The U.S. Army Land Train

[David Dunlop]

Here's a restoration project NOT for the faint of heart. Apparently a number of these were built in the 1950's to move equipment in the event the railway system was destroyed. Electric drive to each wheel and the longest one assembled was 183 metres.

David

[Frank v R]

some or parts of this unit are in a bone yard in Alaska I believe , I remember seeing photos of them on the web,

[Lynn Eades]

Haven't some of the tyres gone onto monster trucks?

You can tell that its post war. It's lacking the good looks of the war time stuff.

[Private_collector]

Oh, I don't know about that, Hanno.
It does have a certain......charm.
And we think it's hard to source appropriate tyres for CMPs.
I bet it would be a smooth ride.

[Robert Bergeron]

Gents,

Incredible the efforts and the ressources that went into sustaining the ''Cold War ¨''

Our next door neighbour when i was growing up in the 60's had a nuclear bunker in his basement.

Some good and enduring things came out of it . The Internet for example. It was developped to send fire orders to SAC airfields and missile silos in the event of a nuclear attack.The numeric data signals could be sent through microwave, classic landline and fibre optic line around damaged areas.

[David Dunlop]

Just found another photo of it taken during testing at the US Army's Yuma, Arizona Proving Grounds. Apparently the front Control Unit is still on display there. Not sure about any of the trailers. Four gas turbine engines powered the generators and all 54 wheels were driven. It could haul a full load of nearly 250 long tons at 20 mph cross country.

David

[Randy N]

I believe they were built by RG LeTourneau. Most of their equipment was diesel electric with wheel motors. They built log loading equipment as well. I worked at a pulp mill in Northern BC that had a couple of them.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overland_train

[Yeo.NT]

The wheels that are used on the Bigfoot monster trucks came from these land trains

[super dave]

Here are a couple pictures of one that is similar sitting out front at the Yukon Transportation Center on the Alaska trip I took in 2012.

[Private_collector]

I think that is about the finest piece of mechanised land travel I have ever seen.
Wish I could find one laying around somewhere. Wonder if it would float with those huge wheels. Mind you, it could probably walk across a lot of minor rivers anyway.

I want one!

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Private_collector

Oh, I don't know about that, Hanno.
It does have a certain......charm.
And we think it's hard to source appropriate tyres for CMPs.
I bet it would be a smooth ride.

Why is it that when people see large charming objects, they think of me?

Anyway, interesting vehicles: I recall reading about these "white elephants" in W&T. Leave it to government agencies to come up with wild ideas, which when looked into it with a little more detail and gauging actual needs, are stillborn from the outset

Use google and you will find a surprising number of remains of these trains are still out there.

Here's some more info about the LeTourneau land train:

https://www.warhistoryonline.com/mil...the-1950s.html

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2...ains-to-shame/

[derk derin]

I wonder where they kept the jack & wheel wrench to change a tire?
Just curious! Must prepare for emergencies.
Derk

[DanJahn]

If you research the story of the original monster truck Bigfoot he found those wheels and tires in a junk yard in Seattle Washington.

[charlie fitton]

Facilities for a crew of six...kitchen, toilets...fascinating

[Lynn Eades]

So were these as Randy alluded to, a diesel electric with wheel motors?
I can't imagine any other system (hydraulic is possible???) with all 50 + wheels being driven.
I can imagine some large battery banks and that the cost is an official secret.