OM
Rotary Snow Plow

At Chama. Jul 31, 2004. Photo: Curt Bianchi. Click image for larger size.

Number:	OM
Type:	Lettered Work Car
Class:	Rotary Snow Plow
Category:	MOW
How Acquired:	Purchased from D&RGW, 1970.

Rotary snowplow OM was the first of four narrow gauge rotaries purchased by the Rio Grande. Delivered as no. 1 but later renumbered, OM completed by the Cooke Locomotive & Machine Works in February 1889. It was stationed in Chama from the 1920s on, and the Rio Grande last used it in late January 1957 during one of the most memorable snow fighting operations on Cumbres Pass.

OM was used on the C&TS three times in the 1970s. The first time was January 12, 1974, after it was returned to service with only minor repairs. Pushed by locomotive 487, it cleared the track of about three feet of snow for a distance of about two miles north from Chama. On the first and second of February 1975, another “winter special” was run, this time to Lobato. Two weeks later OM was used to clear the tracks to Cresco, nine miles from Chama, in order to operate a train for the filming of a television commercial. Rotary OM’s last operation took place in February 1976, when it was pushed by locomotives 487 and 483 as far as Lobato.

1972

Exterior rehabilitated with a new roof, windows, and paint. Displayed at Cumbres. [TT 1-3]

Winter 1973-4

Laid off Scenic employees examined OM and found that it could be returned to operating condition with only minor repairs. (The newer OY was at the time in Antonito.) The repairs were made and OM was test fired on Jan. 10. Two days later it plowed about three feet of snow to the narrows. It was pushed by locomotive 487. [TT 2-7, 2-8; Hereford] on Jan. 12, 1974. [TT 2-7, 2-8]

1975

On Feb. 2-3, Scenic Railways operated its second Winter Special. There wasn’t enough snow to plow below Lobato, so OM was pushed by locomotive 487 north of Lobato Trestled, where it plowed snow. Two weeks later, OM was used to clear the track to Cresco for the filming of a television commercial. [Hereford, TT 3-5]

1976

The third Scenic Railway Winter Special took place on Feb. 15, when OM plowed snow, pushed by locomotives 487 and 483. The was the last operation of rotary OM. [Hereford]

1988

Work Session A. New coat of chromium gray paint. No lettering. The tender left unpainted. [Dispatch 1-3]

1990

Work Session B. FOCTS volunteers prepared to replace the roof, which had deteriorated so badly that volunteer Roger Silverson remarked that “the roof existed in name only.” Work was done so that the roof beams could be replaced the following year. This included loosening and removing bolts on the beams, loosening nuts on the vertical tie rods into the roof beams, and removing bolt sets used to fasten interior purlins. Temporary tarpaper was also installed on the roof to shield the interior and halt further deterioration of the roof and the interior. In addition, volunteers recording the location of the lettering on OM for future reference. [Dispatch 3-4]

1998

FOCTS volunteers painted, lettered, and completed cosmetic restoration. [Dispatch 11-3]

2002

Work Session C. Lettered. [Dispatch 15-3]

2003

Volunteers retouched the paint. [Dispatch 16-3]