replacement blower box. The Briggs & Stratton engine with a suction carburetor and gear reduction indicates the machine was probably made in the 1940s, not long after World War II.
The early Craftsman snow blower with an orange replacement blower box. The Briggs & Stratton engine with a suction carburetor and gear reduction indicates the machine was probably made in the 1940s, not long after World War II.
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A Union Pacific locomotive blowing deep snow off the tracks in a mountain valley near Fairfield, Idaho, in 1916. This photo shows the extreme amount of power needed to accomplish that.
A Union Pacific locomotive blowing deep snow off the tracks in a mountain valley near Fairfield, Idaho, in 1916. This photo shows the extreme amount of power needed to accomplish that.

At least half of our country has to deal with snow during the winter months. In some areas it gets quite deep, and wind-blown snow causes huge drifts. For centuries, travel was restricted during the winter. Horse-drawn sleighs and sleds were used almost exclusively until spring came.

Railroad changes everything

It wasn’t until the advent of the railroad that long-distance travel was possible in ordinary conditions. When deep snow arrived, even rail movement came to a stop. Unbeknownst to most, the rail tycoons – whose influence on economic activities in early years had become the 900-pound gorilla in our country – were convinced they could continue their activities in spite of the snow problem.

In the late 1800s, many attempts were made to keep rail lines open during the winter. The idea was that locomotives, which were extremely heavy and powerful, could plow snow off the tracks as they moved forward. Huge V-plows were built and affixed to the front of special locomotives. In some cases, they were successful. In really deep snow, they failed miserably. Believe it or not, efforts were even made to connect five heavy locomotives and propel them into a running start to bash into snowdrifts. The result: a huge train wreck! Mother Nature won and the rail line remained closed.

It wasn’t until about 1900 that the railroads created gigantic rotary snowplows. What they came up with would today be called snow blowers. Huge amounts of horsepower provided by the locomotive’s steam engine powered a disc with protrusions on its face. As the train moved slowly forward, those protrusions cut into the snow, chewed it up and blew it out to the side of the track. No amount of snow or hard snowdrift was immune to those plows. Trains could roll no matter the weather. 

No easy solution for homeowners

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