Pisten Bully 400 service and operations

[ArlyA]

Here is a few views as seen today and most of these are taken live. We cooled down and our high was near zero here today. Still snowed good. Looks like our lake snow is shutting down. Hope you like them...

 

[TCowner]

I am so jealous. In SE Minnesota we have about 4 inches of snow but with some warmer temps on the way so we will probably be back to dirt by Christmas. My ideal retirement relocation is right in your back yard Arly. You clearly live in God's country.

 

[ronjhall]

Great pictures. Not going to be a White Christmas in SE MI. Day time temperatures will be in the 40's.

 

[ArlyA]

We moved to the south shore for cool summers, mild winter temps with guaranteed snow. Life is to short to not be enjoying the outdoors. :thumbsup: The dog is 60+ lbs and more is on the mutts blogs. Here is there blog.

 

[ArlyA]

Putting snow on the lift bridge this week. This is a lower deck road and snow does not fall on it, so the city hauls it in and we spread it out.

 

[aeblank]

The trucks hauling the snow were filled with sno-gos, I hope. Nothing beats a 6' tall blower driven by it's own engine.

 

[ArlyA]

The trucks hauling the snow were filled with sno-gos, I hope. Nothing beats a 6' tall blower driven by it's own engine.

Its unlikely they used a sno-go to fill the trucks. These are normally used to get snow off of the streets and into tucks which goes to the nearest snow dump. All municipalities here have sno-goes but are only used in that fashion. They do tend to break down and most cities like to have at least 2 in stock... The city of Houghton may have 4 of these units. The snow we used came from a snow dump which would have been load into trucks via pay-loader.

 

[Trails2004]

...Who can tell us why we are pushing snow along the trail at all times? ...

There are times that you need to pull snow from outside the normal track to fill the drag or to level out the trail when whoopties are present.

These whoopties are oftentimes caused by the porpoising effect by grooming with a two track groomer.

 

[ArlyA]

Some photos taken this am before and after the sun was up. We are warming up here guys so the boss may keep us off the trails for a few days. I seen over 50 sleds this morning. Ops! I forgot to add a photo I took of sleds passing me. Here goes one

 

[Trails2004]

Nice work

 

[ArlyA]

Snow is pushed in front of grooming machines to make it roll which it will do many times before its slips under the blade. Doing this knocks lots air from it and improves the quality of the trail you leave behind.

There are times that you need to pull snow from outside the normal track to fill the drag or to level out the trail when whoopties are present.

These whoopties are oftentimes caused by the porpoising effect by grooming with a two track groomer.

What porpoising effect are you talking about??? Moguls are created my snowmobiles...

 

[ArlyA]

Nice work

Thanks!

 

[TCowner]

There is a special place in Heaven for the trail groomer operators.

 

[bridge4]

There is a special place in Heaven for the trail groomer operators.

Do they actually get to use the trails they made while they are still fresh? :laughing:

 

[ArlyA]

Pictured below is as close as we get to being sledders. In the state of MI, this would be illegal to operate on the trails anyway and just as well, it would be to slow to mingle with the sleds.... MI has very restrictive rules for who can be on the trails during the snowmobile season.

Thanks to all for your kind comments.

 

[IXLR8]

Putting snow on the lift bridge this week. This is a lower deck road and snow does not fall on it, so the city hauls it in and we spread it out.

I am still wrapping my head around, "hauling snow in to put on the roads"!!???

 

[ArlyA]

The bridge had two vehicle decks and one was RR tracks but was converted to a general use when the tracks were pulled in the 80's. This lift bridge was the largest in the world and just had its 60 birthday. Here is good info on this structure. Since the sleds use the lower deck, we must haul in snow in ordered to utilize it. Does that make sense??

I am still wrapping my head around, "hauling snow in to put on the roads"!!???

 

[Thunder chicken]

Nice work Arly!
Rolling snow is fun, but boy ya gotta watch out for that one stump or rock that always seems to jump out when you turn your head to check the drag!!
We are still working on opening up trails, not enough snow yet here. Plus with 80km of lake, we need to get some deadfall and signs up on the trails that are hard to access in summertime.
We have a new to us Prinoth Husky this year, our TrailBully went to another club.
As for moguls, it seems the best way to get rid of them is to completely cut them out. Filling without cutting just beats back out! With the Suretrac drag, the front cutter height is set as well as the pan height so it’s easy to adjust cutting depth when the trail gets rough.

Snow is pushed in front of grooming machines to make it roll which it will do many times before its slips under the blade. Doing this knocks lots air from it and improves the quality of the trail you leave behind.



What porpoising effect are you talking about??? Moguls are created my snowmobiles...

 

[ArlyA]

We've had a long warm spell here but I was out early this morning smoothing things up. Third one shows what the sled trail looks like. We're got lots of tourist sleds in the area and I counted about 75 by the time I was done. The trails are sometimes groom twice daily. 1st photos were taken on the canal which is overly narrow. Other show what my display looks like. Most of these are take live visa one hand. Many are blurred due to early morning light.

 

[ronjhall]

Great pictures.