# SNOW



## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

To those of you that like snow. And those who plow your right of way with miniature plows, being pushed by minature locomotives, I have something to say. I am happy for you








. But may I say this.......... I HATE SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!







Yes, you may call me SCROOGE. It's allright with me. I just came in from the first plowing. I threw 4" off of the drive and walks. As I came into the house, there was already 2 more inches of that stuff on the ground







. After dinner, I'll have to go out and plow again. Just what I feel like doing







. 

*BAH HUMBUG*


----------



## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I think we have two feet and still snowing here in the Wash., DC area. I had too go out for a gig this afternoon--one hour gig, two hours stuck in the parking lot. I barely made it home. Train layout is completely buried. It's still coming down


----------



## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

I REALLY feel for you guys! Just went out in the backyard to skim the top of the pool and it was EIGHTY DEGREES! It's going to get real nippy in a couple of days.....drop down to 76 tomorrow and high sixties all next week. Snow is nice to visit, but not to live in.


----------



## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm not sure that this guy doesn't have the right of it... 
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/co...tr=2270657 

OTOH I'd rather deal with snow than BUGS


----------



## Richard Weatherby (Jan 3, 2008)

Snow came fast and heavy. It accumulated faster than plows could handle.










Besides, most trains and buildings are at our clubs train display.

Train Display link


----------



## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Madman on 19 Dec 2009 02:32 PM 
To those of you that like snow. And those who plow your right of way with miniature plows, being pushed by minature locomotives, I have something to say. I am happy for you







. But may I say this.......... I HATE SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!







Yes, you may call me SCROOGE. It's allright with me. I just came in from the first plowing. I threw 4" off of the drive and walks. As I came into the house, there was already 2 more inches of that stuff on the ground







. After dinner, I'll have to go out and plow again. Just what I feel like doing







. 

*BAH HUMBUG*










With all due respect, and I do respect your feelings about this... I have two suggestions for you.

One, don't do the work until the snow storm has ceased. This lessens the frustration you feel right now that you did the work and it looks like you did nothing. Granted, you might, sometime, have to do something before the storm has passed, but that really should be a rare instance. Most of the time, you should just wait for the snow to cease falling.

Two, is simply, you do not need to clear snow from your driveway. (GASP!) Your city might require that you remove snow from the sidewalk, but forget the driveway!

I have spent many an evening being sure mine was clear and clean down to the concrete... aching back, sore muscles, frozen nose and numb fingers and toes. But that driveway was "CLEAR AND CLEAN".









One of the reasons I kept that driveway clear was so when the "time" came, I could wisk my beautiful wife off to the hospital to deliver the future showshovelers I was getting... but by the time they were big enough to do some good with a shovel, they seemed to always have extra homework and could not help me to do the time honored task of keeping the driveway clear... thus I was stuck doing it alone most of the time anyway.

Then they got married and moved far enough away to not be able to do it for me and I was still on my own.

I now live in a house with a bit longer of a driveway and when I moved in, I was still in the mode of keeping my driveway pristine... I was even complimented by my new neighbors on how I was keeping my driveway clear... and this driveway is difficult to shovel... it is between my house and the neighbor's and for that distance there is no place to put the snow to the sides! I have to move iit fully to one end and then shovel it off to the side... hard work and it takes a long time.

I have tried a couple of different snow blowers and only the larger ones can actually blow the snow far enough that I don't have to process it two or three times before it is out of the way and it still takes about as long to do it as doing so with the shovel. Beside my aversion to purchasing something that expensive just to be used two or three times per year, I have more hatred for these mechanical contrivances than I do the snow... I spend more time trying to get the acursed thing to actually start than I spend using it. When I am done, I am just as cold as doing the work with a shovel, but I have the added burden of being exhausted from getting it started and then having to push it around (even the ones with the power to the wheels require some manhandling to position it... and then there is the constant and difficult fiddling with the discharge shoot that has frozen in the wrong position!).

