# ALASKA, Holly Crap Thats a lot of snow!



## ken643

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/alaska-town-buried-18-feet-snow-national-guardsmen-recruited-article-1.1003400

WOW, I think they are getting everyone elses snow too, we need a big fan and blow it our way, LOL:laughing:


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## BUFF

Yeah I read that on the MSN home page, all the new snow then rain on top of it. Man what a mess that has to be.


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## Banksy

So that's who's hogging it all!


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## maverjohn

We can all go to Cordova, and get some practice with our plow. LOL
Thats a lot of snow !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## snowdance

I only hope & pray for winters like that!
I know we'll never get it though.


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## Pushin 2 Please

Banksy;1408911 said:


> So that's who's hogging it all!


How about it? 18 feet? They can afford to share a little!


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## BUFF

snowdance;1408972 said:


> I only hope & pray for winters like that!
> I know we'll never get it though.


I don't know about that, in 06 we got 41" in about 30hrs, way to much.


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## maverjohn

I hear ya man, In 92 we got 36in of snow and it shut the city down for a week.


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## ken643

You tube has some videos of the storm Search Cordova Alaska


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## IceJockey

They can keep it! I'm making great money with no snow so far this year since I have all pre-paid seasonals Thumbs Up


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## Brian Young

We've been to Baltimore, we've been to NYC but Alaska is a bit too far....they're on they're own!


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## jmbones

Anyone hoping and praying for that much snow is on crack. Your silly plow trucks wouldn't even pull out of the driveway with 18' unless you have 20' blowers attached to them or some serious commercial snow removal equipment like a CAT 994F [a little overkill  ]. Even then it would take forever to move and stack the snow with a wheel loader.


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## Brian Young

jmbones;1410543 said:


> Anyone hoping and praying for that much snow is on crack. Your silly plow trucks wouldn't even pull out of the driveway with 18' unless you have 20' blowers attached to them or some serious commercial snow removal equipment like a CAT 994F [a little overkill  ]. Even then it would take forever to move and stack the snow with a wheel loader.


Holy crap! that has to be the biggest loader I've seen.


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## jmbones

Brian Young;1410582 said:


> Holy crap! that has to be the biggest loader I've seen.


lol, you are correct sir. The CAT 994F is currently the worldest largest wheel loader.


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## trqjnky

man! curbs/islands/parking blocks/manhole covers wouldnt stand a chance against that thing! not to mention any paved surface!


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## snowdance

jmbones;1410543 said:


> Anyone hoping and praying for that much snow is on crack. Your silly plow trucks wouldn't even pull out of the driveway with 18' unless you have 20' blowers attached to them or some serious commercial snow removal equipment like a CAT 994F [a little overkill  ]. Even then it would take forever to move and stack the snow with a wheel loader.


Oh c'mon, you don't like snow? I enjoy sledding, so ya it would be awesome to get that much snow! I shoulda smoked my crack thismorning...


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## Camden

I read a story today saying that the town is out of shovels!


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## albhb3

I would hate to be the "new" guy who has to clean that thing


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## jmbones

snowdance;1411052 said:


> Oh c'mon, you don't like snow? I enjoy sledding, so ya it would be awesome to get that much snow! I shoulda smoked my crack thismorning...


Love snow, got 5 sleds myself. But you ain't sleddin' in 18' of snow no way no how. You ain't even sleddin' in 8' of snow! Unless it comes in parts and each time the trail is groomed and packed.


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## snowdance

jmbones;1411085 said:


> Love snow, got 5 sleds myself. But you ain't sleddin' in 18' of snow no way no how. You ain't even sleddin' in 8' of snow! Unless it comes in parts and each time the trail is groomed and packed.


well of course, they didnt get 18' in one storm. total snow since november! it just means that the snow would be around longer for more sleddin time.Thumbs Up


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## grandview

Where were all you guys and your concern for me when I got 7 feet of snow in 5 days.


