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Yellowstone Snow Tour Cats

mtntopper

Back On Track
SUPER Site Supporter
While out "catting" around this last week, we found some really neat snow cats in West Yellowstone Montana. I thought you might also enjoy the pics. These Bombardiers are not stock with the old Chrysler flat head motors. They have been re-powered with GM 350 V-8 engines and turbo hydromatic transmissions. Currently being used as tour cats in Yellowstone National Park and surrounding area. The better units appeared to be in a large shop. These were on the back lot behind the shop. Since it was the long holiday weekend no one was around to talk to about the Bombardier snow cats. Check out the combo of skis and wheels on the front ends. P1010033A.JPG
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BigAl

Gone But Not Forgotten
SUPER Site Supporter
Those are great and what beautiful machines !!!:thumb: Takes you back whem times were more simple .
I saw them in action for the first time a while back . Lyndon has some film in Yellowstone in the winter, on a trip he made with his Snow Trac . Those were buzzing up and down the snow packed road and they had a ton of luggage on top . I guess they were headed to the lodge .
Thanks for sharing that . I needed a snow cat fix this morning :a1:
 

Lyndon

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
There are several outfits that use "B 12"s at Yellowstone. The other outfit's are Yellow. They were also used in glaciar Nat. Park. B12's originally had chrysler flat head 6 engines and later came with 318 V8's. the fleet of about 20 they had here on the "Slope" (Nickname for the Prudhoe area), were all converted to GM 6.2 Liter Diesels and carried about 330 gallons of fuel. The early B12's had round side windows and wood cabs, later years had rectangular windows and steel bodies. They can really move too, like 45 MPH. Bombardiere built an even bigger B18 that was used in Canada for School Buses. In addition they built a cute little B7 that were "Doctors Cars". The B7 is exstreemly rare as only a hundred were built and that was in '36 thru '38. The larger B12 was built in huge numbers between 1937 and 1974. They had optional wheel kits for the front where the skiis are and in deep snow steer a bit like a boat. You have to start turning before you get to the turn. they work well on fairly level terraine and frozen lakes but are not recomended for rough terraine.
 

Lyndon

Bronze Member
GOLD Site Supporter
If you go to: How fast will a snow cat go, here at the forum, Bob S has posted some nice pictures of an "Old Style" B12 with the round windows and wood coach. Also Bill Guthrie of Sales Unlimited, a snow cat dealer in Weiser Idaho is currently restoring one and generally restores and sells one a year. Many of the machines at Yellowstone passed thru his hands. His web site is under SNOWTRANS. His real specialty is Tuckers, but at least a dozen Snow Trac's and Snow Masters have also made their way to new homes thru Bill.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
GOLD Site Supporter
There is a guy named Frank Walsh up in Minnesota who uses B12's to transport ice fishermen out to fishing holes. Those things are awesome, probably not great for really deep snow, but for transportation on snow covered roads, fields and lakes, they are still pretty amazing machines.
 
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