DonAndersen Posted June 23, 2018 Posted June 23, 2018 Log Haul Plan for Sundre Forest Products in the North Ram Area. The comments below were provided by the company. The Haul on the North Fork Road will commence on July 3rd. One contractor, Erickson, will begin hauling from Km 49, travelling east to the mainline. Erickson’s will be hauling on the North Fork all summer from Km 49 and 47 and will move to the Gap mainline this Fall. We plan to have only one contractor on this portion of the North Fork (Km 42 – 56) for the summer so traffic will not be too heavy. Trucks are instructed to drive as if there is a vehicle around every corner. We completed line of site clearing last fall and have plans to upgrade the road over the summer for the winter log haul. This will involve shaping and grading as well as gravelling. Another contractor, Darcar, will begin hauling from the Trout and will travel the north fork between km 42 and 41 then down the mainline so will not add much to the traffic. Robill contracting will begin hauling on the lower portion of the mainline mid August coming out at Km 18.5 and travelling south to Hwy 752. We do have right of way salvage from the road we are developing in the Ram Triangle, this wood will move sporadically over the summer months but should not add significantly to the traffic. We plan on occupying the new camp at km 61 temporarily with planters come July. The permanent camp will not be established until October. We expect the loghaul to be busy in the winter months, starting in November. Folks in addition to the companies comments above: Sundre Forest Products is installing a log yard and camp facility near kilometre 60 on the North Fork Road. This facility is needed due to forest operations in the Ram Triangle. While it was not Sundre Forest Product preferred location which was south of the bridge at kilometer 61, the Govt required they locate at the present spot. Regards, Don Quote
adams Posted June 23, 2018 Posted June 23, 2018 What do they mean by "we do have right of way salvage from the road we are developing..."? Are they saying their trucks have the right of way all along the North Fork road? ie: get the hell out of our way?? Adams Quote
Taco Posted June 23, 2018 Posted June 23, 2018 70,000kg moving at 40kph is not something I'm inclined to argue right of way with. 4 Quote
DonAndersen Posted June 23, 2018 Author Posted June 23, 2018 Adams, Sundre Forest Products is building a road from the North Fork Road south into the triangle of land bordered by the North Ram to the north, the Forestry Truck Road to the west and the South Ram to the south. During the construction of the road right away. tress are removed and are called "SALVAGE". The salvage will be trucked to the mill for processing. During the meeting I attended as a representative of TU, the audience was told that the drivers are local and care. Further, a contract enforcement person is employed to check on truck drivers performance. In spite of this, the audience was told that there maybe drivers who are still being weeded out due to performance. On a personal note, I've been chased off the North Fork road twice by logging trucks and once by an oil field hauler. Pay attention, the road is narrow in some places. In each case, the incidence happened well away from the present log haul area and over 20 years ago. Regards, Don 1 Quote
TheBrownWhisperer Posted June 24, 2018 Posted June 24, 2018 Take your radios, call your kms and hope that the heavies coming your way do the same... Quote
ÜberFly Posted June 26, 2018 Posted June 26, 2018 On 2018-06-23 at 8:34 PM, TheBrownWhisperer said: Take your radios, call your kms and hope that the heavies coming your way do the same... I would think 99% of folks don't have radios (let alone properly licensed radios)... Add to that fact most handheld VHFs are NOT field programmable (need to go through a dealer)... Just opinion/observation... P Quote
adams Posted June 26, 2018 Posted June 26, 2018 I've had to take refuge in the bushes/side of the road a number of times from the trucks and it's been on straightaways where the driver has you in plain sight for a long time. Radio isn't going to help that. Quote
DonAndersen Posted June 27, 2018 Author Posted June 27, 2018 Adams, please record the number on the front of the truck and phone the logging company. They need to know which driver demonstrate discourtesy or drive dangerously. Don 1 Quote
adams Posted June 27, 2018 Posted June 27, 2018 I will certainly try. Problem is the truck is so dirty and come at you in an incredible cloud of dust, but I will see if I can catch a number. Quote
yonderin Posted June 28, 2018 Posted June 28, 2018 Might be dickheads, might be new drivers who are uncomfortable with what they can do. Coaching new drivers, even on a body job, can be an experience. I had one guy who almost would pull over on the shoulder meeting heavies on a good two lane asphalt for fear of tapping mirrors. Some people just have a longer learning curve. A tractor without a good amount of weight on the drivers is pretty much like a pickup. If you're having issues with washboard and such, so are they. Quote
