Sierra Nevada’s snow battle: Union Pacific’s giant snowblower maintains rail service, tackling ‘Sierra Cement’ since 2011.

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In the Sierra Nevada Mountain range, the Union Pacific Railroad employs a powerful arsenal to combat the challenges posed by heavy snow, commonly referred to as “Sierra cement.” To keep the vital supply chain moving, the railroad utilizes rotary snowplows, an impressive solution that hasn’t halted rail service on the mountain since 2011.

The rotary snowplow is essentially a colossal snowblower equipped with massive circular spinning blades capable of dispelling snow up to 100-300 feet from the tracks. These behemoths are deployed when the snowbanks on either side of the tracks reach heights of 8-12 feet, ensuring an effective and efficient snow-clearing operation.

Before the introduction of the rotary snowplows, the first line of defense includes snow cats, a “Flanger,” and a “Spreader,” employing more traditional plowing methods. The dedicated team known as the “Sierra Snow Fighters” takes on the challenging task of maintaining the 245 track miles from Reno to Roseville, navigating elevations from sea level in the Sacramento Valley to the 7,000-foot summit at Norden, California. This stretch represents some of the snowiest railroad tracks in North America.

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