61-640: The Portsmouth, Great Falls and Conway Railroad (PGF&C) (later known as the Conway Branch of the Boston and Maine Railroad ) is a former rail line between Rollinsford and Intervale , New Hampshire , in the United States. At Rollinsford, the line connected to other lines to provide service between the White Mountains and coastal cities such as Boston . At Intervale, it connected to
122-431: A Kevlar composite construction. Older snowmobiles could generally accommodate two people; however, most snowmobiles manufactured since the 1990s have been designed to only accommodate one person. Snowmobiles built with the ability to accommodate two people are referred to as "2-up" snowmobiles or "touring" models and make up an extremely small share of the market. Most snowmobiles do not have any enclosures, except for
183-429: A continuous track at the rear. Skis at the front provide directional control. The earliest snowmobiles were powered by readily available industrial four-stroke , air-cooled engines . These would quickly be replaced by lighter and more powerful two-stroke gasoline internal combustion engines and since the mid-2000s four-stroke engines had re-entered the market. The challenges of cross-country transportation in
244-437: A fuel-injection technology called "Cleanfire Injection" on their two-strokes. The industry is also working on a direct-injected "clean two strokes" that is better in terms of NO X emissions. Independent researchers, undergraduates and graduate students participate in contests to lessen the impact of emissions from snowmobiles. The Clean Snow Mobile Challenge is held yearly at Michigan Technological University regrouping
305-441: A snowmobile suit . Depending on jurisdiction, there may be penalties for driving outside permitted areas, without an approved helmet, without a driver's license, with an unregistered snowmobile, or while under the influence of alcohol or other substances. There may also be regulations regarding noise and wildlife. In some jurisdictions, a driver's license is required to operate a snowmobile. A specific snowmobile driver's license
366-679: A windshield . The first snowmobiles made do with as little as 5 horsepower (3.7 kW) engines, but engine sizes and efficiency have improved drastically. In the early 1990s, the biggest engines available (typically 600cc-800cc displacement range) produced around 115 hp (86 kW). As of 2022, several snowmobiles are available with engines sizes up to 1,200 cc, producing 150+ hp, as well as several models with up to 1,000 cc engines producing closer to 210 hp (160 kW). Recently, some models are turbo-charged , resulting in dramatic increase of engine horsepower. Snowmobiles are capable of moving across steep hillsides without sliding down-slope if
427-427: A 1.2L 3-cylinder four-stroke gasoline engine. The Sherpa and Superclass are designed as working snowmobiles for carrying supplies, pulling cargo sleds, pulling trail grooming implements, carrying several passengers, and negotiating deep snow. Engine and transmission combination are designed to deliver optimum power to pull or carry large loads while top-end speeds are kept below 52 mph (84 km/h), depending on
488-479: A cowl-cover, side-by-side seating, and a set of sled-runners fore and aft. While it did not have the tracks of a true snowmobile, its appearance was otherwise similar to the modern version and is one of the earliest examples of a personal motorized snow-vehicle. In 1915 Ray H. Muscott of Waters , Michigan, received the Canadian patent for his motor sleigh, or "traineau automobile", and on June 27, 1916, he received
549-597: A manufacturer of various on-snow implements that had been building dual-track snowmobiles since 1995. Alpina manufactures one basic dual-track snowmobile design. In 2002 the Sherpa was introduced and is the model name for the four-stroke machine. Prior to introducing the Sherpa, Alpina offered a two-stroke series designated the Superclass . The four-stroke Sherpa is currently the top machine in production. A new version of
610-522: A propeller-driven and running on skis, was built in 1909–1910 by Russian inventor Igor Sikorsky of helicopter fame. Aerosanis were used by the Soviet Red Army during the Winter War and World War II . There is some dispute over whether Aerosanis count as snowmobiles because they were not propelled by tracks. Adolphe Kégresse designed an original caterpillar tracks system, called
671-523: A rubber-and-cotton track that wraps around the back wheels) was his first major invention. He started production of the B-7, an enclosed, seven-passenger snowmobile, in 1937, and introduced the B-12, a twelve-passenger model, in 1942. The B-7 had a V-8 flathead engine from Ford Motor Company . The B-12 had a flathead in line six-cylinder engine from Chrysler industrial, and 2,817 units were produced until 1951. It
