1:24 SCALE SNOW PLOW
Manufacturer: Rara Avis Trains/Rare Bird Model Works, 5650-H Imhoff, Concord, CA 94520. Price: Plastic and metal ready-to-run wedge snow plow $99.95.
CALIFORNIA HAD SNOW this year. A lot of it. As any hobbyist living in the Sierras would tell you, a sturdy snow plow was a virtual necessity if you wanted to run trains outdoors.
Rara Avis' plow is certainly sturdy. Several pieces of welded sheet metal form the plow itself. A pair of 4-40 hex head bolts on each side attach it to a Kalamazoo gondola. The plow has tough coat of glossy black rust-resistant paint. The gon comes in undecorated light gray plastic with black plastic trucks, hook-loop couplers, and brakewheel; brass truss rods and brake staff; and steel axles. Kalamazoo cars are nominally 1:24 scale but represent no specific prototype so let's dispense with the scale measurements and report only the actual overall dimensions: 17 inches long by 4 7/16 inches wide by 5 1/8 inches high. It will negotiate 2 foot radius curves. Need I mention it runs on 45mm Gauge One track?
The "suggestion sheet" Rara Avis includes with the plow reads,"...We were unable to test the ability of the plow to actually do the job! Therefore no warranty is expressed or implied as to the efficacy of the wedge snow plow under actual conditions." Well, if you put some weight on the gondola and run the plow through a scale snow drift, it has to work. No, we also were unable actually to test it because the official Outdoor Railroader product review facility in Westlake Village is about 100 miles from the nearest snow but, gee, just look at the thing.
Rara Avis suggests you add the plow to your roster even if you live somewhere where it never snows simply because of its ubiquitous appearance. They suggest enhancing that appearance with details, paint, and weathering. The car clearly begs for such attention and, if you camouflage the metal straps holding the plow to the gon, you could end up with a fairly convincing model.
The Rara Avis wedge plow's quality is very good, its out-of-the-box appearance is adequate, but the potential for improving that appearance is great. Why not spend the summer working on one? You'll enjoy the fruits of your labor next winter.-RR
