I just can't stop thinking about the snowrail in the entry below. I think because of the weight distribution, it should put most of the weight on the rear treads and the front should pretty much just plane over even light snow, with most of the steering being done by changing the speed of the treads in relation to each other by braking only one half. My design goal has been to get to as close to 0.5psi downforce from the vehicle's weight, in order to be able to cover very difficult snow (that makes it as light as someone in cross country skis).
I've tried to plan the prototype as something with as few engineering challenges as possible, as well as something that can be built cheaply. I think the most expensive component in this is the tracks, because they're either going to have to be McGuyver'd out of multiple tracks, or I'm going to have to find someone who makes a 250″ (approx) x 20″ snowmobile track (they usually max out at 156″ I think). I'm guessing this as something that could be built for about $10,000… and I think that if I can make it work, it becomes the ultimate recreation vehicle for up north.
I don't know of anyone that's built a sportscar designed for snow…? Snowcoaches (seen below) are cool and all, but they're very sluggish. The other design pre-requisite on this project is that the vehicle should try and be faster than a single snowmobile and outhandle them as well. I can't handle the embarassment of being passed by a snowmobile!
Other than that, you may recall that a week or two ago I went out to Prince Edward County to “celebrate” the anniversary of our two friends that drowned there. Well, today in the news I was shown that the boyfriend of the girl that was dating one of them at the time of the drowning just drowned as well. Black widow of the sea I suppose.
Oh, and I think I'm going to go out for supper today with my cousin that I haven't seen in probably close to a decade even though we grew up together on the same farm (she stayed with us for summers). Should be weird. She's a doctor now and is getting married to some international tax lawyer or something I think a really nice computer programmer.
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