| The most widely accepted commercial tool for snow | | | | aside quick enough for trains. The rotary snow plow |
| removal is the snow plow. This is especially useful in | | | | requires the power of an engine to rotate the blades. |
| large capacities. In modern times, a snow plow consists | | | | Usually, a second engine is used to assist in moving the |
| of a large pick-up truck with a large plow that is | | | | train while the first one in front is responsible for |
| permanently attached. Some plows will an electric and | | | | removing the snow. As the blades turn the snow is |
| or hydraulics used to raise and lower them. Even | | | | lifted through a channel and forced to the top out the |
| bigger plows may be affixed to a very large tractor, | | | | chute. The operator sits up top in a cab behind the |
| backhoe or loader. Some of which may contain more | | | | chute he or she has the ability to control the direction |
| then one large plow and even distribute salt as they | | | | of the chute and rate of speed of the blades. These |
| plow. Aside from pickup trucks, snow plows can also | | | | controls eventually led back to the 'pushing' engine so |
| be found on other types of vehicles such as a | | | | that the operator of a pushing locomotive could have |
| personal SUV or even a small riding mower that is | | | | control. In areas where severe snow fall is called for |
| traditionally used to cut grass in the summer. Snow | | | | the use of 'double' or 'duel' rotary engines were put into |
| plows are also used to mount on rail cars to remove | | | | use. The engines would contain rotary plows on both |
| snow from train tracks. | | | | ends. They were often effective in clearing snow from |
| Where snow blowers work by use of an impeller to | | | | rail stations and in situations where the snow continued |
| draw snow into the chute a snow plow works | | | | to accumulate after going in one direction. |
| different and uses a much simpler concept. Using the | | | | The earliest rotary blades were power by stem |
| force of the vehicle the snow plow is pushed either | | | | engines while newer ones are powered by gas or |
| forward or on an angle. The blade of the snow plow | | | | electricity. Due to the advancement of newer |
| captures the snow and forces it towards the direction | | | | technologies rotary blades are seldom used anymore. |
| of the vehicle clearing the surface previously covered. | | | | They are also very expensive to maintain an only |
| The earliest versions of a snow plow were powered | | | | used as a last resort by many railway companies. |
| by horses. The wedge-type blades were made of | | | | Plows were a godsend to citizens in the late 1800's. It |
| wood. Since the invention of the automobile the snow | | | | helped ease the stresses of transportation. While |
| plow was logically adopted and converted for use with | | | | horse-drawn plow was uncommon in most cities in |
| vehicles. Patents for snow plows were issued as far | | | | North America in the 1860's - it soon became |
| back as the early 1920's. The first infamous plow for | | | | widespread with popularity. However with the clearing |
| vehicles was created by two brothers named Hans | | | | of roadways came a new problem that we still see |
| and Even Overaasen from Norway. They constructed | | | | today. While plowing effectively cleared roadways it |
| a plow for use on vehicles which was soon paved the | | | | blocked the sidewalks and side roads that pedestrians |
| way for traditional equipment used today to clear | | | | used to travel on. Piles of snow lined the sides of |
| roads, railways and airports. Soon after the | | | | streets. Citizens complained and even brought about |
| Overaasen Snow Removal Systems came into being. | | | | lawsuits targeting plowing companies. Store owners |
| Another milestone inventor by the name of Carl Frink | | | | complained that their store fronts were inaccessible to |
| was also considered an early manufacturer | | | | customers because of the mounds of snow left |
| car-mounted snow plows. His company, Frink | | | | behind as a result of plowing. Pedestrians had to |
| Snowplows, which was based out of Clayton, New | | | | overcome the snow while walking down sidewalks. |
| York, was created in 1920 and still runs today under | | | | Sleigh riders also became annoyed as the resulting |
| the name Frink-America. | | | | plowed surface created ruts and uneven surfaces. |
| Trains and snow plowing go back as far as the | | | | The citizens of major cities across North America |
| mid-1800's. An interesting invention known as the rotary | | | | responded in several ways. They hired people to |
| snow plow was created by a Canadian dentist named | | | | shovel the walkways and horse-drawn carts to |
| J.W. Elliot. A rotary snow plow contains a set of | | | | remove the snow. Often, they worked in conjunction |
| blades positioned in a circle. It works by rotating the | | | | with the plow companies to haul the snow away into |
| blades and cutting through the snow as the train | | | | nearby rivers. This not only resolved the issues for |
| moves forward. The rotary snow plow was | | | | pedestrians and store owners but also created a small |
| conceived after ongoing problems with the traditional | | | | surplus of jobs for the winter season. This can still be |
| wedge plow. The wedge snow plow, which works like | | | | seen today. |
| many plows today, simply could not move the snow | | | | |