Two from Valley
First is a 6-ft. U-Blade for Bombardier’s Bombi. It has an electric/hydraulic unit mounted within driver’s reach. The blade has 6-way action: hydraulic lift-lower, hydraulic blade roll and manual side tilt. “The blade is mounted to the push frame, which affords overall light-weight, yet rugged construction,” according to Valley’s Jim Gardner. He adds, “it is designed for light winter grading and leveling work.”
The second is a “Wide-Stride” option for 3-gang, 12-ft Powder Makers®. Areas with a 3-roll Powder Maker® can now add two roll frames, special lever arms and hydraulics to allow the two rear rolls to be “pushed out” from a working width of 12 feet to one of 20 feet; or it can be “pulled in” for narrow trails and access roads. For areas with 12-ft, 5-gang Powder Makers, the link arms and cylinders will be available for what Valley says is easier and faster grooming.
The Mountain Coaster
Bill Gilbert has introduced Mountain Coaster, a monorail slide system, and has put in a mile-long installation at his Berkshire area, Catamount, this summer.
The Coaster has individually-controlled vehicles locked into a monorail track, with the rider fastened in with a seat belt. “Speeds up to 40mph have been clocked,” according to Gilbert, “but it is the rider who decides how fast he or she wants to go.” In the neutral, or untended position, the brake is designed to provide a slow controlled descent even on steep pitches.
It is easy and quick to both install and dismantle the track, according to Gilbert. Manufacturers are the Mountain Coaster Corp., 250 Dolphin Drive, Woodmere, N.Y. 11598.
New Harusch drive
Harusch Canada (Box 1100, Squamish, B.C., Canada VON 3GO) has introduced the new Model 1400 Handle/Platter Drive, designed to be installed more permanently than their Model 1000 to 1200 series Handle/Platters. Up to 20hp is now possible on the Model 1400 for high capacity.
The 1400 drive is easy to adjust for variations in snow depth, according to Harusch president, Hans R. Schaer. An adjustment releasing the tie-backs will lift the whole drive arrangement, and thus shoveling or re-adjusting the drive after heavy snowfalls is no longer required.
The Zephyr Slide
American Zephyr Corp. (Box 121, Intervale, N.H. 03845) has designed and introduced a monorail slide.
As safety features, the designers say the Zephyr cars cannot leave the rail, cannot ride up on the car in front and have a disk-brake concept to insure finger-tip control.
“The installation,” according to a company spokesman, “is easily done without disturbing the environment, is easily dismantled and re-installed at a later time.”
Exclusive territories are available.
VW conversion
Trak-Tec Engineering (140 Lewis Rd., Suite 4, San Jose, CA 95111) has introduced a conversion kit that puts dual tracks under a rear-engine VW or dunebuggy.
The manufacturer claims the device can be mounted in less than 30 minutes. Cost of the unit is $1,700.