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#1732779844867732-433: A similarly powered four-stroke. However, four-stroke powered snowmobiles have been gaining popularity steadily in the last fifteen or so years, with manufacturer Yamaha producing four-stroke snowmobiles only. The Whistler Blackcomb ski resort is testing Taiga's electric snowmobiles with lower noise, and similar vehicles exist. Early snowmobiles used simple rubber tracks, but modern snowmobiles' tracks are usually made of
793-468: A snowmobile could easily cause extensive damage, injury, or death. One such cause of snowmobile accidents is loss of control from a loose grip. If the rider falls off, the loss of control can easily result in the snowmobile colliding with a nearby object, such as a rock or tree. Most snowmobiles are fitted with a cord connected to a kill switch, which would stop the snowmobile if the rider falls off; however, not all riders use this device every time they operate
854-488: A snowmobile operator engages in the illegal practice of "rail riding", riding between railroad track rails over snow-covered sleepers . Inability to hear the sound of an oncoming train over the engine noise of a snowmobile makes this activity extremely dangerous. Collision with large animals such as moose and deer, which may venture onto a snowmobile trail, is another major cause of snowmobile accidents. Most often such encounters occur at night or in low-visibility conditions when
915-447: A snowmobile. Swerving off of the path may result in rolling the snowmobile or crashing into an obstacle. In unfamiliar areas, riders may crash into suspended barbed wire or haywire fences at high speeds. Each year a number of serious or fatal accidents are caused by these factors. Each year, riders are killed by hitting other snowmobiles, automobiles, pedestrians, rocks, trees, or fences, or falling through thin ice. On average, 10 people
976-435: A typical dirt bike and replaces the rear wheel with a single tread system similar to a snowmobile and the front wheel with a large ski. It is much smaller and nimbler than a snowmobile, and it has a tighter turning radius, which lets the rider go where many snowmobiles cannot. The first prototype of motorcycles with a rear tread date to the 1920s, with subsequent failed attempts to bring them to market. Many motorcycles made after
1037-464: A year have died in such crashes in Minnesota alone, with alcohol a contributing factor in many cases. In Saskatchewan , 16 out of 21 deaths in snowmobile collisions between 1996 and 2000 were caused by the effects of alcohol. Wrestler Lindsey Durlacher died in 2011 following surgery for a broken sternum he sustained in a snowmobile accident. Fatal collisions with trains can also occur when
1098-603: Is absolutely no visible path to follow. However, this type of trailblazing is dangerous as contact with buried rocks, logs, and frozen ground can cause extensive damage and injuries. Riders look for large open fields of fresh snow where they can carve . Some riders use extensively modified snowmobiles, customized with aftermarket accessories like handle-bar risers, handguards, custom/lightweight hoods, windshields, and seats, running board supports, studs , and numerous other modifications that increase power and maneuverability. Many of these customizations can now be purchased straight off
1159-629: Is low. Snowmobiles designed to perform various work tasks have been available for many years with dual tracks from such manufacturers as Aktiv (Sweden), who made the Grizzly , Ockelbo (Sweden), who made the 8000, and Bombardier who made the Alpine and later the Alpine II. Currently, there are two manufacturers of dual-track snowmobiles; Russia's Buran and the Italian Alpina snowmobiles (under
1220-447: Is required in, for example, Norway and Sweden. In Finland, a snowmobile driver's license is not required if the driver already has another type of appropriate driver's license (for example car or tractor). The environmental impact of snowmobiles has been the subject of much debate. Governments have been reacting slowly to noise and air pollution , partly because of lobbying from manufacturers and snowmobilers. For instance, in 1999,
1281-703: Is the Swedish Larven , made by the Lenko Company of Östersund , from the 1960s until the end of the 1980s. It was a very small and basic design, with just an engine in the rear and a track. The driver sat on it and steered using skis on his feet. Most modern snowmobiles are powered by either a four- or two-stroke internal combustion engine , with the exception of the Taiga TS2. Historically, snowmobiles have always used two-stroke engines because of their reduced complexity, weight and cost, compared to