Then one day at work I hyperextended my knee (bent it backwards) while walking down the hallway... dunno how it happened, but it left an injury inside the knee that creates extreme pain at random times when I least expect it and usually it occurs when when I am pushing some contrivance (lawn mower, snowblower, even a shopping cart), so I now have to hire my lawn to be mowed or if I want to clear snow from my driveway. (I have to really take my time shopping if I buy enough that I have to use a cart.)

Shoveling also hurts sometimes but not as often as pushing a snow blower.


I have TRIED to hire the neighborhood kids to shovel my drive and walks, but they are not much different than my kids were and so far, no amount of cash will gain their attention.









So now, since the city REQUIRES that sidewalks be shoveled within 48 hours of a snowfall, I go out and and make a one shovel's width swath for that 40 ft, and then attack the section of the "Cascade Range" that the city delivers to the end of my driveway via the road plows. I spend a couple more minutes clearing about a shovel's width from in front of the garage door and I am done shoveling.









I drive my car the length of the driveway and have no problem at all. Last week there was a bit over a foot of snow on the driveway, plus some drifting to about 2-ft deep at a couple of places. No problems at all. Just take it slow and deliberate (don't stop and be sure to travel in a very straight line) blazing the initial trail and from then on, the car tends to follow the ruts.


----------



## ThinkerT (Jan 2, 2008)

Aha! So there was some substance to these vague televised rumors of snow I kept hearing about on the east coast! 

Two foot of snow in DC? Wonder if thats enough to shut down the Federal government for a week or so...not that anybody would notice...


----------



## GG (Jan 1, 2009)

Semper, so much do I relate to your quest as it related to having children and in that effort to rid yourself of SNOW driven work. 

As with you I am in total failure in being able to delegate this particular responsibility. 


Looking at the positive side for all: 

Snow = exercise
Snow = white
Snow = sledding
Snow = G-scale plowing
Snow = cold
Snow = kids are useless. 

Snow = spring moisture. 


And whatever else that comes to mind. 

So..... SNOW = a polarity of seasons, which means that the seasons are not boring. 


Logic implies that SNOW keeps us alive and interested. 

In conclusion, snow is beautiful, especially at Christmas.... 

gg


----------



## cmjdisanto (Jan 6, 2008)

Dan,

I hear ya screaming!!!!!! Hehehehe

It's six a one half dozen.............here. Just can't operate trains with the condition of the track. so we played with the Deere plow instead. I don't think this will be the last snow for the season here. Just need to get some ballast down and...........charge the batteries and straighten out a couple other things. Too busy having a tree removed from near the house right now. 










There's a layout under there somewhere........By the way.....the trunk I am talking about in the following picture can be seen just off the left corner of the house.









Pic of tree being removed yesterday. Tree guys' had another call to get to since they squeezed us in. The trunk is bent naturally but the base has picked up 4" of lean toward the house in last 8 weeks. With the inpending storm we felt the need to have it removed so they removed all the heavy limbs that snow and wind could affect. All that remains for now is a 40ft trunk that will be pulled down next week. So far this year.....2 down and 26 to go. Hehehe


----------



## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

It snowed here -- once.

Bob in Vegas


----------



## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Semper Vaporo on 19 Dec 2009 04:10 PM 


Two, is simply, you do not need to clear snow from your driveway. (GASP!) Your city might require that you remove snow from the sidewalk, but forget the driveway!




Semper,
im not sure where you live, but for those of us in the North East, and across the upper Mid West, and probably in the Rockies, and all of Canada..etc..
_not _clearing the driveway of snow is _not _an option!









the driveway really does need to be cleared..each time it snows more than 4 inches or so..which is generally 20 to 30 times a winter..
othewise, there is no way the car will make it from the garage to the street..we would get stuck in the driveway..

personally, in the last year, snow has been the source a major fun new hobby for me!
I have become a serious "antique snowblower enthusiast!"








check it out:

http://scotlawrence.smugmug.com/photos/685686894_Vo5Mo-O.jpgThe 1960's and 1970's Ariens Sno-Thro Info Site.














