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Grady223 · 02-07-2008, 05:02 PM

I would like to relate my story about the first blizzard of 1978 the latter part of the "The Midwest Blizzard of 1978" which was responsible for over 70 deaths in the Midwest and hit NJ on January 27th. It dumped 32” of snow in northwestern NJ and was accompanied by 60 mph + winds. Of course this was followed by the even bigger storm a little more than a week later on February 5th.

I was living in Sparta, NJ and working in Manhattan at the time. It was a 72 mile - 2 hour commute involving car, train and subway.

I left that morning in my 1972 Red Ford Pinto at about 5:30AM and it had just started to snow. I had a 15 mile drive to the train station in Dover, NJ and by the time I got there the snow was already 2 or 3 inches deep. I contemplated turning around and going back home, but I had a big meeting in the office which I had to be there for. So I parked my car and got on the commuter train, which at that time was made up of circa 1915 passenger cars with open vestibules and were still painted army green from World War II. We started our trip in to NYC meanwhile the snow kept falling and blowing and on several occasions the train got stuck in the drifts, had to back up and push forward to keep going. I ended up getting into the office at 11:30 am to find out my meeting was cancelled (duh!) and the office was closing at noon.

So, at noon I began my trek back home. Got back on the train, but because so many were trying to escape Gotham, the trains were packed and I had to spend the first hour of my trip in an open vestibule as there was not enough room for many of us in the train cars. The trip back on the train was more of the same as in the morning except that by now they had some engines with mounted snow plows helping clear the way. When we got back to Dover I found that the snow in the parking lot was over 2 feet deep by now and it had not been plowed. Several of us with snow shovels in our cars shoveled each other out and shoveled a “road” of about 300 feet to get out of the parking lot.

As I approached Rte. 15 which led back up the Sparta Mountain (it would be big hill in NH), I could see that it was not plowed and in very rough shape. With that, 5 state snow plow trucks pulled from the state garage at the base of Rte. 15 and began plowing the highway. Remember I am in a 1972 Ford Pinto (rear wheel drive) studded snow tires, but big deal in 36” of snow. We proceed up the “mountain” for 10 miles behind the blocking line of plow trucks at about 5 mph until I reached my exit, which by now was blocked by a 6 or 7 foot wall of snow created by the plows. Not knowing whether the ramp was plowed beyond the wall of snow, but realizing if I parked the car and tried to walk the 4 more miles to civilization I would not make it (wind was blowing at about 60 mph and the temperature was around 20 degrees), I decided to go full speed ahead through the wall of snow. Of course this could have been a disastrously stupid decision, but I was lucky. The Pinto came out the other side, snow flying all over the place and low and behold, the ramp and the roads all the way home were plowed. I walked in the door at 8:30 pm – 14½ hours of commuting for ½ hour of work. Of course this was pre-cell phones so other than a call shortly before noon my wife had no idea how I was until I walked in the door – a more harrowing day for her and the kids than me.

How does this tie into the great Northeast Blizzard of 1978 which came about a week later? I had pulled the Pinto next to a 4’ retaining wall in front of my house where it got plowed in, then the 2/5 storm hit and I did not see the Pinto again until I dug it out in March! It started up first try – I think that was the only time it ever did that.

02-07-2008, 05:02 PM	#19
Grady223 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: New Hope, PA & Barndoor Island Posts: 464 Thanks: 93 Thanked 24 Times in 18 Posts	The Blizzards I would like to relate my story about the first blizzard of 1978 the latter part of the "The Midwest Blizzard of 1978" which was responsible for over 70 deaths in the Midwest and hit NJ on January 27th. It dumped 32” of snow in northwestern NJ and was accompanied by 60 mph + winds. Of course this was followed by the even bigger storm a little more than a week later on February 5th. I was living in Sparta, NJ and working in Manhattan at the time. It was a 72 mile - 2 hour commute involving car, train and subway. I left that morning in my 1972 Red Ford Pinto at about 5:30AM and it had just started to snow. I had a 15 mile drive to the train station in Dover, NJ and by the time I got there the snow was already 2 or 3 inches deep. I contemplated turning around and going back home, but I had a big meeting in the office which I had to be there for. So I parked my car and got on the commuter train, which at that time was made up of circa 1915 passenger cars with open vestibules and were still painted army green from World War II. We started our trip in to NYC meanwhile the snow kept falling and blowing and on several occasions the train got stuck in the drifts, had to back up and push forward to keep going. I ended up getting into the office at 11:30 am to find out my meeting was cancelled (duh!) and the office was closing at noon. So, at noon I began my trek back home. Got back on the train, but because so many were trying to escape Gotham, the trains were packed and I had to spend the first hour of my trip in an open vestibule as there was not enough room for many of us in the train cars. The trip back on the train was more of the same as in the morning except that by now they had some engines with mounted snow plows helping clear the way. When we got back to Dover I found that the snow in the parking lot was over 2 feet deep by now and it had not been plowed. Several of us with snow shovels in our cars shoveled each other out and shoveled a “road” of about 300 feet to get out of the parking lot. As I approached Rte. 15 which led back up the Sparta Mountain (it would be big hill in NH), I could see that it was not plowed and in very rough shape. With that, 5 state snow plow trucks pulled from the state garage at the base of Rte. 15 and began plowing the highway. Remember I am in a 1972 Ford Pinto (rear wheel drive) studded snow tires, but big deal in 36” of snow. We proceed up the “mountain” for 10 miles behind the blocking line of plow trucks at about 5 mph until I reached my exit, which by now was blocked by a 6 or 7 foot wall of snow created by the plows. Not knowing whether the ramp was plowed beyond the wall of snow, but realizing if I parked the car and tried to walk the 4 more miles to civilization I would not make it (wind was blowing at about 60 mph and the temperature was around 20 degrees), I decided to go full speed ahead through the wall of snow. Of course this could have been a disastrously stupid decision, but I was lucky. The Pinto came out the other side, snow flying all over the place and low and behold, the ramp and the roads all the way home were plowed. I walked in the door at 8:30 pm – 14½ hours of commuting for ½ hour of work. Of course this was pre-cell phones so other than a call shortly before noon my wife had no idea how I was until I walked in the door – a more harrowing day for her and the kids than me. How does this tie into the great Northeast Blizzard of 1978 which came about a week later? I had pulled the Pinto next to a 4’ retaining wall in front of my house where it got plowed in, then the 2/5 storm hit and I did not see the Pinto again until I dug it out in March! It started up first try – I think that was the only time it ever did that.