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## jmbones

the 18' has fallen in the past weeks, not since November. That's way too much snow in a short period of time to ride in, except maybe on roads. That's why they are in an emergency and national guardsmen have been called in to help dig out.


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## snowdance

they also got rain, and you can see in the pictures that its not 18' . They did get around 200", but maybe 5-10' compacted because of the rain. Each sq ft of snow weighs appx. 100lbs. you could sled in that stuff, if theres a will, theres a way! keep er pinned!


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## BUFF

grandview;1411218 said:


> Where were all you guys and your concern for me when I got 7 feet of snow in 5 days.


Ah come on GV, you're a seasoned veteran............some day newbies will sing songs about you and your trusty Ford with a Boss V..:salute:


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## icudoucme

grandview;1411218 said:


> Where were all you guys and your concern for me when I got 7 feet of snow in 5 days.


We were concerned you didn't post for a few hours....


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## tuney443

jmbones;1410586 said:


> lol, you are correct sir. The CAT 994F is currently the worldest largest wheel loader.


Sorry,it's not.Le Tourneau has always had bigger iron in all categories over Cat.They are unique in their independent electric motors on each wheel.Diesel engine turns an enormous generator which throws power to those motors.I drove a ''baby'' [app. 7yd.lol] one years ago for a friend moving snow in a huge IBM parking lot.What a hoot using the switches on 1 side of the rig operating the motors doing doughnuts.This article mentions the 994D but if you look up the specs on the F,the ratings and specs didn't increase all that much. The Le Tourneau has app.700 more HP,weighs app.43 tons more than a 994F,and has an app.6 yd.larger coal bucket. Sorry the pics never work for me. Here you go:http://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=11607&stc=1&d=1201044894

The Worlds BIGGEST Loader

People in the construction industry or big vehicle fans may think that the awesome Caterpillar 994 D is the worlds biggest mining loader. They would be wrong! It is in fact the L-2350 made by Le Tourneau of Longview, Texas, USA. The Cat 994 D did have the worlds largest tires though, So don't be too upset, Caterpillar fans out there!

When it comes to these big loaders, whether it's made by Le Tourneau, Caterpillar or Hitachi, just to name a few, if you see them out on the field chances are that they are doing the biggest jobs on earth. Most commonly used for hauling and dumping natural resources, they are also used for other industries and can be seen all over the world. From mines in Cancun Mexico to various job sites in Europe and the Middle East, all the way to resorts in Dominican Republic. These loaders are used wherever people can afford them to be used.

The Le Tourneau L-2350 Wheel Loader

This is currently the worlds largest wheel loader

Designed to center load haul trucks with capacities of up to 400 tons, the L-2350 provide a safe normal operating payload of 160,000 pounds ( 72 tons ) a 24 foot lift height, and a 11.5 foot reach. These dimensions are quite huge, and no other front wheel loader can match up to it.

The loader has a massive and powerful 2,300 horsepower Detroit Diesel or Cummins engine, and this power is needed when you consider the amount of aggregate that the loader will shovel and lift to deposit into a mining lorry.

We must also remember that the operational weight of this loader is 258 tons. It is one big earth mover.

A 65 litre engine! That's about 30 times larger than a standard car engine! Each cylinder of which there are 16, is over 4 liters in size. The engine compartment alone is as big as a French Citroen family car. The shovel bucket has a very large capacity of 53 cubic yards.

This is about 80 tons (max) of material in a single scoop! One cubic yard of earth for example weighs one ton, so the bucket holds 53 tons, but the earth, soil etc in the scoop is not flush with it so this amount is nearly doubled.