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#17327798448671342-503: The Kégresse track , while working for Tsar Nicholas II of Russia between 1906 and 1916. These used a flexible belt rather than interlocking metal segments and could be fitted to a conventional car or truck to turn it into a half-track , suitable for use over soft ground, including snow. Conventional front wheels and steering were used but the wheel could be fitted with skis as seen in the upper right image. He applied it to several cars in
1403-680: The Mountain Division of the Maine Central Railroad . The rail line takes its name from the city of Portsmouth , near its southern terminus; the city of Somersworth (formerly known as "Great Falls"); and the town of Conway , near its northern terminus. Today, the infrastructure of the former PGF&C is owned by different entities, including the State of New Hampshire, the Conway Scenic Railroad , and
1464-649: The New Hampshire Northcoast Corporation . Some segments are still operated as freight or heritage railways , while other segments are being maintained as rail trails . The PGF&C was founded as the Great Falls and Conway Railroad on June 19, 1844, as an extension of the Great Falls and South Berwick Railroad, founded in 1841 and opened in 1854. The two railways were consolidated on December 30, 1848. On February 28, 1849,
1525-583: The United States Midwest suited the converted Ford Model Ts and other like vehicles, but they were not suitable for humid snow areas such as southern Quebec and New England . This led Joseph-Armand Bombardier from the small town of Valcourt , Quebec , to invent a different caterpillar track system suitable for all kinds of snow conditions. Bombardier had already made some "metal" tracked vehicles since 1928, but his new revolutionary track traction system (a toothed wheel covered in rubber, and
1586-533: The "REV" framework platform. Most two-stroke mountain snowmobiles have a top engine size of 800 cc, producing around 150 hp (110 kW), although some 1,000 cc factory machines have been produced. These may not be as popular as many 800 cc models outperform them because of weight and an increase of unneeded power. Cornices and other kinds of jumps are sought after for aerial maneuvers. Riders often search for non-tracked, virgin terrain and are known to "trailblaze" or "boondock" deep into remote territory where there
1647-423: The 1957 Polaris Sno Traveler, and started selling it under the brand name Ski-Doo through his company Bombardier Inc. (now manufactured by Bombardier Recreational Products ). Competitors copied and improved his design; in the 1970s there were over a hundred snowmobile manufacturers. From 1970 to 1973, two million machines were sold, peaking at 500,000 sold in 1971. Many of the snowmobile companies were small and
1708-488: The 1970s. However, these rules were not applied to snowmobiles. In 2015, following a decision in a lawsuit brought by Winter Wildlands Alliance against the Forest Service, the rules were extended to snowmobiles, referred to as an over-snow vehicle (OSV). National Forests with sufficient snow for winter recreation are now required to designate where OSVs are allowed to travel and where they are prohibited. In doing so,
1769-517: The 1990s can be fitted with kits that transform them into snow bikes. In 2017, Winter X Games XXI introduced the first snow bike event in the form of a SnowBikeCross race. The following year they introduced a Best Trick event. As a result of their inherent maneuverability, acceleration, and high-speed abilities, skill and physical strength are both required to operate a snowmobile. Snowmobile injuries and fatalities are high compared to those caused by on road motor vehicle traffic. Losing control of
1830-719: The Canadian government adopted the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 , but the set of rules governing pollution emissions for off-road vehicles was only released in January 2005. In another example of regulation, only four-stroke snowmobiles are allowed in Yellowstone National Park since a bylaw was recently passed to minimize CO 2 emissions and noise. In Yellowstone , snowmobiles account for 80% of total hydrocarbon emissions and 50% of carbon monoxide emissions in
1891-601: The European Alpina snowmobile. The second half of the 20th century saw the rise of recreational snowmobiling, whose riders are called snowmobilers , sledders , or slednecks . Recreational riding is known as snowcross/racing, trail riding, freestyle, boondocking, ditchbanging and grass drags. In the summertime snowmobilers can drag race on grass , asphalt strips, or even across water (as in snowmobile skipping ). Snowmobiles are sometimes modified to compete in long-distance off-road races. A patent (554.482) for