I have discovered there are a lot of us..
there are several discussion forums, similar to MLS, dedicated to the topic..
also there are guys into antique lawn mowers and tractors..

Its kind of like having an antique or classic car..but much less expensive!









I actually enjoy clearing my driveway!









Scot


----------



## GG (Jan 1, 2009)

Love it Scot... 

Poor Semper is missing his life... his cardio .... his pulse... 




Shame... 

Now I note that Nick has not chimed in here. Is the lad hiding? 


gg


----------



## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By GG on 19 Dec 2009 08:13 PM 
Semper, so much do I relate to your quest as it related to having children and in that effort to rid yourself of SNOW driven work. 

As with you I am in total failure in being able to delegate this particular responsibility. 


Looking at the positive side for all: 

Snow = exercise
Snow = white
Snow = sledding
Snow = G-scale plowing
Snow = cold
Snow = kids are useless. 

Snow = spring moisture. 


And whatever else that comes to mind. 

So..... SNOW = a polarity of seasons, which means that the seasons are not boring. 


Logic implies that SNOW keeps us alive and interested. 

In conclusion, snow is beautiful, especially at Christmas.... 

gg 




Well... I am not sure your "positive side" list is all that accurate...

Snow = exercise = heart attack
Snow = white = with a black surface grit and areas of brown and yellow
Snow = sledding = snowmobilers running through your new stand of saplings and gouging up your garden.
Snow = G-scale plowing... yeah! OKAY!
Snow = cold = sniffles, flu, pneumonia...
Snow = kids are useless. That is what I found out.
Snow = spring moisture... well... I point you at my comments back on *February 19, 2008*:

http://www.mylargescale.com/Communi...fault.aspx

Then I refer you to the news reports in *June, 2008* in eastern Iowa. Here is a photo essay showing just Cedar Rapids, Iowa...

http://www.andrealynnphoto.com/CRflood2008/

Be sure to look past the 1st photos of that slideshow... the most graphic ones start about #25 or so. The early photos show water just getting up to the bottom of the bridges... later aerial photos show just ripples in the water caused by the railings on the bridges - a foot or so under the surface of the water.

And I keep telling people... you ain't seen nuttin yet.


----------



## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Scottychaos on 19 Dec 2009 08:56 PM 
Posted By Semper Vaporo on 19 Dec 2009 04:10 PM 


Two, is simply, you do not need to clear snow from your driveway. (GASP!) Your city might require that you remove snow from the sidewalk, but forget the driveway!




Semper,
im not sure where you live, but for those of us in the North East, and across the upper Mid West, and probably in the Rockies, and all of Canada..etc..
_not _clearing the driveway of snow is _not _an option!









the driveway really does need to be cleared..each time it snows more than 4 inches or so..which is generally 20 to 30 times a winter..
othewise, there is no way the car will make it from the garage to the street..we would get stuck in the driveway..

personally, in the last year, snow has been the source a major fun new hobby for me!
I have become a serious "antique snowblower enthusiast!"








check it out:

http://scotlawrence.smugmug.com/photos/685686894_Vo5Mo-O.jpg 
I have discovered there are a lot of us..
there are several discussion forums, similar to MLS, dedicated to the topic..
also there are guys into antique lawn mowers and tractors..

Its kind of like having an antique or classic car..but less expensive!









I actually enjoy clearing my driveway!









Scot 


I have not shoveled the main part of the driveway for about 5 years now... 2007/2008 had a half dozen snowfalls of more than 6 inches EACH. Three times I had a drift against my backdoor so high I had to out the front to go around to shovel it out (only done for "fire safety")... then the next snowfall I had to go the other way to get the front door to open. The city not only delivered parts of the Cascade Range to the end of my driveway, they also depoited a major portion of Mt. McKinley several times!