The loader is controlled and monitored by the Le Tourneau Integrated Network Control System (LINCS). This provides useful operational information such as maintenance, diagnostics, shovel weights and measure capacity, cycle times and other management information which includes the control of hydraulics, traction control, engine revolutions and limiters through the interactions of the master control module (MCM)

These multiple remote control modules (RCMs) use a 32-bit processor and connect directly to sensors, drive outputs, and operator controls. The MCM uses a Pentium-class microprocessor to control the entire system from the cab of the loader. The RCMs are distributed around the loader, providing the MCM with the information needed to effortlessly control and monitor the entire loader.

Fluid Capacities

The fuel tank holds 1050 gallons of diesel.

There is 325 gallons of hydraulic fluid in the hydra-tank.

130 gallons of coolant keeps the engine from overheating.

7 gallons of gearbox oil lie in its sump.

The engine crank-case and filtration units bathe in 66 gallons of oil.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Worlds Biggest Tires EVER

In 1934 Mr. R.G. Le Tourneau and Harvey Firestone introduced the first pneumatic tire, designed specifically for earthmoving vehicles. Firestone recently developed the 70/70-57 SRG DT tire for the L-2350. Le Tourneau and Firestone claim it is the largest tire in the world situated on the world's largest loader. The tire, fitted on a Titan rim, has an overall diameter of 4 m (13 ft), a width of 1.78 m (5.83 ft), and a total mass of nearly 7.3 t (8 tons).

At 6.8 tons each not including the weight of the rim. The Cat 994 D uses smaller size 58/85-57 tires, the Le Tourneau uses the 70/70-57 size tires.

Again these vehicles are beautiful statements of engineering skill and prowess, huge strong robust and as reliable if not more than a family saloon.

Each wheel on the loader is independently and electronically driven, this gives positive traction and increases the stability with shift free operation. This feature has been utilised for over 40 years by Le Tourneau. The electric drive system that manages the wheels gives a longer life span to the tires and gives more room for the driver to concentrate on operating the shovel as opposed to getting the right gear for each movement.

Le Tourneau also states that the constant speed engine gives better fuel efficiency and increases the life of the engines working hours.

The electric-drive system consists of an engine/generator set, a solid-state Silicon Controlled Rectifier (SCR), and dc traction motors coupled with planetary drivers. There are no drive shafts or transmissions to wear out.

These loaders generally work in open cast mines where they shovel 1000's of tons of material every working day. The two images below show the Le Tourneau L-2350 earning her keep as she shovels aggregate into a large truck at a rate of about 80 tons per scoop!

The L-2350 can actually load a four hundred ton truck in just 5 passes or a 320 ton truck in only 4 passes and at this rate mining productivity is very fast, an 80 ton truck of course is filled in just 1 pass. The remarkably efficient L-2350 has advanced the speed of mining to a excellent degree.

These loaders it is appreciated work in very dusty environments and a technology that Le Tourneau utilizes is a self-purging KLENZ air filtration system that will work for 5,000 hours before the need to change the filter element.

Moisture is removed form the air through a mist eliminator panel that automatically removes dust particles. The life span of the filter is increased with a system that actually sends air back through the filter in a self cleaning mode and blows it back outside.

These wheel loaders earn their keep working in mines around the world, they have to be maintained to a very high degree as a redundant vehicle would lose money for the mining company every hour the wheel loader is not used.

The pictures below depict some good images of these tires, that are fitted with 'snow' chains. It was discovered that with the use of these snow chains that more traction was possible on muddy as well as just snowy ground.

Also these heavy duty chains, weighing up to 5 tons each, protect the tires from damage. Replacing a damaged tire is very costly, both in man hours and direct expense, as the cost of each tire is around $62,500 plus a couple of grand in labor that's a lot of money to replace a flat tire!

In 1995, Michelin made what was then the largest radial tire in the world, the 55/80 57 X Mine D2 for the Caterpillar 994 wheeled loader at over 5 tons each not including the weight of the rim. The drivers of these loaders inspect the fitting of the snow/protection chain on the huge tires.

Fitting these chains to the tires is a mammoth task in itself, but it's worth the hassle because the tires are so expensive and productivity of the loader is seriously thwarted by a puncture or any damage to them.

