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How to Clear a Path Through 60 Feet of Snow, Japanese Style

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Re: How to Clear a Path Through 60 Feet of Snow, Japanese Style

#11

Post by poikniok »

chrissnell wrote: post #9

I would love to see that first bulldozer at work. I'm a little amazed because snow becomes incredibly heavy and hard to move/push when it's packed. As the blade moves forward, that dozer will quickly have to use incredible force to move forward. I experienced this first-hand last summer when I was driving my old Land Rover across the country. I was solo, way up in the very remote Henry Mountains [1] of Utah, about to…

Presumably they don't let a 40 feet of snow or whatnot accumulate at once. If they just clear 1-2 feet of snow every night all that involves is having a plow that can throw up the snow high enough to the sides and out of the way, which seems plausible. I say this because I presume clearing 40 feet of snow is rather impossible.

Re: How to Clear a Path Through 60 Feet of Snow, Japanese Style

#13

Post by mc32 »

chrissnell wrote: post #9

I would love to see that first bulldozer at work. I'm a little amazed because snow becomes incredibly heavy and hard to move/push when it's packed. As the blade moves forward, that dozer will quickly have to use incredible force to move forward. I experienced this first-hand last summer when I was driving my old Land Rover across the country. I was solo, way up in the very remote Henry Mountains [1] of Utah, about to…

The article goes on about it. They send a remotely operated dozer with GPS to blaze a guide path, then other dozers come in to take off layers and then it's down to 6 or so feet they send in the blowers. So, it's many machines doing many passes to get the job done.

I do appreciate the pristine snow not contaminated with rock salt, however.

Re: How to Clear a Path Through 60 Feet of Snow, Japanese Style

#14

Post by M_Grey »

chrissnell wrote: post #9

I would love to see that first bulldozer at work. I'm a little amazed because snow becomes incredibly heavy and hard to move/push when it's packed. As the blade moves forward, that dozer will quickly have to use incredible force to move forward. I experienced this first-hand last summer when I was driving my old Land Rover across the country. I was solo, way up in the very remote Henry Mountains [1] of Utah, about to…

Torque. It must be a low-range, diesel beast. It probably can't go that fast, but it's probably harder to stop than a single locomotive.

Young me does want.

Re: How to Clear a Path Through 60 Feet of Snow, Japanese Style

#15

Post by hourislate »

poikniok wrote: post #11
chrissnell wrote: post #9

I would love to see that first bulldozer at work. I'm a little amazed because snow becomes incredibly heavy and hard to move/push when it's packed. As the blade moves forward, that dozer will quickly have to use incredible force to move forward. I experienced this first-hand last summer when I was driving my old Land Rover across the country. I was solo, way up in the very remote Henry Mountains [1] of Utah, about to…

Presumably they don't let a 40 feet of snow or whatnot accumulate at once. If they just clear 1-2 feet of snow every night all that involves is having a plow that can throw up the snow high enough to the sides and out of the way, which seems plausible. I say this because I presume clearing 40 feet of snow is rather impossible.

I think they were referring to a road that is not plowed all winter and in the spring they send in the bulldozer to clear an initial path until a snowblower can handle it.

>The first bulldozers will push and carry the snow forward, to areas where depths are lower and it can be pushed aside or dumped. Backhoes are used to help widen the road. When the bulldozers have come within six feet or less of the road, the rotary blowers can begin their work, and help to at last reveal the long buried asphalt.

Re: How to Clear a Path Through 60 Feet of Snow, Japanese Style

#16

Post by tricolon »

mc32 wrote: post #13
chrissnell wrote: post #9

I would love to see that first bulldozer at work. I'm a little amazed because snow becomes incredibly heavy and hard to move/push when it's packed. As the blade moves forward, that dozer will quickly have to use incredible force to move forward. I experienced this first-hand last summer when I was driving my old Land Rover across the country. I was solo, way up in the very remote Henry Mountains [1] of Utah, about to…

The article goes on about it. They send a remotely operated dozer with GPS to blaze a guide path, then other dozers come in to take off layers and then it's down to 6 or so feet they send in the blowers. So, it's many machines doing many passes to get the job done. I do appreciate the pristine snow not contaminated with rock salt, however.

It's not remotely operated:

> The GPS and sat phone work in tandem to provide the driver a detailed video screen image of the dozer’s location in relation to the center of the snow-buried highway. This driver’s job is not to clear snow, but simply to lay out an accurate track of the road itself.

Re: How to Clear a Path Through 60 Feet of Snow, Japanese Style

#18

Post by mc32 »

tricolon wrote: post #16
mc32 wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The article goes on about it. They send a remotely operated dozer with GPS to blaze a guide path, then other dozers come in to take off layers and then it's down to 6 or so feet they send in the blowers. So, it's many machines doing many passes to get the job done. I do appreciate the pristine snow not contaminated with rock salt, however.

It's not remotely operated: > The GPS and sat phone work in tandem to provide the driver a detailed video screen image of the dozer’s location in relation to the center of the snow-buried highway. This driver’s job is not to clear snow, but simply to lay out an accurate track of the road itself.

Reading it again, I think you're right

Makes me think though why could they not manoeuver it remotely with remote feedback if necessary, why put someone in the cab if they have it equipped with sensors. Some other heavy equip are operated remotely.

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