Portsmouth, Great Falls and Conway Railroad - Misplaced Pages Continue
1952-494: The Forest Service must minimize 1) damage to soil, watershed, vegetation, and other forest resources; 2) harassment of wildlife and significant disruption of wildlife habitats; and 3) conflicts between motor vehicle use and existing or proposed recreational uses of National Forest System lands or neighboring Federal lands. Most snowmobiles are still powered by two-stroke engines, although Alpina and Yamaha have been using four-strokes since 2002 and 2003, respectively. However, in
2013-680: The Royal garage including Rolls-Royce cars and Packard trucks. Although this was not a snowmobile, it is an ancestor of the modern concept. In 1911 a 24-year-old, Harold J. Kalenze (pronounced Collins), patented the Vehicle Propeller in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada. In 1914, O. M. Erickson and Art Olsen of the P.N. Bushnell company in Aberdeen , South Dakota, built an open two-seater "motor-bob" out of an Indian motorcycle modified with
2074-556: The Sled-Propeller design, without a model, was submitted on Sept. 5, 1895 by inventors William J. Culman and William B. Follis of Brule, Wisconsin . The American Motor Sleigh was a short-lived novelty vehicle produced in Boston in 1905. Designed for travel on snow, it consisted of a sleigh body mounted on a framework that held an engine, a drive-shaft system, and runners. Although considered an interesting novelty, sales were low and production ceased in 1906. An Aerosledge,
2135-471: The Superclass has been released in 2017, with a lot of innovations and a new four-stroke engine. The Sherpa and Superclass series shared the same basic dual-track platform, twin 20 in × 156 in (510 mm × 3,960 mm) tracks with dual skis up front. Power for the Sherpa is supplied by a 1.6L in-line four-cylinder gasoline automotive engine. The new Superclass power is provided by
2196-411: The United States were killed. Avalanche safety education is critical for those accessing the backcountry. Risks can be reduced through education, proper training, appropriate gear, attention to published avalanche warnings and avoiding drinking alcohol. In some areas of Western U.S., organizations provide avalanche training, some of which is free. It is recommended that snowmobile riders wear a helmet and
2257-566: The Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.132 via cp1112 cp1112, Varnish XID 937257651 Upstream caches: cp1112 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 07:44:05 GMT Snowmobile A snowmobile , also known as a snowmachine , motor sled , motor sledge , skimobile , or snow scooter , is a motorized vehicle designed for winter travel and recreation on snow . Their engines normally drive
2318-421: The animal could not be seen in time to prevent a collision. Also even when successful, a sudden maneuver to miss hitting the animal could still result in the operator losing control of the snowmobile. The next leading cause of injury and death is avalanches , which can result from the practice of highmarking , or driving a snowmobile as far up a hill as it can go. During the 2018–2019 season, 7 snowmobilers in
2379-564: The biggest manufacturers were often attempts by motorcycle makers and outboard motor makers to branch off in a new market. Most of these companies went bankrupt or were acquired by larger companies during the 1973 oil crisis and succeeding recessions. Sales rebounded to 260,000 in 1997 but gradually decreased afterward, influenced by warmer winters and the use during all four seasons of small one- or two-person ATVs . Alpina Snowmobiles are manufactured in Vicenza , Italy , by Alpina s.r.l.,
2440-411: The first United States patent for a snow-vehicle using the now recognized format of rear track(s) and front skis. Many individuals later modified Ford Model Ts with the undercarriage replaced by tracks and skis following this design. They were popular for rural mail delivery for a time. The common name for these conversion of cars and small trucks was Snowflyers . Carl Eliason of Sayner developed
2501-624: The first segment from Great Falls (now Somersworth ) to Rochester was opened. In 1850, it was extended to South Milton , and in 1855 it was extended to Union . Further works were delayed due to financial problems. On June 30, 1865, the railway was re-established as the Portsmouth, Great Falls and Conway Railroad, and work on the railway resumed. In 1870, the Eastern Railroad leased the PGF&;C, and on October 1, 1878, it renewed
Portsmouth, Great Falls and Conway Railroad - Misplaced Pages Continue
