The last rotary run on the D&RGW narrow gauge was in 1962 from Alamosa to Chama and return.
The last standard gauge rotary run was in 1949 on the Provo Canyon branch in Utah from Provo to Heber City and return.
The reason the D&RGW stopped using rotary plows was that they were very easily damaged by rocks. In the AFE (Authority For Expense) for the purchase of D&RGW Russell Plow X67, it was stated that the last two standard gauge rotary plows were worn out (D&RGW Rotary 071 and an ex-D&SL rotary). The D&RGW had as much trouble with rocks and trees on the Provo Canyon branch in Utah as they did on the Silverton and a wedge plow just worked better there.
Another reason for eliminating the rotary plows on the standard gauge was that they D&RGW was rapidly going to diesels and wanted to elmiminate water and coal facilities. They could have dieselized the last two rotary plows, but they thought they could do the job with three snow dozers, seven Jordan Spreaders, and the Russell plow.
A rotary plow works well in freshly fallen powder snow. As stated, they shake apart with the hard packed snow of spring. The D&RGW had the same kind of trouble that the C&TS has with OY when trying to open the Floresta and Monarch branches after being shut down all winter.
As with other railroads, the rotary was the last restort when it came to snow fighting. They ran flangers and spreaders often to try to keep the lines open and only used the rotary when the snow fall was just too much for a flanger or spreader to handle. Having said that, the D&RGW did operate the rotary almost every year from 1889 to 1962 at least a few times. But the only place they would run one after April would be Monarch and Floresta as these were down during the winter as I said earlier.
Jerry Day