Yep... I was a good 12 inches higher than in the summer time while driving down the driveway; on top of well packed snow in the ruts. The surface of the snow between the ruts showed a good profile of the underside of the car (so I guess I did "plow" my driveway in a manner of speaking?







Just not down to the concrete.)


I can understand some people's enthusiasm for gas power infernal combustion engines (misplaced as it is) and to thus collect and enjoy tinkering with them... I suppose if I could find a snow blower that ran on steam














, I might be the kind of guy that clears not only his own driveway, but all the neighbors for several city blocks around!


----------



## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

I love snow. Yes Snow is great. I love snow....Asl long as it's in somebodies elses state.


----------



## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

Joe,

So many trees comming down recently. At least a half dozen large trees have been taken down in our neighborhood this past month. We put our own tree removal off until early Spring. What abot that tree just behind your house? Are you concerned about it?


----------



## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

We ran plow trains before breakfast, but stopped for pancakes. When we started up again, ice build up and a warped worm gear sidelined our efforts! 









I was pulling a track cleaner car, tootsie roll tanker, cider tanker, coal hopper, and a napa valley wine train observation car:










Luke tried to help me out with troubleshooting.









Turned out it was a bigger problem than could be solved in the snow, so we retired to the family room and the roaring fire!









Sampled some of the new beer purchased Friday night. Dogfish Head Chickory Stout and Bear County's Racer 5. Both were chilled in the snow out front prior to opening. Nothing like ice cold beer!

I kept tabs on the snow, since the crew had to abandon the snowplow and track cleaning car on the bridge. Truthfully, I was hoping I'd be able to fix the mallet quickly and get back to plowing. 










In this shot, you can see two lumps on the brige. That's the plow and track cleaner!









This is our Charlie Brown Christmas tree in the front yard. It was little more than a stick when we took it out of the treeline. I trimmed it back a ton, as per the garden railways article. Looks great with the snow and a string of lights!

Merry Christmas!










Oh and shoveling? I don't mind it. Good exercise! I had to take off my hat, which resulted in a lot of snow building up on my head!


----------



## GG (Jan 1, 2009)

That was nice Mark. 

See Semper, SNOW is good !


----------



## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By GG on 20 Dec 2009 12:03 PM 
That was nice Mark. 

See Semper, SNOW is good ! 












Where did I say SNOW is "bad"









Snow is all in how you deal with it... or in my case, how to deal with not dealing with it. I would hardly deal with it at all if the City would stay out of it.


----------



## GG (Jan 1, 2009)

When it is SNOW covered and when there is no snow plow.... 

Time to make PEROGY. !


----------



## Richard Weatherby (Jan 3, 2008)

I THINK I CAN.....
I THOUGHT I COULD! I THOUGHT I COULD!!!

















SKIING DOWN YOUR DRIVEWAY ON BARREL STAVES!!


----------



## bottino (Feb 7, 2008)

Absolutely stunning photos Dick. Looks like you got about 10 times what we got here in slower lower Delaware. Looking out your windows is truly beautiful. 
Paul


----------



## Richard Weatherby (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks, Paul 
The photo at the top of this tread is from the library (if you know what I mean) off the master bedroom. 

I LOVE SNOW!!!! 

Remember, You can always put enough clothes on to stay warm, but you can't take enough off to stay cool.


----------



## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

Posted By Richard Weatherby on 20 Dec 2009 04:58 PM 
Thanks, Paul 
The photo at the top of this tread is from the library (if you know what I mean) off the master bedroom. 

I LOVE SNOW!!!! 

Remember, You can always put enough clothes on to stay warm, but you can't take enough off to stay cool. 

Still, Richard, I prefer taking them off. That is to say that I much prefer the warmer







weather. There is a limit to what comes off in public. I don't want to frieghten anyone







. 

