History of Snow Plowing in Northern Maine

[mwilson]

With 12"-14" of snow predicted for tonight and tomorrow I thought that this video might be well timed...

I don't think that I have posted this one before, BUT if I have it is worth watching again...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ5b02p5WhY

 

[Sleeper1]

Interesting video Mr. Wilson. Amazing how they dealt with the snow over the years. Hard, hard work, no doubt. I only spent 1 winter on Hermon Pond in 1982. My Mother moved from Naples Fl. to Hermon(Wow what a change) Having seen the Blizzard of 1978 during my youth in central Indiana, it did not compare to the amount of snowfall we had during our stay at the "Camp" on Hermon Pond. To this day I've never seen that amount of snow that we had in 82. We had only a wood burner for heat. Mom purchased 8 cords of Birch(not seasoned properly) we had a chimney fire and the fire engine got stuck about 100 yards from the Camp. I remember the firemen up on the roof using fire extinguishers and shoveling snow into the chimney after the extinguishers were empty. Thankfully, they saved our home. Lastly the cold!! Did I mention we didn't have indoor plumbing.... I will never forget having to brave the cold and shovel a path to use the Outhouse, ever!!

 

[mwilson]

People don't believe it until they spend a winter up here..........

Go North 150 miles above Hermon and it is twice as bad....... I live 1 hour North of here, 6 degrees when I left the house. 16 or better when I arrived in Bangor.

 

[Sleeper1]

I plan to, but not til this Summer.:-laf We're planning a 2 week family trip in July. I plan to swing by Hermon and the old Camp and then up to Baxter, then back down the coast for some food and fun. BTW, here in central Indiana we got 3 inches of snow and they closed school! Cold temps -10 or so with wind chill. We had rain turn into ice under the snowfall, some slick travels.

 

[Sleeper1]

MWilson, I'm going to throw a few names at you and maybe just by chance you know one of these people?? Ron Tozier, Mike Hamlin, Cliff Foss, Scott Page, Dustin Costin, Tom Hansen or Matt Cantwell? I went to school with these guys and hoping maybe I can meet up with a few of them during our trip. Thanks

 

[mwilson]

MWilson, I'm going to throw a few names at you and maybe just by chance you know one of these people?? Ron Tozier, Mike Hamlin, Cliff Foss, Scott Page, Dustin Costin, Tom Hansen or Matt Cantwell? I went to school with these guys and hoping maybe I can meet up with a few of them during our trip. Thanks

No, but I am a transplant from Western Maine. We have several people from Hermon that work here, I'll ask around.

 

[Sleeper1]

Thank you Sir

 

[Wayne M.]

Thanks. I think I've seen that one- not sure if you put it up, but I do remember one from the Maine DOT on hiway plowing and salting circa 1950 you put here.

 

[Sleeper1]

MWilson, just out of curiosity, do you have any pictures of the snow plows they use today? I remember the huge V plows they used 30 yrs. ago. Stay warm and be safe on your daily commute.

 

[mwilson]

There are still some Walter and Oshkosh V-PLOWS tucked away in various DOT sheds across the state. They dig them out when needed. From Mars Hill north they still plow drift breaks across the frozen potato fields parallel to US Route 1 to cut down on what blows across the road.

Most snowplows now have one way or in some cases reversible sweeper plows. All have wings at least on the right hand side, some have left hand wings such as the ones dedicated to the left hand lane of the Interstates. We don't move snow across lanes as they do in some states. Passing or left lane snow goes in the median. Two or three DOT trucks will do the same work as several staggered general contractor trucks pushing to the right as I have seen in other states.

A more common combination now for the Interstate is a reversible sweeper with a wing on both sides, then it can handle either side of the highway.

I'll see what I can find for pictures.

 

[Wayne M.]

Throw up a Walter if you can find one! DSNY had them as wreckers circa 1970 and back.

 

[mwilson]

Only found a few so far...

 

[mwilson]

We have bucket loaders as well as graders rigged up with plows and wings. Loaders are very maneuverable with a wing on when plowing streets in a town.......

 

[Wayne M.]

Graders work well, even with just the mold board.

 

[NIsaacs]

Not to derail your thread Mike but at the end of this presentation is some cool snowplowing with a rotary plow and steam engines.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i98q7zOrpcU

Nick

 

[TFucili]

Cool video, thanks for posting it, Mike!

 

[mwilson]

It has begun......

 

[TFucili]

Some of the Road Depts. in the townships where I cam from kept an old FWD with a Vee and Wings in reserve for big storms.

 

[JR]

Looking back them boys seem like some tough old birds manning that old equipment, but it was all new technology at the time so they probably felt fortunate to be in it.

We've got a few tow plows in our county. I got stuck behind one the first year they got them, it sure was a sight to see.

https://youtu.be/LNPLFkSO3ks

I've got some good pictures from my folks in Wyoming. We were up there Memorial Day weekend while they were opening up the pass. Some big equipment there. I'll see if I can find the pictures and post a few up.

 

[Sleeper1]

Thanks for the pictures. We have a balmy 0 degrees for my commute this a.m. with a high of 23 today. 40's here for Thursday and Friday with rain. Like we say "If you don't like the weather in Indiana, stick around it'll change". So, How much snow did you get in Bangor MWilson?