Tow Plows??

[Ouch]

Dont think it would handle a real snowfall good, but I guess with our tax dollars at work it doesn't matter since across the country they feel its necessary to plow 1/2" of snow off the roads...

 

[onebad7.3]

Dont think it would handle a real snowfall good, but I guess with our tax dollars at work it doesn't matter since across the country they feel its necessary to plow 1/2" of snow off the roads...

Here in MI, sometimes we get a real heavy frost and they are out scraping and salting the roads

 

[Barnabas]

Saw these in person last year plowing at the MD SHA they look pretty awesome in person. Havent seen to many real life reviews and I have never seen them in action in person.

 

[gjoski515]

im from central ny originally and the wing will work better in heavy snow IMO, i know the bone heads in Va would never handle that plow or evan a plow with a wing

 

[cowboy_dan]

I've never used either (then again, my idea of plowing snow requires a farm tractor and grader blade), but I suspect this tow plow would allow the driver to see the end of the blade a little better than a wing.

Are there generally speed limits to using a wing? I've only ever seen them used to push a snow bank back into the ditch or just further back, and that is pretty slow going. It looks like the tow plow would be able to run what ever speed a std blade could run.

 

[GreenMachine]

Mass highway has some. Not sure if that was posted already. They use the
On the highway around Boston.

 

[SDS97_7.3]

I've never used either (then again, my idea of plowing snow requires a farm tractor and grader blade), but I suspect this tow plow would allow the driver to see the end of the blade a little better than a wing.

Are there generally speed limits to using a wing? I've only ever seen them used to push a snow bank back into the ditch or just further back, and that is pretty slow going. It looks like the tow plow would be able to run what ever speed a std blade could run.

Ive seen them using the wing on highways going no slower than normal. And they are clearing a couple lanes at once.

 

[Buddy@MPD]

Maryland State Highway Administration just bought a few of them to use out in Western Maryland and to clear the shoulders of both the Baltimore and Capitla Beltways. They trained a few guys out here the other day on how to use them and what to expect from them and they are pretty BA!!

 

[cowboy_dan]

Maine report: http://www.maine.gov/mdot/tr/documents/pdf/report0904t.pdf

For the first storm event, Viking-Cives provided a driver trainer to ride with the Department’s operator
and train him on the proper use of the unit. After some initial trepidation, the driver quickly became
comfortable with operating the Tow Plow.

Ohio report: http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Operations/Maintenance/Documents/Tow Plow Evaluation Report.pdf

... equipped with a six ton capacity hopper and material spreader positioned underneath the trailer directly in front of the hopper. This configuration allows the operator to not only plow a second lane but treat the second lane with salt as well.

... one Ashtabula County Transportation Manager commented, by means of the TowPLow and one additional plow truck, this was the first time he had seen Interstate 90 cleared in one pass from grass to grass in 32 years of service.

... With a single plow truck, the section of US Highway 20 where the TowPLow was utilized, normally takes three hours to plow and treat one pass on all four lanes. With the TowPLow, this same section of highway took 45 minutes to complete one pass on all four lanes.

Pennsylvania brochure: http://www.nritsconference.org/down...r/IIB-10-36-InnovationInformation-TowPlow.pdf

Plowing widths: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/re...s_target_snow_red_ink/srvc=news&position=also

A typical heavy-duty plow clears three-quarters of a lane, or 9 feet. Mounted with a side wing-plow, it can clear 11⁄2 lanes. But with a tow plow, it can clear 21⁄2 lanes, or 25 feet.

Tow Plow operator's manual: http://www.viking-cives.ca/pdf/VCM/Manuals/MANUAL - TOW PLOW.pdf

http://tig.transportation.org/Documents/TowPlow/TowPlow-brochure-final.pdf

the TowPlow is more forgiving to a hit than a traditional wing and consequently the truck stays more in control. Also, because we are able to plow the snow back further, you can gain up to 14 feet more (depending on your wing set up) than a traditional plow and wing.”
– Randy Reznicek
St Cloud District Winter Maintenance Superintendent
Minnesota Department of Transportation

 

[Imcummin]

I think they are a good idea and will easily double the production of each plow truck equipped with one.

I also think there will be some good carnage sooner or later. That is all I was saying in my first post.