Re: Another question (about shays)

The first Steam rotary converted to electric was the # 55013. It was the CB&Q #205028 based in Lincoln. It was done after the big snows of early 1949 being completed 12/49 and renumbered #205099. It continues to be stationed in Lincoln as it had been since 1915. This plow was heavily damaged in South Dakota in 2001 and sat around Lincoln until being sent to Relco and repaired 12/2010. It is painted in the current BNSF colors. It was renumbered 972558 at the BN merger and kept the number when it went to BNSF.

Starting with the Q plow, many railroads converted there plows to electric and used either special B units or designated road units to power them. A very quick run through of my notes shows these railroads converted rotaries to electric:
Alaska RR 1
NYC 1
ATSF 1
SP 9
NP 4
GN 4
MILW 4
CP 3
CB&Q 1
The UP used parts from a steam plow to build a Electric and then built two more from the ground up.

There may be a few more, that was real quick look.

The BNSF 972554 is the only one I know of that needs to worry about fuel (except for the steam generators on the SP and the UP plows). This big plow started life as the last ALCO built plow 12/37. It was the NP 42 and was converted to electric 2/1965. Based in Havre, MT for years it was also used heavily over Stampeded pass. The plow was used out of Minneapolis in 2011 after the BNSF 972551 (ex NP 41/ 45) was badly damaged in South Dakota. It was then sent to Relco where it was joined with GP #2137, being finished in July 2013,