My snow Cat

[AMC RULES 37,161]

Somewhere in another post here, I've shared a short video of my weapon of choice for the deeper snow that occasionally accumulates where I work, the USMA @ West Point, NY.

http://www.youtube.com/user/amcrules00

Thought I'd share a few more still shots of my snow Cat and West Point.

This is usually my weapon of choice for snow accumulations deeper that 6 inches. It makes clearing range roads that much quicker when you're using a 12 foot blade. West Point has over 70 miles of range roads and thirteen firing ranges they typically want up and operational the next day after a storm, whether or not they're actually training on them, doesn't matter in the least.

http://www.ritchiewiki.com/wiki/index.php/...0H_Motor_Grader

Here I've made it back on post at daybreak this A.M., down by the Hudson River clearing more roads.

The river is always a neat place to be at sunrise. I'm pretty sure that is one of the river research vessels docked there behind me. Usually you will find a Coast Guard Cutter hanging out, in case the ice jams up on the river. Lots of barges still move materials up and down the river on a daily basis. Notice the train passing in the background too?

Looking back over my shoulder at the grey ghost known as West Point. The old girl is still is a pretty intimidating stone fortress that faces that ol' mighty Hudson. The train actually came out of the tunnel, there in the pict, center just behind the closest light post. Freight trains travel the west shore of the river and actually travel under the parade fields through a tunnel here at West Point. All passenger trains run commuters into NYC on the east shore of the Hudson. It was at this point I noticed the sky was just beginning to break overhead.

I turned back around and saw some blue skies rolling in, just that fast.

Notice how fast the storm is moving off? Literally right before my eyes.

I jumped back in my grader and beat feat for higher elevation to catch the sunrise. This is 10 minutes later, back up on the main road.

Looking east across the river towards the commuter train station at Garrison, NY. Here comes the sun.

The view back towards the Main gate.

While standing there I caught some interesting Coast Guard activity, where they actually beached it in an ice flow for a minute.

Looks like a two man crew, guess they must have had their hands full? Even they have to pull over for a minute. Well my shift is almost over, so I'll beat feet back to the shop and head on home now. These back to back storms and 12 hour shifts are brutal. Calling for bitter low temps overnight tonight, thinking about those water main breaks. It's been awhile since our last one, hope it's not tonight. :banghead:

[Jim_M 179]

Awesome pictures!

[Brrly1 1,146]

Jim, I have to agree, I really enjoyed the pictures. Fantastic view. Thanks

:thumbs:

[btrrg1969 11]

cool video and awsome pictures :banghead:

[bitten 134]

Very cool :banghead:

[AMC RULES 37,161]

Leaving out the back gate after last nights storm, I realized the short cut County Route 218 was open. WOW! It's been closed for over a month due to a recent rock slide, which is pretty much the norm during the winter and spring months.

I was actually suprised to see this road(CR218)was really open during the storm, we had another seven inches of snow fall last night on top of our past couple of days of freezing rain. When I refer to rock slide, that usually means a boulder the average size of an automobile just demolished the road surface and blasted through the old stone retaining wall on it's way down to the river below.

This road is uaually closed more than it's open during the winter/spring time. After a storm the threat of falling rock always serves to make it an extremely treacherous little jaunt around, rather than over Storm King mountain. Saw some pretty incredible ice falling to the road just up ahead of me as it approached the pull off.

The breath taking views make it hard to resist though. Hardly ever able to see Bannermans Island this clearly.

This shot is the other(east)side of the Hudson, looking towards Beacon NY. That mountain top(named Beacon)because huge beacon fires were lit on top of it during Revolutionary War times to warn Washington's headquarters(opposite side of Hudson)of British ships trying to sneak up the river and capture the state capitol at Albany.

Some pretty incredible ice jams accumulate here just north of the dog leg in the river at West Point.

This is looking down river(south)toward West Point, just around the bend there on the farthest most top right. West Point is the United States Military Academy where Army officers are trained. It takes a Congressional appointment to go there. West Point also marks the deepest part of the Hudson, over 200 feet. Located just 50 miles north of NYC.

