A snow coach is a specialized passenger transport vehicle designed to operate over snow or ice, similar to a large, multi-passenger snowcat equipped with bus-style seating. These vehicles may have multiple sets of massive, low-pressure tires, or they may have tracks. Snow coaches may seat ten or more passengers and are often used for sightseeing tours or over-snow transportation.
1963 10-passenger Thiokol 601 operated by the USAFEarly-style, 12-passenger snow coach made by Bombardier of Canada
An early example of a snow coach was the Snow Bus built by Bombardier in Quebec, Canada. It was equipped with front skis and rear tracks and typically could seat 12 passengers. Alternatively, the front skis could be removed and replaced with front wheels. There are documented uses of the Bombardier Snow Bus as a school bus, for mail delivery, and as emergency vehicles. They were also used for tours and transportation in snowbound areas.
In the early 1960s, Thiokol produced the 601 series snowcats, often configured to carry ten passengers. While not a tour bus type snow coach, these found utility with the United States Air Force and private industry.
Terra Busedit
The Terra Bus wheeled vehicle is one of the few snow-coach-type vehicles currently produced. It is an all-wheel-drive, three-axle, off-road bus specially constructed for Arctic climates by the Canadian speciality vehicle manufacturer Foremost, based in Calgary.
The Terra Bus can transport up to 56 passengers. The vehicle has six extra-large, low-pressure tires typically filled to 30 pounds per square inch (210 kPa).[1] One Modified Terra Bus can be found transporting passengers at the Antarctic research station, McMurdo Station. Brewster Co. operates twenty-two unmodified Terra Buses for their Ice Explorer tour at the Columbia Icefield and Jasper National Park.
Specificationsedit
Foremost Terra Bus at Athabasca Glacier in the 1980sA Terra Bus on the Athabasca Glacier
Dimensionsedit
Length: 14.89 metres (48.9 ft)
Height: 3.96 metres (13.0 ft)
Weight:
Curb weight: 24.95 tonnes
Maximum gross vehicle weight: 29.94 tonnes (33 Tons)
Snowcoaches can be outfitted with a rubber track or a ski system (replacing tires). Often called Mattracks, these rubber track systems can travel over thinner snow depths and even bare road patches without tearing up roadways. Metal-based ski systems can cause more damage or get stuck when travelling over snow-free patches. Subsequently, certain roads may be restricted to just Mattrack-equipped snow coaches based on road conditions.
Galleryedit
A road coach conversion, known as a "Shake and Bake"
Bombardier Snowmobiles JVBs snowmobiles still in commercial use
Music video about a Terra bus, Lyrics
April 11, 2024
snow, coach, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, march, 2008, l. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Snow coach news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2008 Learn how and when to remove this template message A snow coach is a specialized passenger transport vehicle designed to operate over snow or ice similar to a large multi passenger snowcat equipped with bus style seating These vehicles may have multiple sets of massive low pressure tires or they may have tracks Snow coaches may seat ten or more passengers and are often used for sightseeing tours or over snow transportation 1963 10 passenger Thiokol 601 operated by the USAFEarly style 12 passenger snow coach made by Bombardier of Canada Contents 1 History 2 Terra Bus 2 1 Specifications 2 1 1 Dimensions 2 1 2 Performance 2 1 3 Operators 3 Uses 4 Gallery 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksHistory editAn early example of a snow coach was the Snow Bus built by Bombardier in Quebec Canada It was equipped with front skis and rear tracks and typically could seat 12 passengers Alternatively the front skis could be removed and replaced with front wheels There are documented uses of the Bombardier Snow Bus as a school bus for mail delivery and as emergency vehicles They were also used for tours and transportation in snowbound areas In the early 1960s Thiokol produced the 601 series snowcats often configured to carry ten passengers While not a tour bus type snow coach these found utility with the United States Air Force and private industry Terra Bus editThe Terra Bus wheeled vehicle is one of the few snow coach type vehicles currently produced It is an all wheel drive three axle off road bus specially constructed for Arctic climates by the Canadian speciality vehicle manufacturer Foremost based in Calgary The Terra Bus can transport up to 56 passengers The vehicle has six extra large low pressure tires typically filled to 30 pounds per square inch 210 kPa 1 One Modified Terra Bus can be found transporting passengers at the Antarctic research station McMurdo Station Brewster Co operates twenty two unmodified Terra Buses for their Ice Explorer tour at the Columbia Icefield and Jasper National Park Specifications edit nbsp Foremost Terra Bus at Athabasca Glacier in the 1980s nbsp A Terra Bus on the Athabasca GlacierDimensions edit Length 14 89 metres 48 9 ft Height 3 96 metres 13 0 ft Weight Curb weight 24 95 tonnes Maximum gross vehicle weight 29 94 tonnes 33 Tons Performance edit Engine Type Detroit Diesel Series 50 Power 250 hp 187 kW at 2100 rpm Transmission Clark 34600 Series Power Shift Top speed 40 kilometres per hour 25 mph 18 kilometres per hour 11 mph on the Athabasca Glacier Turning radius 21 9 metres 72 ft Operators edit United States Antarctic Program 2 Brewster co ToursUses editSnowcoaches are a popular mode of transportation for tourists in areas such as Yellowstone Park in the United States and the Columbia Icefield in Jasper National Park Canada Snowcoaches can be outfitted with a rubber track or a ski system replacing tires Often called Mattracks these rubber track systems can travel over thinner snow depths and even bare road patches without tearing up roadways Metal based ski systems can cause more damage or get stuck when travelling over snow free patches Subsequently certain roads may be restricted to just Mattrack equipped snow coaches based on road conditions Gallery edit nbsp A road coach conversion known as a Shake and Bake nbsp A Shake and Bake nbsp Perisher Australia nbsp Athabasca Glacier Alberta CanadaSee also editAntarctic Snow Cruiser Bombardier Inc Bombardier Recreational Products Kharkovchanka Logan Machine Company Sno Cat Snowmobile Snow Trac ThiokolReferences edit Terra Bus PDF Archived from the original PDF on 20 June 2011 Retrieved 2 July 2011 USAP Terra Bus Retrieved 2 July 2011 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Terra Bus Foremost Industries Terra Bus Company Website Bombardier Snowmobiles JVBs snowmobiles still in commercial use Music video about a Terra bus Lyrics Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Snow coach amp oldid 1196296986, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
