What would we do without machinery?
Temperature: **-27.8 C, - 18.0 F **Windchill: - 36.0 C, - 32.8 F Wind: 4.9 knts. Weather: clear and sunny
David Carson is the head of the VMF, the Vehicle Maintenance Facility, in other words the garage. This is his first season on the ice. He and his team take care of all the heavy and light vehicles. The garage is located in one of the three arches next to the power plant and the storage facility.
The garage (VMF) of South Pole Station.
Inside the garage
There are 10 people working in the garage, including 5 heavy mechanics, 1 light mechanics, 2 general assistants (GA), a work-order-scheduler, and the VMS supervisor. The operators of this equipment work in a different department.
Heavy machines being repaired.
Heavy machines being repaired inside the garage.
On station there are the following heavy machineries:
6 Bulldozers are on the station (with push- blades or other equipment)
The "Drag Queen”, a newer model.
The "Drag Queen” is a newer model of a bulldozer.*
Un-loaders, or Track loaders at South Pole
There are 12 Track-loaders at the station.
Track-grooming the ski-way
2 track-groomers take care of the ski-way, the driving- and walking areas around the station.*
Transporting Snow
Snow drift is accumulating large amount of snow during the winter time. This "Drag Queen” transports snow away from buildings.*
Cranes at South Pole Station
There are 2 Cranes at South Pole Station.*
Close up of a crane with a man-lift.
Close up of a crane with a man-lift. Workers are working on the siding of the New Station.*
Man-lift crane
In addition to the cranes the station has one man-lift crane that is used for working on the sidings of the station.*
Workers working up high!
Workers are lifted up high to work on the sidings of the station.*
Snowmobile used as transporter of material
To the light machinery belong our 20 snow mobiles at the station. Andy used one retrieving our surface ozonesonde. This snowmobile is used to transporter of material in a sled.*
Snow Mobile Taxi
This snow mobile is used as a shuttle to transport people.*
Piston Bully at the station
We have 2 Pisten Bullies.*
Van –Shuttle at the South Pole
We have 3 vans. This van is used as a shuttle at the South Pole. People can call the shuttle to be transported with or without material to the "Dark Sector or to the RF building or anywhere else at the station.*
Van with mat-tracks
Van with mat-tracks*
Dave Carson, the VMS supervisor, and Elke
Dave Carson, the VMS supervisor, and Elke at the New Year’s Eve party.*
Dave lives in Denver with his family. He is planning to return to the ice next season.
Answer to yesterday’s question: who was the first science leader at the South Pole?
Answer: Paul Siple was the first scientific leader at the South Pole during the IGY, 1958/59. He and 12 other members were also the first to wintered-over at that station.
Question: Who was the person who suggested Paul Siple to take the job at the South Pole for over a year?
Comments