Equipment donations to a Historical Society? (Buffalo area)

A Russell (I believe) snowplow was sold and cutup in the FlexiFlow site last week. There is a flanger caboose # CR 64704 waiting for the same fait.

Supposely, snowblower CR 64599 dated 12/89 (I assume a rebuilt date) and snowplow CR 645 dated 11/48 (both sitting on 19 lead I believe) are being donated to one of the Historical Societies.

There are another snowblower and a flanger on the steam crane track that are rusting away.

Anyone confirm/deny this?

The flanger might bring more intact than for scrap - who is the scrapper and would they re-sell any of the stuff? How do you contact them?

Don't know who cut them up. It is at the Flexiflow site off Bailey Ave. north of Broadway.

Update on that snow blower and caboose.

The correct number for the snowplow is 64569, not 645. The '69' peeled off both sides of the unit.
It was NOT cutup at the flexiflow site. It was taken there by mistake and moved back to 19 lead. That caboose is still there. It is NOT a flanger caboose, but a 4 bay window MofW caboose.

The blower and the Russer plow are both going to the WNY Historical Society in Hamburg AFAIK.

The snowblower was moved over to the North Yard tonight (4/7).

By snowblower, do you mean a rotary snow plow, or one of the units which use jet engines to blow snow out of switches?

Rotary.............sorry, bad description.

Well, the Rotary is over at Ohio St. now. You can see it from the bridge.

The Plow is still on 19 lead.

Thought so... I was told that in NYC days the plow was assigned to Utica for use on the Adirondack Div., I'd be interested if anyone can add to my info.
BTW, the build date on it refers to 1889!

I doubt it is THAT old!

There is another plow and a 'flanger' (not caboose) on the storehouse track next to the engine house that is suppose to be cut up (I think).

Believe it or not, it is.
The former CMO on the RR I previously worked for had been a General Foreman for CR 1986-1996. He mentioned seeing the plow in '86 on his first assignment, at Buffalo, and the plow most definately had a '89 date on it's builder's plate. I guess it made more than a few people do a double take!

The plow is gone also. Didn't see it leave and I don't know where it is now. That caboose is still over at the Flexi-Flow though.

Per WNYRHS newsletter, that rotary plow was built in 1889 for the Rome, Watertown & Ogdensburg RR (a.k.a. "Hojack"). It was last used in Buffalo during the winter of 1993-94. It was originally powered by steam and converted to electric in 1951.

Surely didn't look that old..............
Did that newsletter mention anything about that plow that disappaered?

Hi Guys! I'm working on getting photo's on our web site this weekend of both the Rotary Plow and the Flanger. Both are now in Hamburg locked up but we've got to get some glass protection on both. You know kids .
Below is a little history about the Rotary.

Built by the Cooke Locomotive and Machine Works of Patterson, NJ in January 1889 as builder's number 28 for the Rome Watertown & Ogdensburg Railroad. Original Number not yet known. This Leslie Rotary plow fought the heavy lake effect snows along the shores of Lake Ontario from Lewiston to Watertown.

The New York Central & Hudson River acquired the RW&O in 1891 and the plow was renumbered as X-659, later NYC X-659, PC 60021 and CR 64599. The plow weighs in at 79 tons. Originally steam powered, the plow was converted to electric in 1951. Four large EMD traction motors power the large rotating fan blades. The plow was used extensively during Buffalo's Blizzard of '77 and was last used during the winter of 93-94

The Plow is fully operational and still retains its original Fox plate trucks, although the axles were converted to roller bearings. It is the oldest Standard Gauge Rotary plow in existence east of the Mississippi.

The WNYRHS acquired the plow from CSX Transportation in November 2003 and the plow and flanger are currently stored in Hamburg.

CR 64569 (PC 60079) was built by the Russell Snow Plow Company of Ridgeway, PA for the New York Central System in November, 1948. It weighs 89,000 lbs.

The Flanger that was cut up could not be moved by even the scrapper! He had to cut it up in place by CSX orders.

Sincerely, Scott H.

Western New York Railway Historical Society
http://www.trainweb.org/wnyrhs