[PRCo] Re: Spring Hill snow photos -1961

[Bob Rathke]

Ken,
The MAD Magazine snow melting machine reminded me of a couple of similar 
devices in Pittsburgh:

- In the 1960's the City of Pittsburgh had a snow melter - probably just a 
large portable boiler heated by gasoline, and also probably experimental. It 
was on the Monogahela wharf in winter, and as the City trucks dumped snow on 
the wharf, front-end loaders put it in the melter which turned the snow to 
water and it simply ran into the Mon.

- At the 1964 Pittsburgh Railroad Fair at the P&LE station, the NYC 
demonstrated its jet snow blower which was constructed from a surplus jet 
aircraft engine.  The Fair was held in May, 1964, so there was no snow for 
the demo; instead, the NYC set up small flags along the track, and then 
turned on the jet which promptly blew down the flags. A photo I took of this 
machine is attached. The wooden stairs were construted so that Fair visitors 
could safely get a good view of the demos.

In the 1960's the NYC also experimented with a jet powered RDC. Two surplus 
jet aircraft engines were mounted on the roof of the RDC which I believe was 
tested on the NYC in western Ohio.

Bob 12/26/08


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ken and Tracie" <ktjosephson at embarqmail.com>
To: <pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org>
Sent: Friday, December 26, 2008 10:26 AM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: Spring Hill snow photos -1961


> Great photos, Bob. Thanks for sharing.
>
> I have an old MAD Magazine from the early 1960s showing a similar 1960
> Oldsmobile buried in snow and a Ward Cleaver type guy on the sidewalk,
> shoveling snow. It was a satire on proposed snow removal techniques.
>
> A city truck comes by, using a giant blow torch or flame thrower to melt 
> the
> snow.  As it passes, it melts the Olds, a fire hydrant, the guy and his
> shovel.
>
> K.
>
> 


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