Comments on: Here is a giant snow blower http://boingboing.net/2012/12/13/here-is-a-giant-snow-blower.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Thu, 23 May 2013 19:40:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: dumbbunny http://boingboing.net/2012/12/13/here-is-a-giant-snow-blower.html#comment-1607955 dumbbunny Fri, 14 Dec 2012 21:23:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200400#comment-1607955 The sound of it, oh blessed yummy, it is far superior to the ocean waves on my night time noise machine. The sound of it, oh blessed yummy, it is far superior to the ocean waves on my night time noise machine.

]]> By: Misha Fedoseev http://boingboing.net/2012/12/13/here-is-a-giant-snow-blower.html#comment-1607872 Misha Fedoseev Fri, 14 Dec 2012 20:27:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200400#comment-1607872 Beauty shot of the same locomotive: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2301071 Beauty shot of the same locomotive: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2301071

]]> By: Guysmiley http://boingboing.net/2012/12/13/here-is-a-giant-snow-blower.html#comment-1607262 Guysmiley Fri, 14 Dec 2012 15:39:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200400#comment-1607262  The snow being cleared in the video above is not "powdery", it's hard packed from wind. They're WALKING on it... It gets broken up into powder by the ridiculously powerful rotary auger. Also, the locomotive snowblowers need to be able to clear much higher drifts than the relatively puny auger in the video you posted.  The snow being cleared in the video above is not “powdery”, it’s hard packed from wind. They’re WALKING on it… It gets broken up into powder by the ridiculously powerful rotary auger. Also, the locomotive snowblowers need to be able to clear much higher drifts than the relatively puny auger in the video you posted.

]]> By: Kevin Liske http://boingboing.net/2012/12/13/here-is-a-giant-snow-blower.html#comment-1607168 Kevin Liske Fri, 14 Dec 2012 12:37:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200400#comment-1607168 There's a LOT of videos out there from the train chasers.  I know this because I have a young boy who went through a train phase. Watching a train smashing through 6 foot snow banks is might impressive. There’s a LOT of videos out there from the train chasers.  I know this because I have a young boy who went through a train phase.
Watching a train smashing through 6 foot snow banks is might impressive.

]]> By: Jason Sewell http://boingboing.net/2012/12/13/here-is-a-giant-snow-blower.html#comment-1607165 Jason Sewell Fri, 14 Dec 2012 12:27:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200400#comment-1607165 Interesting to see Bruce Springsteen explaining the operation of the snow blower at the beginning of this clip. Interesting to see Bruce Springsteen explaining the operation of the snow blower at the beginning of this clip.

]]> By: Just_Ok http://boingboing.net/2012/12/13/here-is-a-giant-snow-blower.html#comment-1607074 Just_Ok Fri, 14 Dec 2012 06:47:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200400#comment-1607074 Just put the train on skis. Just put the train on skis.

]]> By: snagglepuss http://boingboing.net/2012/12/13/here-is-a-giant-snow-blower.html#comment-1606993 snagglepuss Fri, 14 Dec 2012 03:20:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200400#comment-1606993 The ghost of John Henry is watching this and thinking, "Yeah, okay - You Win". The ghost of John Henry is watching this and thinking, “Yeah, okay – You Win”.

]]> By: Dimitrios Papagiannis http://boingboing.net/2012/12/13/here-is-a-giant-snow-blower.html#comment-1606925 Dimitrios Papagiannis Fri, 14 Dec 2012 01:33:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200400#comment-1606925 In Russia snow blows you In Russia snow blows you

]]> By: Jeffrey Eric Fisher http://boingboing.net/2012/12/13/here-is-a-giant-snow-blower.html#comment-1606913 Jeffrey Eric Fisher Fri, 14 Dec 2012 01:16:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200400#comment-1606913 There is one at the colorado railroad museum too.  Has a bright red painted rotary dohicky on the front. coloradorailroadmuseum.org Google images 'colorado railroad museum snowblower' and you can find lots of pictures. There is one at the colorado railroad museum too.  Has a bright red painted rotary dohicky on the front.
coloradorailroadmuseum.org

Google images ‘colorado railroad museum snowblower’ and you can find lots of pictures.

]]> By: bzishi http://boingboing.net/2012/12/13/here-is-a-giant-snow-blower.html#comment-1606912 bzishi Fri, 14 Dec 2012 01:15:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200400#comment-1606912 Nah, you're thinking about it wrong. Think of it as an analogue to a snowplow. People in the same areas don't all have snowplows on all of their vehicles nor do they have specially raised roads. Like a snowplow, this special snow blower is a piece of specialized equipment that is used only when it is needed after a big snowstorm or when big drifts occur. Nah, you’re thinking about it wrong. Think of it as an analogue to a snowplow. People in the same areas don’t all have snowplows on all of their vehicles nor do they have specially raised roads. Like a snowplow, this special snow blower is a piece of specialized equipment that is used only when it is needed after a big snowstorm or when big drifts occur.

