Roll the Plows

With winter fast approaching in Halifax the plows are ready to roll.

Almost all municipalities and provincial highway departments have yellow vehicles these days, and apply their own graphics, so it is hard to say who will be running some of the new rigs I saw a while back at Parts for Trucks.

This brand new Freightliner had its wing plow mounted on a huge elevator.

Some of its front mounting gear was in the dump body - perhaps to improve the driver's line of sight for the delivery trip.

There was not much doubt about whose this unit was, because it still had Nova Scotia government markings.

Looking like a lion ready to pounce, it dwarfed some regular sized trucks at the GM engine shop.

Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal runs this Autocar, with number 82675.

Meanwhile back to my summer report, I saw a number of civilian snow plows that are obviously never used for other work in the summer.

This collection of 3 Internationals and a Western Star were patiently waiting to be called in Clermont, QC by Fernand Harvey. I did not record a number on the truck at the far left, but the others are number 00-01, 95-02 and 01-01. 

Little used in Nova Scotia, but still to be found in Quebec are these wonderful Sicard snow blowers.

 This older model and the newer model below also work for Fernand Harvey of Clermont.

Both bear the familiar Sicard name and logo and are AWD with separate blower engine.

Bring on the snow!

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My summer vacation - Part 1

A little late, but here is my report for my August vacation in Quebec.

As usual I was able to find some serious - but very old - snow clearing equipment.

A 4x4 Western Star, complete with 60s era Autocar cab, appears to be on its last legs, but may be fired up if needed this coming winter.

 A classic Sicard Snomaster with its huge blower motor - the real way to clear snow.

 

High speed plow, spreader body and a Cat powered classic Freightliner split window cab. Does the size of the fuel tank drop a hint about how many mpg this rig gets.

It wasn't all old stuff however. I did finally get to see some new Navistar International HX series trucks. These came about as a result of Caterpillar canceling its truck production (which were built by Navistar) and Navistar needing a vocational heavy duty.

I  found this pair at Simard Suspensions in Baie-St-Paul waiting for some modifications - doesn't look like they will go to steering axle.  

Set-back long wheelbase

Shorter wheelbase has a crooked stack.

I haven't seen any of these locally yet - they were just introduced in February - but they are supposed to replace the Paystar. There is a set-forward model too, and can be straight truck or tractor.

to be continued...

Sicards still fighting Snow

The name Sicard has long been synonymous with snowblowers, even thought the company has been out of business for many years. Its successor companies are still around with various brand names, but many of the original units are still on the road.
This summer in Quebec I saw several in various states of repair.

1. Fernand Harvey of La Malbaie has numerous snow clearing contracts in the Charlevoix region. This unit looks ready for work. It appears to have a newer cab than body, and has probably been reconditioned. The low hood section between cab and blower motor is typical of older units. August 21, 2010, La Malbaie, QC.

2. This late model /rebuilt blower appears ready to eat the Honda. The shear size of the unit is apparent when compared to the car and a highway semi-trailer. August 15, Notre-Dame-du-Lac, QC.

3. These units, an SMI (Sicard Motor Industries) on the left and a Sicard on the right are in process of rebuilding by J.A.Larue. The orange paint visible on the SMI unit is indicative of its history as a Transport Canada airport unit. Note the roof has been raised. August 16, 2010, Quebec City.

4. This Transport Canada airport unit looks a little worse for the wear and may also be a candidate for a Larue rebuilt. August 16, 2010, Quebec City.

Oldies

Sicard snow blowers - all taken in Quebec unless noted:

Modern cab

City of Dartmouth, taken in 1976.

Mini version, called Sicard Junior

Classic!

The Sicard snow blower was the real thing when I was a kid -back in the 50s-and there are still several working in the area.

Arthur Simard is credited with inventing the truck mounted snow blower in 1925, selling his first one in 1927 to Outrement, Quebec. In 1939 Sicard started to make its own truck chassis and cabs. In the 1940s they developed the Sanivan, a garbage compactor body. They also branched into conventional heavy duty trucks and even highway tractors. Kenworth ended up taking them over, but the snow blower business was spun off.

SMI, as it became known, continued on with a factory in Bathurst, New Brunswick for a time.

The SMI and Sicard names are now owned by SMI-Snowblast in Watertown, NY, with Sicard SSI Group in Knowlton, QC. They still make units similar to the more modern units shown above.