This reminds me of the old story about the Sun and the Wind. It seems they were having a disagreement over who could make the man that was walking down a road, take off his coat first. The Sun said, "go ahead Wind. You first". The Wind gathered up his air and started to blow. He blew harder and harder. The more he blew, the tighter the man held his coat closed. When the wind hadn't any air left, the Sun said, "now I'll try". The Sun started to shine. Brighter and brighter. It got hotter and hotter. Before you know it, the man was peeling off his coat, scarf, hat, shirt, and possibly more.

I have always loved that story. Told to my brother and I when we were young boys.


----------



## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

Haven't been out to our Colorado place yet this snow season, but the man that looks after our place sent these photos. He said we got about 3-4 feet depending on the exposure. Not bad for a December storm. The heavier snow usually comes later in the season. Sure is beautiful when you don't have to deal with it



























Some wild turkeys strolling around. Oh yeah, there's a driveway under there somewhere:


----------



## Richard Weatherby (Jan 3, 2008)

Matt; Gorgeous!!!! I would drive north a little to Ski. I have been a bit of a wild turkey myself. 
The one skiing on Barrel Staves is my youngest son. The barrel staves are mine from the late 70's.


----------



## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Booo'ful Pix Dick! Christmas card material fu'r sure!


----------



## GG (Jan 1, 2009)

Dan, 

You and as a "scrooge" have brought the best of "snow" out in all of us. 

I love these pictures. Thanks to all for submitting these photos. 

gg


----------



## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

You guys just need to hire more manpower. My grandfather used to tell stories of the big snows in the '50's when the B&O would call 4 or 5 section crews of MoW workers (500+ guys) to go down to shovel out the yards at the point in Pittsburgh. All these guys, with their ballast shovels, would fill gondolas with snow, then the yard goat would shove the gons into the river and let the snow float out. 

But grandma remembers all the holidays he'd miss because, just as he sat down to dinner, the phone would ring. And he'd be gone for two days rerailing somebody else's mistake.


----------



## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks like Nick dug imself out finally. Best thing for dealing with snow is move south solve all your problems







. Later RJD


----------



## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

RJ,

I am not so sure about that. Everytime it snows 1/4" in Georgia or Texas, it makes national news because the majority don't have any idea of how to drive in the white stuff. Sounds like more problems than a little bit of snow!!


----------



## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

We had over 20 inches. The track in this photo is 18 inches off the ground, and yesterday it was covered

We had a party outside yesterday, and I tried to clear the track to run, but no dice


----------



## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA this is a great thread, {It warms my heart} lots of great snow shots. We were lucky and only got a dusting of a quarter of an inch. Looks like some of you guys got pounded but had fun plowing? Very cool pictures guys.
I like Marks ideal of the fire place and Beer after a hard days plowing







And GG i dont know what the **** that was you were cooking but it looks Nasty......







Merry Xmas everyone, May Santa bring you lots of trains for the Holidays...


----------



## GG (Jan 1, 2009)

Posted By Nicholas Savatgy on 22 Dec 2009 09:49 AM 
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA this is a great thread, {It warms my heart} lots of great snow shots. We were lucky and only got a dusting of a quarter of an inch. Looks like some of you guys got pounded but had fun plowing? Very cool pictures guys.
I like Marks ideal of the fire place and Beer after a hard days plowing







And GG i dont know what the **** that was you were cooking but it looks Nasty......







Merry Xmas everyone, May Santa bring you lots of trains for the Holidays...











Nick, you have never had potato and cheese perogy?

You deprived man......









Give me your smilies and I will send you the recipe.


----------



## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)




----------



## sbaxters4 (Jan 2, 2008)

We got the storm before the East coast and recieved about 14" now we've added another 2-3" on top of that and thier talking another storm over Christmas which could give us another 10-14"!! Can't even see ANY of my buildings any more!!!


