How does a cow catcher appear? A cow catcher is often a shallow, V-shaped wedge that is meant to divert things off the track at a relatively fast rate of speed without interfering with the train’s smooth progress. The form is designed to elevate and shove any item on the track to the side, away from the path of the locomotive behind it.
What is the function of a cow pusher? A CowCatcher, also known as a Cattle Catcher or Pilot, is a structural sub-assembly that is commonly positioned on the front beam of steam locomotives from the early nineteenth century. They are designed to deflect obstructions (animal, livestock, boulders, trees…) on the track that may derail the train; in the winter, they also serve as a simple snowplow.