THE CATERPILLAR 994 D

Make no mistake, the cat 994D is a seriously big loader, alas, it's not the worlds biggest as already stated but at the time, it did employ the use of the worlds largest tires, until the Le Tourneau L-2350 came along and spoilt it !

The cat 994D has a V16 diesel engine that delivers 1500 hp, which is more than adequate for the work that it undertakes. It is equipped with a 4 exhaust stack system and each tailpipe is dedicated to the removal of exhaust from 4 cylinders, and this causes the engine to behave more like four engines operating in tandem.

Every single part of the engine apart from a few solenoids, is painted in thick heavy duty industrial paint for added protection from the elements of the environment that these loaders work in.

A Cat 994 series below, fitted with tire chains. These chains add a fair few extra ton of weight to the loader, but with the amount of protection that they supply to the tires, its worth all the extra fuel that is used to drive it.

Those wheels have a serious business look about them !

The Cat 994F is also a Giant amongst giants...

Click here to see my other webpage on the Mountain Moving WA1200-3 Wheel Loader.


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## jmbones

tuney443;1412112 said:


> Sorry,it's not.Le Tourneau has always had bigger iron in all categories over Cat....


Thanks for the update, I went by what CAT has on their website. Personally I really don't care, was just using it as an example.


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## tuney443

jmbones;1412123 said:


> Thanks for the update, I went by what CAT has on their website. Personally I really don't care, was just using it as an example.


I could definitely believe that.Cat salesmen sometimes act like there just is no comparison in quality of theirs vs.Brand X which not only is incorrect but personally ticks me off to their arrogance. It must come from their corporate training.All major brands have their pros and cons.

Maybe you can post those pics on the Le Tourneau for the members here if you don't mind. I'm basically computer illiterate.


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## tuney443

Let's see if this works--it's obviously a scaled down comparison http://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=11608&stc=1&d=1201044894


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## theholycow

Those are some serious tire chains.


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## jmbones

Here you go:


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## firelwn82

That is a boat load of snow. Even in Alaska terms. In another thread here on plowsite People who live in or near Cordova have said since the national gaurd has appereard they were ordered un-able to ride there sleds.  If it wasnt registered they were taking there sleds site on seen and were told to never get them back. How else would you get around with that much snow???? Seriously this is your government hard at work. Thats some bs in my book. :realmad:


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## BPS#1

ken643;1408901 said:


> http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/alaska-town-buried-18-feet-snow-national-guardsmen-recruited-article-1.1003400
> 
> *WOW, I think they are getting everyone elses snow too,* we need a big fan and blow it our way, LOL:laughing:


No kidding.


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## scholzee

jmbones;1410543 said:


> Anyone hoping and praying for that much snow is on crack. Your silly plow trucks wouldn't even pull out of the driveway with 18' unless you have 20' blowers attached to them or some serious commercial snow removal equipment like a CAT 994F [a little overkill  ]. Even then it would take forever to move and stack the snow with a wheel loader.


Love those wheel chocks LOL


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## theholycow

theholycow;1412157 said:


> Those are some serious tire chains.
> 
> http://www.vincelewis.net/myimages59/tirezzman.jpg[IMG]
> [IMG]http://www.vincelewis.net/myimages25/let-1.jpg[IMG]
> [IMG]http://www.vincelewis.net/myimages34/cat-chainedup.jpg[IMG]
> [IMG]http://www.vincelewis.net/myimages34/CAt994f.jpg[IMG][/QUOTE]
> 
> Fat lot of good that post did, turns out the host doesn't allow hotlinking...no problem, I'll rehost the pics.
> [URL=http://picturehoster.info/][IMG]http://picturehoster.info/images/77241251530545818194.jpg[/URL]


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## LawnGuy110

Stop stealing my snow d=


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## theholycow

MY GOD! Someone's stealing my water!


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