----------



## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Mik on 22 Dec 2009 05:41 AM 
You guys just need to hire more manpower. My grandfather used to tell stories of the big snows in the '50's when the B&O would call 4 or 5 section crews of MoW workers (500+ guys) to go down to shovel out the yards at the point in Pittsburgh. All these guys, with their ballast shovels, would fill gondolas with snow, then the yard goat would shove the gons into the river and let the snow float out. 




During the cleanup for the famous Buffalo, NY blizzard of '77, the railroads filled coal hoppers with snow, then sent the hoppers for a ride down south for a few weeks..

the snow would gradually melt, and the cars returned empty..


Scot


----------



## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Posted By Scottychaos on 22 Dec 2009 11:54 AM 
Posted By Mik on 22 Dec 2009 05:41 AM 
You guys just need to hire more manpower. My grandfather used to tell stories of the big snows in the '50's when the B&O would call 4 or 5 section crews of MoW workers (500+ guys) to go down to shovel out the yards at the point in Pittsburgh. All these guys, with their ballast shovels, would fill gondolas with snow, then the yard goat would shove the gons into the river and let the snow float out. 




During the cleanup for the famous Buffalo, NY blizzard of '77, the railroads filled coal hoppers with snow, then sent the hoppers for a ride down south for a few weeks..

the snow would gradually melt, and the cars returned empty..


Scot 



Thats an interesting fact, wonder if i can fill some hoppers with snow and send them down to RJ's to melt ?


----------



## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Well Mark it's been a long time since Atlanta has seen a measurable amount of snow but then again I did say move south just did not say how far south. Maybe FL get you in the pink. later RJD


----------



## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

Posted By Scottychaos on 22 Dec 2009 11:54 AM 
Posted By Mik on 22 Dec 2009 05:41 AM 
You guys just need to hire more manpower. My grandfather used to tell stories of the big snows in the '50's when the B&O would call 4 or 5 section crews of MoW workers (500+ guys) to go down to shovel out the yards at the point in Pittsburgh. All these guys, with their ballast shovels, would fill gondolas with snow, then the yard goat would shove the gons into the river and let the snow float out. 




During the cleanup for the famous Buffalo, NY blizzard of '77, the railroads filled coal hoppers with snow, then sent the hoppers for a ride down south for a few weeks..

the snow would gradually melt, and the cars returned empty..


Scot 


Very interesting!! When I was working on the Fernery, at the Morris Arboretum, We had a full winter of ice and snow. Mostly snow. That was the winter of 1993/4. At one point we had to move some earth, for an excavation. I had the backhoe operater pile in on top of snow that had been plowed into a pile. The new pile of earth remained there until June, When it we had to move it. As the backhoe dug into the pile, it uncovered the buried snow. Still frozen.


----------



## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

"During the cleanup for the famous Buffalo, NY blizzard of '77, the railroads filled coal hoppers with snow, then sent the hoppers for a ride down south for a few weeks..
the snow would gradually melt, and the cars returned empty.."

That year, I walked up the snow drift behind Dad's house onto the roof.


----------



## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Ah yes, the blizzard of '77. I was -2 days old!!


----------



## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

This past Saturday, the wife and I drove to Buffalo and saw Cirque du Soliel at Shea's Theatre. We commented with other patrons that for once Buffalo was the only East coast Airport open! 

As for the Blizzard of 77 we live in the heart of the enchanted mountins south of Buffalo. We got snow, but nothing like 5 miles in any direction from us. This was eveident when we went to my cousin's for a late Christmas visit and an eye doctor appointment and I got to go sledding off their roof in East Aurora. That was a blast! 

I'm looking forward to a new (to me) snowblower tomorrow and glad that we still have not enough snow that I've needed to shovel yet this year. not looking forward to the ice storm Friday though. Once again we are supposed to head to East Aurora for Christmas dinner and may have to postpone or cancel.

Chas


----------

