road train

[Matt W]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh-EeZLm6dI&NR=1

[ArmySGT.]

Interesting.

The Apocalypse train.

[Kilgs]

Interesting, each wheel had its own electric engine.

The Sno-Freighter is a one-of-a-kind land vehicle designed by LeTourneau Technologies for Alaska Freight Lines in the 1950s. During that decade, Alaska Freight Lines won the contract to transport construction material to build the Distant Early Warning Line (DEW) in far northern Alaska and Canada. At the time, no roads crossed the Arctic Circle in North America, there were almost no runways for air transportation, and the polar ice cap prevented seaborne transport.

LeTourneau had built a series of prototype "land trains" for use in roadless environments, and Alaska Freight Lines contracted the company to build a special model for cold-climate transportation on January 5, 1955. The contract called for an off-road vehicle capable of transporting 150 short tons (140,000 kg) of cargo in −68 °F (−56 °C) temperatures, through 4-foot (1.2 m) deep streams, and deep snowdrifts.[1]

Using parts from its previous land trains, LeTourneau manufactured the Model VC-22 Sno-Freighter by mid-February and shipped it to Alaska. The "locomotive" of the Sno-Freighter contained two Cummins diesel engines with 800 combined horsepower. These engines drove 24 electric motors (one for each wheel on the locomotive and trailing cars).[2]

The Sno-Freighter proved a success in Alaska, becoming one of the first wheeled vehicles to drive from Fairbanks, Alaska to the Arctic Ocean.[2] Its cost prevented further models from being deployed, but the original model moved goods to DEW sites across Alaska and Canada until they were completed. After that, it transported supplies for the early exploration of the North Slope's oil reserves. Rising maintenance caused it to be replaced by the slower but more reliable Cat trains—sleds or sledges drawn by one or more tractors.

Today, the Sno-Freighter is abandoned and lies next to the Steese Highway in Fox, Alaska.

Of course, that's begging someone to make a guntruck out of it way up there...

I just did a little research on this inventor and he has some neat stuff. Good ideas for retro-tech, especially for those of you who stick to the canon timeline. All of his machines used electric motors.

Main page...
http://www.letu.edu/_Academics/library/museum/

Photos of his creations
http://www.letu.edu/opencms/opencms/...es/page_4.html

Neat stuff. Thanks for the link!

A freight hauler with electric prop
http://www.letu.edu/_Academics/libra...ages/_b21.html

The landtrain in action
http://www.letu.edu/_Academics/libra...ages/_b20.html

[Gelrir]

For our current campaign, we're using a version of LeTourneau's Overland Train (rather than the Science-One, especially).

http://asmrb.pbworks.com/w/page/5426...Scientific-One

It's also employed by engineering teams, with some of the concepts found in the FAMECE system:

http://asmrb.pbworks.com/w/page/5307...erland%20Train

--
Michael B.

[kato13]

Originally Posted by Gelrir

For our current campaign, we're using a version of LeTourneau's Overland Train (rather than the Science-One, especially).

http://asmrb.pbworks.com/w/page/5426...Scientific-One

It's also employed by engineering teams, with some of the concepts found in the FAMECE system:

http://asmrb.pbworks.com/w/page/5307...erland%20Train

--
Michael B.

Very cool. Curious at to what program you used for the vehicle graphics.

[stormlion1]

I'm curious to how big of a Bolt Hole was needed to store it!

[Gelrir]

Well, for the control car and three trailers: 5.25 meters wide, 61 meters long, plus whatever space for walking around it. 6.2 meters roof height needed to clear the retracted sensor mast.

It won't fit in most railway tunnels. It'll fit through a two-lane highway tunnel with at least 20' 4" of roof clearance (which means: not many).

--
Michael

[Gelrir]

Originally Posted by kato13

Very cool. Curious at to what program you used for the vehicle graphics.

Plain ol' free Gimp, both for the plan drawings and for altering photos.

--
Michael B.

[Gelrir]

The printed plans for the "classic" Scientific-One vehicle give dimensions as follows: 21.366 meters long, 5.876 meters wide, 5.793 meters high. There's also a small trailer with a dismantled Airscout and a six-wheeled ATV.

