Goderich mines mostly rock salt, but they do make some table salt. Apparently most of their salt isn't clean enough for table salt.

Every now and again someone will call one of the radio stations to complain about someone (usually Michigan or New York plates!!!) trying to pass "the wedge" on the 401 when it's snowing and they are too impatient to drive 60 or so and be safe, instead they'll risk their life!!! And for what???

I try to avoid the 401 in snowy conditions for the same reasons. I'm not worried about me sliding off the road, I'm more worried about some idiot speeding and wiping out and taking me with him. Another pet peeve is people driving in the hammer lane when it's covered in slush and the 2 right lanes are clear. Why? Someone doing just that closed the 401 on Monday when they wiped out.

 

loudfords: I hear you there and I am coming to the conclusion that if you plow the highway contracts in winter you could write a book every winter with just the idiotic things people think they can do while inside the car cacoon .

This all wheel drive marketing drive that is abound now has all these people thinking they can drive the same all year as they do on bare dry asphalt .

I'm quite sure the salesman are not telling them that you have less control on ice or hard pack or slush as soon as your speed gets beyond what is sensible
for any other 2 w/d vehicle . Many learn the hard way and many just die learning I guess but as I said not on my watch any more .

 

loudfords: I had the opportunity to off load several trucks of salt at the yard this week and got the poop from the drivers when I signed their waybills .

I stand corrected , most of our salt does come from Goderich here and only one
Company here also gets salt from Russia . That would be Canada Salt , ironic eh! that Canada Salt would import some when the bulk is supplied by Sifto .

I'll try to sneak even more past the Dickey John computer in my truck now that I know we are using a homegrown product .

 

I plow up north Here in espanola on hwy 17 i drive a brand new international and i have been doing this for 5 years now but this is my first year with the new company that took over the contract Belanger construction.
the calcium cloride is way cheaper than salt if that wasn't mentioned it runs about 0.21 cents a litre were salt runs 62.00 a tonne closee guess form what i have been told.
we hate the calcium up here it seems every time we use it our road freezes over the cops hate it because they say they have never seen as many accidents as this ever , only since we started using this calcium.
the company i work for has alot more rules than before and things are very very strict hahahahaha iguess cause they are new they want top try and prove a point
any way just my 2 cents talk to you's later
Dave

 

Dave: Belanger also has the contract north of us where ours ends an Point Au Baril on '69 . I'm with LTJ Holdings Inc. They also operate out of Sudbury as BOT Construction .

We have had nothing but problems with the brine solutions as well and this Patrol was chosen to do the ongoing testing of it's use and taking constant asphalt temperatures in relation to ambient temperatures etc and we have suspended its use on several occasions this winter untill further results were confirmed .

The control and monitoring of the salt use and C/C use ,(we call it Coors here),is a MTO Provincial initiative and remains the same throughout Ontario . Those Dickey John's record every grain of salt and sand dispensed and regulated by the vehicle speed and program on board . They even have our plows here on GPS Monitor this year so the coffee ,(clean our headlights) stops are monitored and cross referenced with our trip sheets .

LTJ has over 4500 pieces of equipment in Ont. and their goal is to have every one on GPS by spring .

Keep 'er safe out there and watch out for the meat heads eh!

 

i have 2 plow trucks meyers7.5' and western 8' ,plus sand contracts in sudbury.
It seems around here some one likes my meyers plow pump more then I did,took it off my truck in my yard under lock and key. $2200.00 for a brand new pump,luckly picked one up for 800.00 off a plow dealer. then I told him mine went missin.

 

Mudguy33: I burnt 2 of the rinky dink pumps that came with my Arctic Plow package before mounting a power steering pump on my 351M with a compressor bracket for a/c never had another problem and to my knowledge it is still working . I paid $20 for the pump and $5 for the bracket if I removed it myself .
$38 for longer hoses with the same fittings and mobile again for less than $70.

Power window motors also make a great lift motor for the plow on a Quad and plug right into the acc. plug that is present on most quads .

 

So, I think the snow is done. But you never know. My dad's birthday is May 24. One year he had to cancel a birthday party because it was snowing!

-Matt