File talk:A Show of Power.tif

This is an interesting picture, who's actual subject becomes clear on inspection: there are three locomotives present, two in the center of the picture, and a third just out of sight to the left - the smoke from the locomotive is clearly visible. The end of the tender of third locomotive is visible, showing that it is running backwards, which would be very unusual in normal operations. The train consists only of a caboose, immediately behind the second locomotive, and a single boxcar. This also would be a very uncommon arrangement in normal operations. Additionally, something out of sight to the right of the picture is producing a smoke cloud, similar but smaller than those coming from the locomotives.

The most likely explanation for these features is that the smoke on the right is coming from a rotary snow plow. Three large locomotives would be appropriate power to push a plow; the third one running backwards was a common practice in case the plow was unable to break thru, and the train had to return to it's starting point (with the third engine now leading, running forwards). The caboose would have carried a crew of laborers, and the boxcar shovels and re-railing equipment, in case the plow derailed or became so badly stuck that it had to be manually dug out.

I think this image is clearly a snow plow train, and should probably be retitled accordingly.