Building the Firestone 120x48x68 Tire Molds with a BETTS Vertical Boring Mill
R. G. LeTourneau, Inc. was no stranger to building huge machinery. However, it wasn’t until 1952 that R. G.’s son, Ben LeTourneau built the tire mold that would help shape a…
Amazon to Increase Book Prices June 20, 2023 to Compensate for Printing Costs
I received an email from Amazon yesterday stating that their printing costs were increasing on June 20, 2023. I used to sell my book at $49.95 per copy. At that cost, I made around $4.73 per…
Sno-Train on Display with Marston Mats
The first iteration of Pierced Steel Planking (PSP), or Marston Mats began in 1941. Approximately 35 miles north of Fort Bragg, NC, USA, Gen. H. H. “Hap” Arnold, Chief of the Army…
Augustin “Marty” Martinez and his Ties to LeTourneau’s Overland Trains
Augustin “Marty” Martinez has had more hands-on time with Overland Trains story than any one individual. He was the primary Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) in charge of the…
Aerial Images of the Sno-Train in the Arctic Plus Salvage Yard
When the Army sold the Sno-Train for surplus in 1964, it was bought by Carl “Pete” Peterson of Miller Salvage. The site would later be called the Arctic Surplus Salvage Yard…
The Sno-Train connected to the Sno-Freighter During its Recovery
After the Sno-Freighter caught fire and became immobilized, it sat for five years in a valley within the Yukon Territories. The Sno-Freighter’s owner contracted with the Army to go in…
YouTuber Calum Releases an Amazing Video on the TC-497
Over the past couple of years, Calum and I have communicated about the Overland Trains for his videos and his travel to the United States to see the TC-497 in Yuma. After visiting the Overland…
Man Inside Firestone 120x48x68 Tire
Every once in a while I find archival images on the internet for sale. While, I already had this particular image, the descriptions on the back can sometime provide some additional details.…
TC-497 Functional Model Testing
When R. G. LeTourneau, Inc. built the TC-497, it would prove to be the most ambitious Overland Train yet. The project was supervised and led by TRECOM from the Longview, TX factory grounds. As…
Sno-Buggy Testing in Greenland with Aircraft Overhead
While researching for my book, I came across this unique image of the Sno-Buggy with an aircraft flying overhead. This is a previously unreleased image as of 06Feb23.