That's me, taken with wife's Nextel this past July in my neck of the woods. Check out how they've staked these bolders in place up here(bottom left). :banghead:

[racinfool40 202]

:banghead: I agree some awesome pics!!!! I too spent alot of time in a grader 130-G will serving in the Marines..A fun machine to operate Thanks for sharing the pics!!!

[d180man 5]

Hi great photos ! :ROTF:

[bk-scouter 93]

Very cool pictures and video. Beautiful scenery indeed. Thanks for sharing

-BK

[d180man 5]

Hi and yes nice video too ! i will take the tank ! :ROTF:

[Rollerman 290]

Very cool pics, thanks for shareing.

[dclarke 4,077]

Great pictures and a bit of a history lesson, how can you beat that. :hide:

[COMMANDO1 23]

Are those front tires on backwards?

[AMC RULES 37,161]

Knowing our maintenance facility? That's not surprising, what is though? How you can look at a piece of equipment on a daily basis and not notice something as simple as that. Would there be any benefit to running a directional tread backwards like that? I'm pretty positive it arrived from the manufacturer set up that way. :banghead:

[smoreau 658]

:hide: very cool pics and love the vid too! I do want some of those blade extensions for my but then I would have less seat time still very cool for the pics and vid. :thumbs:

[Roger from southern Iowa 1]

WOW!!! Beautiful pics and scenery!!

Quite a machine you operate. :banghead:

[sscotsman 186]

Wow, beautiful photos!

I went to college at New Paltz..I will always love the Hudson Valley..gorgeous area.

Scot

[Redbirdman 7]

Beautiful!.........your photos actually speak to us! I can feel the cold, smell the ice in the river and hear the crispness in the air. Been to West Point many times, many years ago but always in mild weather......(drove a bus) and spent a few hours myself in a 1960's era Cat grader. Never did get the hang of it. But I sure remember holding a wet towel to my friend Richard's head after he damn near went through the windshield after hitting a raised manhole plowing snow......

Thanks for the really, really great photos.............

ED :banghead:

[sscotsman 186]

(sorry to go OT here for a second)

Ed, I love your quote "Every family has a real WHACKO....if you don't know who it is: IT IS YOU!" (my wife would agree with that!

reminds me of:

Scot

[TT-(Moderator) 1,156]

Are those front tires on backwards?

Not unless the grader is AWD.

Installing them "backwards" on non-powered axles helps keep the tire clean.

[AMC RULES 37,161]

Thanks TT, nope, not AWD so that makes sense to me. I can definitely attest they are self cleaning set up this way. They definitely throw some crap in the air, but I am usually running it WFO too. That Cat 140 is quite the beastly machine. Much more powerful than the ol' timers they replaced. I did love my old machine though, seen here dressed in her old school 60's era camouflage.

http://www.youtube.com/user/amcrules00

Starting our routine fall maintenance before the '05/'06 snow season.

Opening the gate to one of the range roads. Knee deep snow that year.

I love cutting virgin snow.

Front view, another storm.

View out the back too.

Beauty shot of the ol' girl back in the day. :banghead:

[horsefeathers 15]

Craig, Fantastic photos and a great thread!

WFO is the only way to go!

Looks like you have a "cool" job!

Keep plowin' that virgin! (say snow!)

HORSEFEATHERS

[AMC RULES 37,161]

Thanks BUD, thought I'd share a couple more of my most recent discovery while removing snow from down around West Points historic train station.

Go figure, these pesky high manhole covers and storm water catch basins never seem to be in the same place twice.

Trust me, these things are contantly moving, especially when you tag them just right with a grader blade.

They never fail to get your attention when you inevitably do hit 'em though. Finding them again in the snow is always a challenge too. Luckly this one didn't go too far, found it in short order lying in the winrow off the end of the blade.

They always wreak havoc on the equipment as well.

This one broke both cutting edges, and tweaked the mold board too.

Luckily this machine comes with it own NASCAR pit crew to get it back in the fight in short order. None the worse for wear, this time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8uReR2kNx8

Here's a short vid showing the process of replacing the lid once you find it. :thumbs:

[baerpath 517]

Are those front tires on backwards?

Yes there on backwards,

But thats the way they should be when used as a steer tire not a traction tire. Makes them not skid as much when turning

Duane

[Operator 7]

Yup very nice pics! Interesting site isn't it? With all the snow you need a wing.