Railroad museum to showcase 1920s rotary snowplow
SACRAMENTO — Back by popular demand, visitors to the California State Railroad Museum will have the opportunity to see a 251,000pound rotary snowplow from the museum’s collection as part of the all-new exhibit “Snowbound in the Sierra.”
With the historic snowplow as its centerpiece, the exhibit highlights the dramatic story of 226 passengers and crew members who were rescued — with the help of crews working around the clock and seven rotary snowplows — after being trapped on a luxury streamliner locomotive during a massive Sierra Nevada snowstorm in 1952.
The exhibit includes narrative from passengers and crew, a special kiosk, exhibit case and video along with an interactive game.
The historic rotary snowplow on display in the museum roundhouse was built in 1920, converted to electric in 1958, retired by Union Pacific in 2004 and donated to the Railroad Museum in 2008. Since then, the snowplow has been housed in the shops in the Sacramento Railyards.
The snowplow and exhibit will give museum visitors an understanding of cumbersome, arduous and often dangerous early snow removal methods on the railroad. It will also highlight the critical role they played in saving lives and clearing the path for freight and transportation.
Rotary snowplows were often used by the railroad as a very last resort due to the incredible expense involved. Rotary snowplows only moved five to 10 miles per hour, had high fuel costs and required an elite crew.
It is estimated that less than 200 rotary snowplows still exist throughout the world today.