2562-696: The first taking place in 1941. This closed the original route from Somersworth to Jewett station in South Berwick, Maine , where it had joined the Eastern Route (formerly the Eastern Railroad) to reach Portsmouth. The current section between Rollinsford and Somersworth was originally a branch built by the B&;M to reach the mills in Great Falls. The second abandonment came in 1972 when the section from Mt. Whittier (West Ossipee) to Intervale
2623-510: The last decade several manufacturers have been successful in designing less polluting motors, and putting most of them in production. Yamaha and Arctic-Cat were the first to mass-produce four-stroke models, which are significantly less polluting than the early two-stroke machines. Alpina offers only four-stroke EFI engines equipped with a catalytic converter and dual oxygen-probe. Bombardier's E-Tec two-stroke motors emit 85% less pollutants than previous carbureted two-strokes. Polaris has developed
2684-524: The lease for 60 years. The line continued growing after Eastern's lease. In 1871, it was extended to West Ossipee , and in 1872 it was extended to North Conway . By 1875, it was extended to Intervale , where it connected with the recently opened Portland and Ogdensburg Railway . Finally, on May 9, 1890, the Portsmouth, Great Falls & Conway was absorbed into the Boston & Maine, which operated it as its Conway Branch. Abandonment came in two phases, with
2745-828: The line between Rochester and Ossipee, and began operating the line as a freight railway. The section south of Rochester to the terminus in Rollinsford, just outside Dover , was sold to the NHN in 1994, ending Boston & Maine operation of the Conway Branch. NHN mostly uses the tracks to carry quarried sand to its parent company Boston Sand & Gravel in Boston . In 2001, the 21-mile (34 km) section between New Hampshire Route 28 in Ossipee and West Main Street in Conway
2806-749: The line, including the abandoned portion, which was sold off in sections, with the final section (the Route 28 overpasses in Ossipee to the Madison town line) being sold to the state in 2001; this also included the small section in Albany, New Hampshire . The section from Mt. Whittier south to the NHN property line (the Route 28 overpasses) was officially abandoned in the mid-1990s. The northernmost 7 miles (11 km) of
2867-509: The model. The large footprint of the dual tracks and dual skis allows the Sherpa and Superclass to "float" on top of deep snow and not sink in and get stuck. Taiga Motors in Montreal created the first commercially produced electric snowmobile. The Taiga TS2 can go from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3 seconds, with 250 N⋅m (180 lb⋅ft) of instant torque. The Taiga TS2 weighs 470 lb (210 kg). A snow bike takes
2928-630: The name Sherpa and Superclass ). Edgar and Allen Hetteen and David Johnson of Roseau , Minnesota, invented what we now know as the modern snowmobile in 1955–1956, but the early machines were heavy (1,000 lb or 450 kg) and slow (20 mph or 32 km/h). Their company, Hetteen Hoist & Derrick Co., became Polaris Industries which introduced their first commercial model, the Polaris Sno Traveler in 1957. In 1960, Joseph-Armand Bombardier introduced his own snowmobile using an open-cockpit one- or two-person form, similar to
2989-537: The patent to a Canadian subsidiary. In 1917, Virgil D. White set up to create a patent for his conversion kit that changed the Ford Model T into a "snowmobile". He also copyrighted the term "snowmobile". At the time, the conversion kit was expensive, costing about $ 395. Virgil White applied his patent in 1918 and created his own snowmobile. In 1922, his conversion kit was on the markets and available only through Ford dealerships. The relatively dry snow conditions of
3050-463: The prototype of the modern snowmobile in the 1920s when he mounted a two-cylinder motorcycle engine on a long sled, steered it with skis under the front, and propelled it with single, endless track. Eliason made 40 snowmobiles, patented in 1927. Upon receiving an order for 200 from Finland , he sold his patent to the FWD Company of Clintonville . They made 300 for military use, then transferred
3111-633: The rail line between Conway and the Mountain Division in Intervale are owned by the Conway Scenic Railroad . This heritage railway operates seasonal passenger trains on this and also on a portion of the Mountain Division. The Conway Scenic Railroad allows the use of its portion of the Conway Branch by snowmobilers outside of its operating season. In 1986, the New Hampshire Northcoast Railroad (NHN) purchased
