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To Ease Cargo Over ArcticA giant crtj«* country vehicle capable of crowing deep mow field* and other ragged arctic terrain without reliance on conventional sled runner* on mechanical treads, has been developed by the Army tor arctic transportation, the Department of the Army announced today.Constructed by R, G. Detour-neau, Inc., of Longview, Texas the 1?4 - foot long vehicle travels on 16 of the largest, tires in the world. These extremely low pressure tube!ess tires are each four feet wide and ten feet tailThe tires give a high degree of flotation, facilitating travel over deep snow and extremely soft soils.Designed as the Logistical Cargo Carrier, hut more familiary referred to as ,the Sno-Train,” the equipment is designed for use by the Army Transportation Corps in overcoming severe transportation conditions encountered above the Arctic Circle and in similar isolated regions. One of* its basic missions will be to help develop military transportation potentials in strategic areas of the frozen north. The army is also studying its potentialities as an effective off-road transporter for travel over sand and marshy terrain.The prototype “Sno-Train'* consists of a control and power generating ear and three powered cargo trailers.Every wheel on the “Sno-Train” has its own electric drive traction motor receiving power ■ direct from diesel-driven generators in the power car.The power car is 40-feet long!1.4-feet wide and stands 13-feet high. Cargo ears Mv* llil-jquare feet and* payload capacity of is (pas on mow.One man. operates the *rc_t from, an electric console located in the front of the power our. Only the two front wheels of the train' are steered by the operator. Succeeding cars are steered by mechanical coupling devices so they “track” automatically.Because arctic expanses provide few visible landmarks, a transparent bubble is built into the roof of the control car for daylight observation, and to facilitate celestial navigation during the long arctic nights. The control car also has sleeping space for four crew'members.Others features which make the “Sno-Train” well suited for arctic travel include:. partial use of aluminum* construction for lightness; ability to operate in subzero temperatures; pre-heating facilities for the 600 horsepower diesel engine; a 500-gallon fuel tank, and the inclusion of flood lights, winch and jib crane to aid cargo handling operations.The “Sue - Train has been extensively tested this winter in deep snow under direction of the Transportation Research and Development Command at its winter and spring testing site at Houghton, Michigan.After completion and evalutlon of the Houghton tests, the Sno-Train” will be readied for shipment to the far north for extensive testing under actual arctic conditions on the Greenland ice cap during the coming summer.uuDZVI-M-I-4lt; I«z3o%Alt;o
Newspaper Details
Fairbanks Daily News Miner
Fairbanks, Alaska, US
Sat, Apr 14, 1956
Page 9
Full Page
Clipped by
Mark M.
WA, USA 18 Aug 2020
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