]]> By: Paul Renault http://boingboing.net/2012/12/13/here-is-a-giant-snow-blower.html#comment-1606868 Paul Renault Fri, 14 Dec 2012 00:29:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200400#comment-1606868 Man, that's a slow snowblower!  I bet it would be more efficient to have two or three smaller blower/fans with feeder augers, than that one large fan - which HAS to rotate slower - 'cuz of physics, no? See how it's done in Montreal - which bounces back, 100% fully operational, from a 30 cm snowstorm after just 24 hours: (Note: This snowblower is clearing plowed and compressed snow and ice, not the dryer, more powdery snow in the video above) : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpUSF1KVlLI Man, that’s a slow snowblower!  I bet it would be more efficient to have two or three smaller blower/fans with feeder augers, than that one large fan – which HAS to rotate slower – ‘cuz of physics, no?

See how it’s done in Montreal – which bounces back, 100% fully operational, from a 30 cm snowstorm after just 24 hours:
(Note: This snowblower is clearing plowed and compressed snow and ice, not the dryer, more powdery snow in the video above) :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpUSF1KVlLI

]]> By: mtdna http://boingboing.net/2012/12/13/here-is-a-giant-snow-blower.html#comment-1606863 mtdna Fri, 14 Dec 2012 00:25:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200400#comment-1606863 That thing totally blows. That thing totally blows.

]]> By: Aaron Bockelie http://boingboing.net/2012/12/13/here-is-a-giant-snow-blower.html#comment-1606815 Aaron Bockelie Thu, 13 Dec 2012 23:44:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200400#comment-1606815  After you gouge out all the large snow with the blower, you use one of these little guys to keep the tracks clear on a more regular basis. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=QenN5DVuLtw#t=73s  After you gouge out all the large snow with the blower, you use one of these little guys to keep the tracks clear on a more regular basis.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=QenN5DVuLtw#t=73s

]]> By: Aloisius http://boingboing.net/2012/12/13/here-is-a-giant-snow-blower.html#comment-1606801 Aloisius Thu, 13 Dec 2012 23:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200400#comment-1606801 *Many* years ago. Train wedge plows were developed in 1840 and the rotary plow (like the one shown) was developed in 1869. Even spreaders which are still used pretty frequently were developed over 100 years ago. By the time we had a transcontinental railroad, we had had train wedge plows for almost 30 years. *Many* years ago.

Train wedge plows were developed in 1840 and the rotary plow (like the one shown) was developed in 1869. Even spreaders which are still used pretty frequently were developed over 100 years ago.

By the time we had a transcontinental railroad, we had had train wedge plows for almost 30 years.

]]> By: Adela Doiron http://boingboing.net/2012/12/13/here-is-a-giant-snow-blower.html#comment-1606795 Adela Doiron Thu, 13 Dec 2012 23:31:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200400#comment-1606795  A raised bed often traps snow against it to form drifts.  A raised bed often traps snow against it to form drifts.

]]> By: OldBrownSquirrel http://boingboing.net/2012/12/13/here-is-a-giant-snow-blower.html#comment-1606782 OldBrownSquirrel Thu, 13 Dec 2012 23:16:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200400#comment-1606782 I can see the utility of this in passes and in cuts, but relying on something like that to move a train at a crawl over hundreds of miles of snow-covered plains seems impractical.  I suspect it would be more practical just to raise the bed a few feet and let the wind blow the snow off the tracks for the most part. I can see the utility of this in passes and in cuts, but relying on something like that to move a train at a crawl over hundreds of miles of snow-covered plains seems impractical.  I suspect it would be more practical just to raise the bed a few feet and let the wind blow the snow off the tracks for the most part.

]]> By: dejoh http://boingboing.net/2012/12/13/here-is-a-giant-snow-blower.html#comment-1606773 dejoh Thu, 13 Dec 2012 23:10:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200400#comment-1606773 At one time many years ago, those track were cleared by shovels. At one time many years ago, those track were cleared by shovels.

]]> By: xzzy http://boingboing.net/2012/12/13/here-is-a-giant-snow-blower.html#comment-1606763 xzzy Thu, 13 Dec 2012 22:59:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200400#comment-1606763 You can visit one of these in person if you're ever in Anchorage. The Potter Section historical site has a rotary snow plow parked outside.. the diameter is somewhere around the 14 foot mark. Obviously seeing one in action is way cooler, but beggars can't be choosers.  You can visit one of these in person if you’re ever in Anchorage. The Potter Section historical site has a rotary snow plow parked outside.. the diameter is somewhere around the 14 foot mark.

Obviously seeing one in action is way cooler, but beggars can’t be choosers. 

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