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Canadian Railroads > Drift Busting on the Nanticoke Spur


Date: 01/31/25 11:05
Drift Busting on the Nanticoke Spur
Author: poshell

Eleven years ago today on January 31, 2014 I was out on the Nanticoke Spur near Jarvis and Garnet Ontario helping Southern Ontario Rail (G&W) by providing some operating instructions on their Knox Kershaw Mfg. model KSF940 ballast regulator/snow fighter.
The new snow clearing machine, serial number KSF940-138-13 was built in 2013 at the Knox Kershaw Mfg. plant in Montgomery, AL.
The open farm fields and deep cuts along the spur (an extension off the Hagersville Sub.) fill in quickly during snow storms and need to be 'busted' before they get too deep and hardened.
Getting the snow out of the cuts to an open area takes a lot of work and often multiple moves with the plow and wings taking as much as they can on each pass.
Great days of winter railroading. :-)
All photos on the Nanticoke Spur at Nanticoke, ON



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/31/25 14:12 by poshell.








Date: 01/31/25 11:07
Re: Drift Busting on the Nanticoke Spur
Author: poshell

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow .....
 








Date: 01/31/25 11:08
Re: Drift Busting on the Nanticoke Spur
Author: poshell

Getting it done ....
 








Date: 01/31/25 11:09
Re: Drift Busting on the Nanticoke Spur
Author: poshell

That's it for today ....
 






Date: 01/31/25 15:44
Re: Drift Busting on the Nanticoke Spur
Author: feclark

Nice post. What kind of stresses are we talking about with the wing out and loaded with heavy snow in P5 & 6? How does that go up according to speed? What's your working speed?
Fred



Date: 01/31/25 17:32
Re: Drift Busting on the Nanticoke Spur
Author: NiagaraMike

I lived in Caledonia for years and snow was always a major winter issue. Saw lots of CN plow extras.
Nice round of photos Paul well done



Date: 01/31/25 19:40
Re: Drift Busting on the Nanticoke Spur
Author: poshell

Fred,
The side wings have a reach of 16' from the track center-line when laid flat. The wing extension cylinders are equipped with 'break-away' valves (relief valves) and when they reach a pre-set pressure from too much load they 'give-way' and fold back close to the machine.
Notice that the high drifts are not winged in the flat position. The wings can be angled to 'cut' the top of the drift off at speed and throw the snow back towards the 'fence-line'.
Multiple passes, biting a bit lower with the wing angle on each pass can push a tremendous amount of snow well back from the roadbed area. 
These photos by my associate D. Wylie who was assisting with the training and machine familiarization.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/31/25 19:58 by poshell.








Date: 01/31/25 19:42
Re: Drift Busting on the Nanticoke Spur
Author: poshell

cutting the drift .... and one side leveled ....
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/31/25 19:43 by poshell.






Date: 01/31/25 19:44
Re: Drift Busting on the Nanticoke Spur
Author: feclark

poshell Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Fred,
> The side wings have a reach of 16' from the track
> center-line when laid flat. The wing extension
> cylinders are equipped with 'break-away' valves
> (relief valves) and when they reach a pre-set
> pressure from too much load they 'give-way' and
> fold back close to the machine.
> Notice that the high drifts are not winged in the
> flat position. The wings can be angle to 'cut' the
> top of the drift off at speed and throw the snow
> back toweards the 'fence-line'.
> Multiple passes, biting a bit lower with the wing
> angle on each pass can push a tremendous amount of
> snow well back from the roadbed area. 
> These photos by my associate D. Wylie who was
> assisting with the training and machine
> familiarization.
>  

Thanks, Paul. It's nice to be learning things as well as looking at good photos. Multitasking on TO.
Fred



Date: 01/31/25 19:56
Re: Drift Busting on the Nanticoke Spur
Author: poshell

Mike,
Like you, I too know this area well.
After a few summers as an extra gang labourer in the late 60's I worked as a sectionman stationed in Jarvis (Cayuga & Hagersville Subs.) where we moved from Windsor, ON when my Dad was transferred there as the CN Roadmaster.
No shortage of big drifts all the way from Rymal to Nanticoke, through Caledonia and Hagersville during many of the winters back then.
Here's a pick of my Dad and the Jarvis way freight that has just 'drift-busted' its way from Hagersville to Jarvis on a cold and snowy January 25, 1978.
WOW! 47 years ago this month!




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