new sidewalk snowplowing video

Bob M · Mar 23, 2017

Following up db4570's snowplowing post and photos last week, here's link to short video I shot while plowing sidewalks in downtown Rochester NY during the March 15 "snow event".

Plowing is performed with a fleet of modified (narrowed and ballasted), 60+ year old Farmall and Oliver tractors.

Enjoy!

...Bob M
sidewalk snowplowing

jeffcat · Mar 23, 2017

Hokey smokey. First off they really norrow them up so they can run on the sidewalks. Next you guys drive like crazy. How many tractors has this guy got ? Looks like maybe 50 of them? Neat video!

Charlie M · Mar 23, 2017

You did it without being shot at. Hopefully you were plowing in a better part of town. I'm near Rochester so I know the deal there.

dgoodman2 · Mar 23, 2017

This is great. Looks like fun but cold job. Why do they use all the older tractors? Narrow footprint? Lugging power?

Steve A W · Mar 23, 2017

Impressive!

kfnut · Mar 23, 2017

I'm just glad I don't live up there .

47fivewindow · Mar 23, 2017

How much do you have to pay them to do that? LOL

Al L. in Wisc. · Mar 23, 2017

Bob; my ? is, until seeing your video link, which I have seen Rochester, NY plowing before; in my part of the taxpayer world the property owner or tenant is responsible for snow removal? Enlighten me.

Cool video by the way.

Phil Tibbetts · Mar 23, 2017

Love the video. I would think the driver would freeze his you know what off.

Bob M · Mar 23, 2017

To everyone's questions -

Phil T: Drivers keep warm wearing Carhartt arctic coveralls, pack boots, snowmobile helmets, etc. A heat houser on every tractor helps too.

Al L: Taxpayers fund the snowplowing. (It's one of the reasons the area has the second highest overall tax burden in the entire nation....)

47fivewindow: Driver pay is privileged info. It is however lucrative(!)

dgoodman2: They've found nothing clears sidewalks better and faster than a narrowed 40's era row crop tractor. And compared to a skid steer, compact tractor, tracked (Bombardier) sidewalk plow, the old tractors are inexpensive to purchase, hard to break and easy to fix.

Charlie M: These guys plow the entire city - can't pick and choose which neighborhoods to avoid. Fortunately with a 0 deg windchill and 30" of fresh snow the streets are pretty much free of bad guys - and everyone else - during a plow run.

jeffcat: Unsure of the actual number of plows - there's a couple contractors doing this in the city. I'm guessing however a total 40 or so tractors altogether, including spares.

Ande · Mar 23, 2017

Great video Bob, thanks for sharing

db4570 · Mar 24, 2017

Wow, Bob. The video is great. I was kicking myself for not getting some footage myself, since I may not plow again next year, and we may be done for this year. But your video really captures what it's like.

Thanks,

David

steve_in_mo · Mar 25, 2017

The governor on the old Ollie has been tweaked a bit!
Sounds good.

new sidewalk snowplowing video

Bob M

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jeffcat

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Charlie M

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dgoodman2

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Steve A W

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kfnut

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Al L. in Wisc.

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Phil Tibbetts

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Bob M

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