When I bought my ARISTO-CRAFT models, no commercial plow was available. Now, even though Chicagoland Garden Railroad Supply offers metal plows for the U-25B, they are of a different profile than what I had in mind, so I'm glad I built my own. I based it on an HO scale Details West casting. The design takes a few liberties but it does capture the flavor of its prototype. I used my plow as a pattern for making resin castings for my other models.

CONSTRUCTION

Here is how to build it: Buy or otherwise obtain a scrap of PVC pipe with an outside diameter of 1 5/8 inches. The inside diameter will be 1 1/4 inches and that's far too thick for a scale appearance. Unless you own one yourself, find somebody with a lathe and bore out the inside diameter to a wall thickness of .050-inch. That will result in a blade still a little heavy for exact scale but of sufficient strength for handling and certainly an improvement in appearance.

Cut the tube vertically. As I recall, the plow actually uses about one-third the circumference of the pipe but you may find it much easier to simply slice the pipe in half. Then cut two 3 inch lengths from one curved section. See Figure 1. Trim one end of each section exactly perpendicular to its side and file an angle on each perpendicular cut so you may join the two pieces at the angle in Figure 2. Use CA and let it set thoroughly.

At that point, you will have formed a basic plow but it will be very fragile. Reinforce it with a framework of strip and sheet styrene. I used 1/16-inch thick material and Figure 3 shows my bracing.

Next, cut, file, and trim to shape the top, bottom, and outside edges of the plow. Refer again to Figure 3. Also drill openings for the m.u. cable access hatches and file them to shape. The center cutout should clear virtually any knuckle coupler including the Kadee® number 884 coupler mountings specific to the U25-B. Finally, cement a rectangle of .020-inch thick styrene below each cutout to represent the hatch covers.

FINISH

Paint the plow to match the pilot of your locomotive. Then remove all projections from the locomotive pilot; file and sand it flat. Position the plow on the locomotive pilot and determine where to position mounting holes. Drill and tap the corresponding positions on the plow for 2-56 machine screws. Repaint the pilot.

Install the front coupler. I cut off the curved section of the Kadee trip pin beneath the knuckle because it did not clear the plow but I mounted my couplers before Kadee introduced the 884 coupler pocket. You may find that step unnecessary. I also added coupler release levers from .033-inch diameter brass rod and m.u. cables from insulated electrical wire. The couplings at the cable ends are from the original ARISTO-CRAFT parts.

Finally, attach the plow, apply any weathering you might desire, and the model is complete.