by "vicali" (vicali)
Published 02/01/2017 at 16:48
by "vicali" (vicali)
Published 02/01/2017 at 16:48
No Tags
STARS: 11
I’ve recently joined the volunteer trail maintenance team at my local cross country ski club. We ski there as a family and I was looking for a way to become more involved with the club. An opportunity came up and I jumped at the chance to learn how to operate the and take a shift driving the groomer. Here is my OppoReview after four shifts;
Exterior: 9/10
The Bombardier Plus MP Snocat isn’t the prettiest machine, in fact it appears quite menacing from all angles. Scratched up metal around the blade, polished dull grousers on the tracks to the side, black hoses and rubber mats covering the tiller out back, with two track pans jutting up like stingers. The only bright spot is the happy yellow happy cab. This machine looks best in fresh snow, anything from one or two cm to the depth of the blade will make for a good night of driving.
Interior: 9/10
The interior of the MP is a nice place to hang out, the driving seat is high, and suspended on a springy air cushion. The passenger seat is also very comfortable, although it isn’t as well suspended as the drivers. Both seats have fold down armrests, and the drivers left has the track control sticks attached to the end. Drivers’ right hand sits perfectly on the other controls; ground speed dial, rpm plunger, front blade joystick, rear tiller levers, and two rows of light and wiper switches. Instrument gauges showing rpm, hydraulic oil temp, EGT, voltage, and fuel levels are above the controls. Red lights shine across the outside thermometer and route map plus the pan controls used by the co-driver to help with grooming. For coms there is a vhf radio, a sat phone, and a radio/cd player. Big wipers keep the front and back windows clear, and the usual heat controls keep you warm and toasty. While operating keeping the side windows cracked allows both driver and co-driver to listen to the engine and tracks for any strange sounds.
Acceleration: 2/10
The 8.3L Cummins 6CTA has 275hp, and 825lb-ft of torque at 1900rpm. Top speed walking (all attachments up) is around 20km/hr – while grooming snow conditions dictate ground speed; ideally in new snow with cold surface temps grooming is usually done around 10-15km/hr. Older hard pack snow and warm conditions require slow speeds to set good tracks. Some nights crews end up double grooming by walking the cat over the snow first to break it up, then coming over it again with the tiller cutting deep and the track pans down to get decent tracks.
Braking: 10/10
Track machines have no traditional brakes, other than the parking brake. Instead in order to slow down you turn down the groundspeed slowly and the tracks stop moving. There is no skidding or sliding so quick braking means driver and passenger are going to bang into the front windshield. Also opening either door while moving will trip the safety and instantly stop the tracks- driver and co-driver will again face plant into the windshield.
Ride and Handling: 8/10
With a five belt track system 4.5ft wide and covered in rows of steel grousers, plus a 7,900kg (17,652lbs) curb weight the Snowcat is literally stuck to the ground. The front blade is 5m (16ft) wide, and the tiller on the rear is just 5cm shy of that, the entire machine is just over 9m (30ft long including the track pans down in the back. With the attachments up the machine will turn on a dime- you will never find it again though, as the tracks tend to chew and dig while turning. The machine has no trouble climbing or descending steep angles, plus while walking it is almost impossible to get stuck. With the tiller running and the blade down it is possible to lift enough weight off the tracks that it will dig in and get stuck, lifting the attachments will get it going again.
Turning is done by pulling back on one of the control sticks, slowing the track on that side and turning into that direction. The faster the groundspeed the smoother and more responsive the machine is. While setting tracks every turn needs to flow safely, the groomer has to avoid closing radius turns and late apexes that would shoot skiers off the course into the trees.
Technology: 6/10
Not many electronics at first glance, all of the controls are analog dials, levers or switches. Although the operator isn’t exposed to them the tiller attachment runs from a small cpu with preset speeds and rpm programs. Any adjustments require the cpu to be sent back to the dealership and flashed. The Cummins engine runs three separate hydraulic pumps, one for each track and one for the attachments. Everything runs on hydraulics so the machine bleeds red when there is trouble.