jksnijders Posted June 28, 2018 Posted June 28, 2018 Usually the radio frequency band is posted on the access sign to the haul road, and km's are marked going in and out. I spent a pile of time driving logging roads going to rigs, and yes, the loaded logging truck has the right of way, for obvious reasons (Taco has a way with words as always....) Call "empty" going in, and "loaded" going out, with your km marker. It's easy to get lost in remote areas, or get off the main road, or hit the ditch/get stuck, so having a radio isn't a bad idea from a safety standpoint either.. I've had to change my shorts once or twice after near misses with fully loaded logging trucks. Quote
CDone Posted June 30, 2018 Posted June 30, 2018 This is the radio I use here in BC for our logging roads, totally programmable for our roads here. And licensed or not the truck drivers appreciate knowing where you are, only use it to monitor traffic and call out KM's, always get a thumbs up from the logging trucks that pass me. Colin 2 Quote
Taco Posted June 30, 2018 Posted June 30, 2018 Two unwritten backcountry traffic courtesy rules. The big heavies always have the right of way going in or out and if two vehicles are about the same the vehicle going uphill or has a sharp drop off to the passenger side of the vehicle has the right of way 2 Quote
northfork Posted July 1, 2018 Posted July 1, 2018 On 6/26/2018 at 8:22 AM, ÜberFly said: I would think 99% of folks don't have radios (let alone properly licensed radios)... Add to that fact most handheld VHFs are NOT field programmable (need to go through a dealer)... Just opinion/observation... P Wrong. You don't need a licence for VHF radio. If you did, we'd have over a half million people in this province breaking the law everyday. Nevermind all the communications shops who sell them - you can walk right in and buy one. Technically, you do for a HAM unit, however for mobile use to operate on resource roads you do not. Most people up here have radios, since the majority work in the oilfield or forestry. I know several people who don't that still have radios because they recreate in areas they need to travel radio-controlled roads to get there. As was stated, illegal or not, I'd rather be breaking the law and know where the big trucks are than be pancaked. There are lots of front programmable VHF handhelds, check out the Baofengs. Terrible transmit range but at least you can hear people with mobile units. On 6/23/2018 at 10:57 AM, adams said: What do they mean by "we do have right of way salvage from the road we are developing..."? Are they saying their trucks have the right of way all along the North Fork road? ie: get the hell out of our way?? Adams No - This means they have the right, and plan to, salvage all timber along the road right of ways - new and current construction. Why would you assume the worst! This is good and ensures sunpine is accountable for every salvageable tree. When it comes to right of way just hold your ground - If you're on a hill and see a logging truck comin down, of couse you better get the hell out of the way! At the end of the day they need to get home safe just as you do. The ram country is going to be brutally busy with activity. I can see the amount of conflict on the road already between campers, ATVers, fishers and three seperate log hauls. They are sure planning to log the piss out of the ram triangle. I am hopeful that better care and stewardship of buffer zones and stream crossings is taken this time. We do need some major forest cleanup out there, it's all an old, sick, monoculture of pine and spruce. And hey timber prices are still good so lets get at it before a big fire does. I've been saying for the last ten years that the rocky/nordegg area is going to get hit with a massive fire one of these years due to old forest age. All the new development for this camp has sure opened up more fishing access. Now, if this open pit coal mine is going to happen, then we're in for total doom for the ram watershed. Guys, at the end of the day, if you plan to spend lots of time in Central and Northern Alberta AND/OR BC backcountry, invest 500 bucks in a radio. You can find them on kijiji. Shops will install and program them for you for very reasonable prices. They last for 20 years especially if you don't use it too much. You can get weather stations on it, and they are a great safety tool where there is no cell service even with a booster. There are a lot of roads that are PRIVATE that you are not allowed on without a radio. These hired guys Don reverted to, will ticket users for not having a radio. Quote