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#17327798448673172-453: The research center RISE, approximately 135,000 snowmobiles will be sold worldwide yearly. Snowmobiles are widely used in arctic territories for travel. However, the tiny Arctic population means a correspondingly small market. Most snowmobiles are sold for recreational purposes in places where snow cover is stable during winter. The number of snowmobiles in Europe and other parts of the world
3233-648: The rider transfers their weight towards the uphill side, a process called side-hilling . Higher-powered modern snowmobiles can achieve speeds over 150 mph (240 km/h). Drag racing snowmobiles can reach speeds over 200 mph (320 km/h). Mountain sleds permit access in remote areas with deep snow, which was nearly impossible a few decades ago. This is mainly due to alterations, enhancements, and additions of original trail model designs such as weight, weight distribution, track length, paddle depth, and power. Technology and design advances in mountain snowmobiles have improved since 2003 with Ski-Doo's introduction of
3294-622: The showroom floor on stock models. Trail snowmobiles improved in the past 15 years as well (many of them borrowed from endeavors to produce winning mountain sleds). Heavy "muscle sleds" can produce speeds in excess of 100 mph (160 km/h) due to powerful engines (up to 1,200 cc stock, and custom engines exceeding 1,200 cc), short tracks, and good traction on groomed trails. Sno-cross oriented snowmobiles often have an engine size cap of 440 or 600 cc, but lighter machines with redesigned stances, formats, and weight control have produced extremely fast and quickly accelerating race sleds. According to
3355-546: The track in the Ossipee area for recreational use of speeders , between Route 28 and Route 16 . In 2007, the Silver Lake Railroad began operating small, seasonal tourist trains along 3 miles (5 km) of track in Madison , using large speeders. As of 2017, the Silver Lake Railroad has ended its operations. Boston and Maine Railroad Too Many Requests If you report this error to
3416-508: The vehicle was steered via a steering wheel and cables linked to two small skis on outriggers either side of the vehicle. In the mid-1950s, a United States firm built a "snowmobile the arctic area of Alaska that had the drive train reversed of today's snowmobiles with two front wheels—the larger one behind the smaller one—with tires driving an endless loop track". Little is known about this "snowmobile" meant to haul cargo and trade goods to isolated settlements. An odd version of snowmobile
3477-548: The winter led to the invention of an all-terrain vehicle specifically designed for travel across deep snow where other vehicles foundered. As of 2003 , the snowmobile market has been shared between the four large North American makers ( Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), Arctic Cat , Yamaha , and Polaris ) and some specialized makers like the Quebec-based AD Boivin, manufacturer of the Snow Hawk and
3538-516: The winter. This is just less than 2% and 1% respectively of the overall annual pollution within the park. Snowmobiles are only allowed to be ridden on the unplowed roads used in the summer, and riding off the roads is prohibited. This accounts for less than 1% (0.002%) of the park area. In 2005 the US Forest Service published a Travel Management Rule for off-highway vehicles, strengthening the implementation of Executive Orders issued in
3599-462: Was abandoned after the last train departed North Conway, on October 31, 1972. (The last train to depart Intervale was about a week before when the B&M picked up equipment dropped off by the MEC for the soon-to-be Conway Scenic Railroad.) The Conway Scenic Railroad purchased the line within the town of Conway two years later, and began operating on August 4, 1974. The Boston and Maine retained ownership of
3660-616: Was purchased by the state of New Hampshire, and the New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation now maintains this section as the Conway Branch Recreational Rail Trail . The railroad in this section is abandoned, and roads are paved over the rails, but much of the rails are still in place, as there is no trail surface. This rail trail is used by hikers and snowmobilers. The Cotton Valley Rail Trail Club uses about 8 miles (13 km) of
3721-523: Was used in many applications, such as ambulances, Canada Post vehicles, winter "school buses", forestry machines, and even army vehicles in World War II . Bombardier had always dreamed of a smaller version, more like the size of a motor scooter . In 1951 Fritz Riemerschmid devised what he called a snow scooter. The machine had a track mounted beneath a snowboard like base, on top of which were an enclosed engine with motorcycle like seat and fuel tank.
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