Operability: 8/10
The first time you sit in the driver’s seat it is terrifying. The controls seem twitchy and strange, there are no brakes, and the cost of parts and repairs is the first thing that crosses your mind. It ends up being easier than you would expect to operate; the groundspeed is on a fixed dial, once it is set you keep your hand close just in case, but otherwise you drive one handed. With your left hand the joysticks start out feeling sensitive and weird but soon you get the feeling of making the smooth little adjustments needed to keeping the machine on track. The blade up front rarely gets used, either to scoop drifts blown on the track or knock snow off the branches hanging in the way. Tiller is on/off and up/down and track pans controls are individual left/right up/down. Protocol is to lift track pans through intersections or on steep descents, any time the skier needs to pay attention the tracks will stop.
City Driving: 0/10
No. Probably illegal. We cross the paved road once and have to have full flashing caution lights and warning signs posted. We operate at night in the dark so it is easy to see traffic, but it is still one of the more stressful tasks. Also once you commit to crossing it’s full speed and get to the other side.
Off-Road: 10/10
Wicked grip and super low center of gravity mean the cat will literally climb over anything. Cross hills are also not a problem. A friend of mine uses the same cat to build terrain parks at hills across North America. They are more at home on ski hills than flat ground. Deep snow is also not a problem.
Value: 8/10
At $400,000 the Snowcat has a steep price tag, but one machine can do the work of a fleet of snowmobile-based Ginsu groomers. The cat is the hardest working machine, and the backbone of any trail system.
The cat runs every night, and usually runs for 4-8 hour shifts. Ski season stretches from late November to early March or while snow conditions last. Maintenance costs are high, there are close to 100 zerk points that need to be greased once a month, and if a part breaks the machine goes down while it’s shipped in and installed.
Rules for new operators like myself are;
1-Don’t hit anything.
2-Don’t back it up with the tiller/pans down.
3-If something breaks shut it down.
Total score: 70/100
Would recommend!
"HammerheadFistpunch" (hammerheadfistpunch)
02/01/2017 at 17:00, STARS: 0
I always wanted to drive one of these. My neighbor runs night shifts at snowbird, sounds fun to me personally, but I like quite alone time in the mountains a lot.
"vicali" (vicali)
02/01/2017 at 17:09, STARS: 1
There is a stereo - but I usually just listen to the grousers clatter.
We do a shifts in pairs, partly because it would get very boring 5 hours of running by yourself, and partly because it’s common to have trees down on the tracks;
In that case we stop, get out the chainsaw, and clear the trail. It’s a bit of a safety issue if you’re on your own - in a snowstorm - in the dark - tired -at 2am - running a saw.
That’s also why the sat phone is in there.
"OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars" (jakeauern)
02/01/2017 at 17:13, STARS: 0
Things like this make me wish I lived closer to the snow... Ugg.
"Highlander-Datsuns are Forever" (jamesbowland)
02/01/2017 at 17:20, STARS: 0
I’ve always wanted to drive one too, it looks like a lot of fun. I have run a back-hoe or two and I enjoyed that.
"benjrblant" (benjblant)
02/01/2017 at 17:36, STARS: 1
There is no “g”
"benjrblant" (benjblant)
02/01/2017 at 17:36, STARS: 0
Otherwise, awesome!
"vicali" (vicali)
02/01/2017 at 17:56, STARS: 0
Oiy, thanks.. I was busy making sure grouser was right..
"atrombs" (atrombly)
02/02/2017 at 11:16, STARS: 1
I got a chance to ride in one with a family friend. Awesome experience. It was a pretty new one and more comfy than any luxury car I’d ever been in. Bonus Pic from the top with Mount Washington visible in the distance. (and yeah, the snow sucked.)
"thebigbossyboss" (thebigbossyboss)
02/07/2017 at 14:06, STARS: 0
This is totally awesome. Thanks for writing this up. Off road in snow 10/10. Off road on clear ground? The question remains.
"vicali" (vicali)
02/07/2017 at 14:12, STARS: 0
Tracks do pretty good offroad; Low ground pressure/ low impact usually use tracks.
Our Snowcat is broken this week. -sadface- Transmission parts on order from Calgary - should be running for the weekend.
"thebigbossyboss" (thebigbossyboss)
02/11/2017 at 12:33, STARS: 0
I’ll deliver for a cut! Although road conditions in BC have been horrible the last little while. Coquihalla closed, highway 3 closed both ends, fraser canyon having problems, 99 down to 1 lane north of Lillooet. It’s been a dog!