ÜberFly Posted July 1, 2018 Posted July 1, 2018 On 2018-07-01 at 8:27 AM, northfork said: Wrong. You don't need a licence for VHF radio. If you did, we'd have over a half million people in this province breaking the law everyday. Nevermind all the communications shops who sell them - you can walk right in and buy one. NO NO NO!! For VHF & UHF radios you are require to licence the radio and (technically) need permission and are required to apply for a licence for EVERY frequency you have programmed on your radio the exception is a couple of marine bands that boaters use and FRS radios also do not require a licence. I have gone through this process it is arduous and a PITA!! $80 per year to licence an individual radio! It's totally unfair and not worth it, and a total cash grab! I would think that posting a frequency on a sign is the Logging Company giving you permission to used their frequency. Yes 90% (or more) of people do not have their radios licensed. Shops do sell unlicensed radios and it's up to the purchaser to obtain a licence! Frequencies are shared, few are dedicated frequencies, but they are controlled by Spectrum Management. That being said, not sure what the penalty is for having an unlicensed radio, probably not enough to worry about and therefore the reason why people don't. If you have proof that you DO NOT require a licence, please post it! Conjecture and the fact that shops sell radios is not proof! Quote
northfork Posted July 1, 2018 Posted July 1, 2018 Wow, I had no idea it was that much of a hassle. I was under the impression from our radio dude in Rocky who does our installs and programming that if you were using low watts for haul roads and t/t then it wasn't an issue for a licence. Are you a HAM operator? I've been looking into getting into that. Quote
ÜberFly Posted July 2, 2018 Posted July 2, 2018 15 hours ago, northfork said: Wow, I had no idea it was that much of a hassle. I was under the impression from our radio dude in Rocky who does our installs and programming that if you were using low watts for haul roads and t/t then it wasn't an issue for a licence. Are you a HAM operator? I've been looking into getting into that. No not a HAM operator. I am an ACMG Hiking and Backpacking Guide and CAA Avalanche AST 1 Instructor. Pretty much industry standard for guides though more guides are moving towards Satellite phones these days. 1 Quote
Jayhad Posted July 2, 2018 Posted July 2, 2018 On 2018-07-01 at 9:38 AM, ÜberFly said: NO NO NO!! If you have proof that you DO NOT require a licence, please post it! Conjecture and the fact that shops sell radios is not proof Well Peter I'm going to play with semantics here, you are correct a user does require a license but you 100% do not need a license to use the system. I may or may not have had a radio for over a decade and I may or may not have used it regularly during that time without requiring a license...... I would personally accept the risks of unlicensed ownership over getting stuck out there. I would justify this to myself with the understanding that I speed........ Oh the rampant lawlessness, what will happen to society? Quote
ÜberFly Posted July 2, 2018 Posted July 2, 2018 1 hour ago, Jayhad said: Well Peter I'm going to play with semantics here, you are correct a user does require a license but you 100% do not need a license to use the system. I may or may not have had a radio for over a decade and I may or may not have used it regularly during that time without requiring a license...... I would personally accept the risks of unlicensed ownership over getting stuck out there. I would justify this to myself with the understanding that I speed........ Oh the rampant lawlessness, what will happen to society? Don't shoot the messenger Jason! I'm just listing the facts - humans have free will to do what they want/wish! As I previously mentioned, the majority (most) don't licence their radios, obviously it's not high on the Gov't's priority list to follow-up... P Quote
Smitty Posted July 3, 2018 Posted July 3, 2018 Well, I suppose I am guy that breaks the law. Been driving around the FTR 25 years. Never had a radio, don't plan to buy. My rule is simple, use common sense, caution, beware of blind corners, defer and pull over for all trucks. Is this supposed to be complicated? Smitty Quote
northfork Posted July 3, 2018 Posted July 3, 2018 3 hours ago, Smitty said: Well, I suppose I am guy that breaks the law. Been driving around the FTR 25 years. Never had a radio, don't plan to buy. My rule is simple, use common sense, caution, beware of blind corners, defer and pull over for all trucks. Is this supposed to be complicated? Smitty You don't need one on the trunk road... public road. Quote
Smitty Posted July 4, 2018 Posted July 4, 2018 I meant to imply the FTR and area, including private roads. Quote
northfork Posted July 5, 2018 Posted July 5, 2018 That's fine. People don't need one. But the signs at a haul road entrance indicate that you do. And if anything happens and you don't have one, you are liable. I'm not saying its a necessity but I work on call roads a lot, like almost everyday. And I've seen, a dozen times, what can happen. It's not pretty. 1 Quote
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