If we assume the "6-wheeled ATV" is am Amphicat (a typical 1970s choice), then the trailer is probably 3 meters long, plus a meter for the towing bar, hitch arrangements, etc.: so the total Scientific-One, on the road, is about 24 meters long.

Regarding the Amphicat, here's a useful site: http://www.joesgarage.us/amphicat.htm

Converting it's stats to metric, and assuming a fusion reactor:

"Six-Wheeled ATV"
Maximum gross vehicle weight: 436 kg; cargo and crew capacity: 218 kg.
Dimensions: 2.05 m long, 1.35 m wide, 0.86 m high, ground clearance 0.15 m.
Propulsion: 12 kW electric motor, powered by Mk 1 fusion reactor. The motor provides power to a simple transmission (forward, reverse); all six wheels are driven; steering is by wheel brakes.
Performance: top speed on flat ground, 19 kph; in water, 2.4 kph. Fitted with a low-power outboard motor (not provided by the Project), it can reach 4.2 kph. It will climb a 35 degree grade when fully loaded; when lightly loaded, driver skill determines the maximum grade that can be traversed. The ATV can easily be flipped on steep hills. When fully loaded, the vehicle floats with a freeboard of 0.4 m.
Suspension: there is no suspension as such; the low-pressure tires absorb shocks; the seats have foam cushions also. The tires are 11.5x20 tubeless, bonded to the wheel
Accessories: two headlights; the reactor can output electrical power at various standard voltages, frequencies, etc.
The Six-Wheeled ATV is a light survey and exploration vehicle, normally provided to large Science teams. A simple rectangular frame supports the power supply, engine, and ABS plastic body. It has two seats, and a small cargo deck which could hold another person -- very awkwardly. Steering is accomplished by braking all the wheels on one side -- very inefficient, but it does allow the ATV to skid-steer in a zero-radius circle. There isn't a steering wheel, but instead two brake levers.

--
Michael B

[kato13]

Originally Posted by Gelrir

Plain ol' free Gimp, both for the plan drawings and for altering photos.

--
Michael B.

Very nice work without using a purpose built tool. I've been looking for something to do floorplans (beside the adobe suite and visio) and your stuff looks great. I just have to put in the hours I guess.

[northdoc]

You know, I live just a few miles from the snow train. I could take some pics after Christmas if anyone cares or wants it for a game.
I always liked the SUSV also, they use them around here as well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bv206

[Gelrir]

A video of yet another of LeTourneau's various road trains:

http://youtu.be/Uio3HgeSRTI

Note the two big diesel generators mounted sideways on the control car. Here's a short video of the actual Overland Train:

http://youtu.be/S3Z8I4ZZDmM

And another one, in color:

http://youtu.be/shBMzG7SNQQ

--
Michael B.

[AF Dude]

Back in the '80s, one of these was found abandoned in a Seattle scrap yard. The 10' tall wheels and tires were immediately purchased and shipped to Missouri where the wheels and tires were used to build the infamous Bigfoot 4 monster truck.

...and this has been your redneck moment in history.

[Gelrir]

Here it is seven years later! A couple of data points for our local "classic era" campaign:

• One of our player groups is an Engineer team; they have a bunker in the Mojave where their "overland train" was stored, along with lots of modular bridge-building components.

http://asmrb.pbworks.com/w/page/130188327/E4%20Bunker

http://asmrb.pbworks.com/w/page/1301...am%20Equipment

• I recently bought a photo of a LeTourneau "crash pusher" -- the Air Force bought two of these in the 1950s to clear wrecked bombers off the runway in the event of a boo-boo during a mass takeoff.

http://asmrb.pbworks.com/w/page/5307...ungleDestroyer

It was also "marketed" by LeTourneau as a "jungle destroyer" -- back when destroying tropical forests was a good thing.

--
Michael B.

[Gelrir]

We have a couple more pictures of the Overland Train.

http://asmrb.pbworks.com/f/157932189...0Texas%201.jpg

http://asmrb.pbworks.com/f/157932189...0Texas%202.jpg

... both from the Illustrated London News, oddly enough.

--
Michael B.

[sofiaprimera124]

I just came to the forum so it is not that I know much about the subject but I am filling myself with knowledge the more I read in the forum, it has interesting things like this train video