Urban Snow Plowing

[ovrszd]

 

[ovrszd]

 

[ovrszd]

 

[ovrszd]

After watching a few videos I am more convinced how Blessed I am to not push snow in urban areas!!!

For productivity and ease of operation I rate as follows.

1. Loader
2. Grader
3. Truck

 

[cuttin edge]

Was flipped off so many times when plowing streets. One fella even stopped me to yell. The city super, stopped, and asked what the problem, and the old fella started ranting about the snow bank. The super said. We are in the business of moving snow to the side of the road, and if your driveway happens to be on the side of the road, I'm sorry. I'm sure if you and your neighbours didn't mind paying higher taxes, we could clean driveways out behind the plow.

 

[cuttin edge]

Wonder what area that is in. The province of Ontario uses blue lights for snow removal. Here in NB it has to be amber

 

[ovrszd]

Wonder what area that is in. The province of Ontario uses blue lights for snow removal. Here in NB it has to be amber

The concept of different colored lights is impressive. I wonder what percentage of the population know what they are?

 

[Camshawn]

Here’s one from the Alps, very different from here.

 

[cuttin edge]

The concept of different colored lights is impressive. I wonder what percentage of the population know what they are?

Here, the cops are red white and blue. Ambulance and fire are red, and anything else is amber, heavy equipment, wide load, snow removal, all amber. Ontario is the only place I know that does blue for plowing, but there could be more.

 

[cuttin edge]

Here’s one from the Alps, very different from here.

There is one spot at the 3 and a half mark that looks kinda freaky with no rail

 

[Welder Dave]

I'm told a lot of Alberta does not use salt on the roads, that could explain why so many graders

They don't use much salt but do apply course sand. A few years ago they tried using liquid ice melter to save money on plowing and sanding. It was a complete disaster. If it got below about -18C it was basically like they sprayed water on the roads. Pretty common to get -20 and colder. Thankfully they came to their senses and went back to sanding and blading. The company supplying the liquid made claims and it didn't live up to those claims.

 

[colson04]

I drove to Michigan this summer. I couldn't believe how much rot I saw on newer vehicles. I can only conclude that the Big 3 have a salt lobby. It must be rough to buy a new vehicle knowing it'll be Swiss cheese in five years, or else it's just the way of life there. Perhaps one of you Michiganders can comment.

Yes, the roads are salted heavily, and we pay the price for it. All three of my vehicles have horrible rust in the bodies. In 2018, I bought a 2012 Expedition. It was immaculate. No rust anywhere. Today, the rocker panels are completely gone and the rust is starting to bleed through around the wheel wells. The truck runs great, but the body will be junk in a couple short years. I think the use of salt has gotten ridiculous, but the state just says use more!

 

[Bumpsteer]

Yes, we use a shrit-ton of salt here in Michigan, even have our own mine....for more rot, it gets sprayed with calcium chloride. Buy a new truck, it'll have rot before its paid off.
We are at the point now where any Chevy truck made before 04-05 will have a rusted out frame.
Our county is divided into 6 districts, each one has a grader. The operator keeps it at home and lives in their respective district, they also have their own fuel tank.
They start plowing secondary roads, then gravel.
All road commission employees have a cdl, all hands on deck during a large event.

Ed

 

[Pony]

I'm guessing it must be the most cost effective way to fight the snow/ice, but as an outsider i find it a ridiculous concept that you go and buy a brand new vehicle then go drive it in salt water!!!!!

Has the usage increased over the years?
I spent 12 in Colorado many years ago and don't recall ever hearing about it, or doesn't it happen that far south?
From memory we had plenty of snow.

 

[Bumpsteer]

In my lifetime (60yo) they have always laid it on heavy. To many people can't slow down, trust their lives to road salt.

Ed

 

[hvy 1ton]

Have a dirt/concrete/hardcore dump but how does a snow dump work?

It's like your landfill, but you can fill it up every year. Takes a lot snow to make it a viable business plan though.

 

[cuttin edge]

It's like your landfill, but you can fill it up every year. Takes a lot snow to make it a viable business plan though.

That's a big blower. I thought the railroad was the only one to use a rotary blower anymore. They have a couple like this here.

. It has a side chute to blow far, and the main chute raises up to load trucks

 

[Welder Dave]

The city here used to have Vohl tractors with blowers. They were 4 wheel drive possibly with Ford power trains. They'd pick up just about everything. I know a guy who used to haul snow for the city with an end dump with high sides. He had a cast iron water valve cover blow a hole through the raised sides of the end dump. It landed on someone's front yard over 100' away.

 

[cuttin edge]

Weather is funky anyway. We had snow in November, then it rained. Had a good cold stretch, froze everything. more snow, and now it is t shirt weather and raining again. So glad I got out of snowmobiling

 

[ovrszd]

Weather is funky anyway. We had snow in November, then it rained. Had a good cold stretch, froze everything. more snow, and now it is t shirt weather and raining again. So glad I got out of snowmobiling

We have been getting fairly large swings. But generally warmer than normal. Last three weeks we've been getting small amounts of rain during the warm spells. Very hard on my roads. I need them to freeze up. Chug holes everywhere. Supposed to get rain/snow tonight. Tomorrow start heading into the big freeze. Low temps around zero F by the weekend. I don't think I can start blading tomorrow but I'll start on Wednesday for sure. Try to clean up everything before it's too frozen to work. I can run all my roads in 25 hours if I don't stop and make repairs. Just blade roads. That'll be my goal.