I purchased a model of the Sno-Train from a talented individual on Instagram. I am a grown adult, but playing with models is still fun!
Articles
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Sno-Train Model Driving up a Hill
Image captured Feb. 2022. Model built by C.D.G. Customs Image captured Feb. 2022. Model built by C.D.G. Customs Image captured Feb. 2022. Model built by C.D.G. Customs Image captured Feb. 2022. Model built by C.D.G. Customs -
Standing in Front of the Overland Mark 2 Tire
The Sno-Train and the Overland Mark 2 tires garnered a great deal of attention. Why shouldn’t they? the Firestone 120x48x68 tires are 4 feet wide and 10 feet tall. They were inflated to 20psi at the factory, but more commonly at around 7 to 10psi depending on terrain conditions. In this image, you can just make out the walking beam connecting the two tires together on the Mark 2.
Standing in front of the Overland Mark 2 tire. Image: Vic Vessakosol. -
Sno-Train Model First Look
Over the last couple of years, I have spoken with a number of model builders. They ask for specifications and any drawings that I could provide. Several months ago, one such model builder caught my attention. C.D.G. Customs on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/c.d.g.customs/) built a model of the LCC-1 Sno-Train. After a conversation, he decided to build the trailers too! We spoke over video chat; I asked if he would be willing to sell the model to me. He provided a detailed list of materials costs and an hourly wage for assembly. I agreed to his terms and the model arrived today. One of the really fantastic surprises was the custom model manual. He provided instructions on how to unpack, pick up, and repair the model if needed. He even provide a bag of paint, glue, screwdriver, and more to help me repair it. He did a fantastic job with the model. Expect more images of this creation in the near future!
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Bob Hope and Anita Ekberg at Thule Air Base New Years 1955
On New Years night, December 31, 1954, Bob Hope, Anita Ekberg, Margaret Whiting, Bill Holding, Jerry Colona, and others travelled to the far north Arctic at Thule Air Base Greenland. It was -27 degrees Fahrenheit that night. Just over 4,000 attended the New Years show to bring in the year – it was going to be 1955.
Bill Holden, Bob Hope, and Anita Ekberg practice the show: Image: NBC Photo. During my interviews for the Overland Trains book, I heard several Service Members use the Bob Hope show as a reference. Comments like, I showed up to Thule right after the Bob Hope show, were referenced. The Sno-Train arrived in Greenland in the spring of 1955. While there, the Sno-Train underwent over 2,000 miles of testing.
Image: Marty Martinez -
Sno-Train in R. G. LeTourneau, Inc. Longview, TX Proving Grounds
In this black and white Sno-Train image, you can tell by the tires that it is moving. This image was captured prior to it leaving R. G. LeTourneau, Inc.’s property for Greenland. The two small circles in the middle of the bumper are the horn. If I were a betting man, I would say that the train is unpainted in this picture. Notice the apparent oil stain on the top left of the cab, the chalk marking “733” on the lower left of the front bumper and the overall lack of continuity in the overall vehicle shading. The metadata, or description, reads like an advertisement.
Sno-Train in Longview, TX. Image: Physical print, unknown source. 
Sno-Train reverse image metadata. Image: Physical print, source unknown. -
Looking Down the Overland Mark II Cargo Cars at the Longview, TX Factory
This image was recently uncovered by two brothers that attended school at LeTourneau College from 1960-1963. LeTourneau College became LeTourneau University in 1961. The foreground-right tire shows a pretty good vantage of the shocks used on the Mark II. Looking beyond the shock and in the center of the trailers you see a darker colored cylindrical object and a downward facing light colored tube. This is the axle blower motor and intake. This blower pushes air through the axle housing to keep R. G. LeTourneau’s Electric Drive nice and cool.
Overland Mark II at Longview, TX. Image: Lloyd and Larry Smith -
Tournatrain Shown on R. G. LeTourneau, Inc. 1953 Annual Report
The Tournatrain was the first produced Overland Train by R. G. LeTourneau, Inc. In the 1953 annual report, it was described as being “developed for remote regions, primitive roads.” R. G. LeTourneau’s recently re-engineered Electric Drive were one of the highlights of the new machine. The description goes on to say that “The resulting driving power and traction make the train well suited to rugged terrain”
The Tournatrain. Image: 1953 R. G. LeTourneau, Inc Annual Report The later VC-12 Tournatrain featured two engines, instead of the single engine Tournatrain. These were two completely different machines and only shared a similar physical appearance.
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Book Writing Update January 27, 2022
Calum’s recent video on the Overland Trains has caused quite a stir about these machines. It was really nice to see and hear him talk about R. G. LeTourneau a little and his other projects. The video has prompted many of you to ask, “when is the book coming out?”
Writing this book has taken much longer than I had imagined. The raw data volume is incredible. I would say around 90% of the data collected has not been from the internet. The majority of data found on the trains has been captured from physical data archives, phone interviews, and emails.
I have rough drafts on 12 of 14 chapters. The remaining two chapters, the Sno-Train and the Mark 2, are 90% complete. Speaking of chapters, here’s a sneak peak at my working chapters list. I am waiting on a data source that will not be available until May 2022. Until then, I continue to work on my drafts and tweak details. I will also be adding new information in the R. G. chapter about his more obscure inventions.
Draft Overland Trains book chapters list. -
Using Rolling Liquid Transporters during Lead Dog 60
The Rolling Liquid Transporters (RLT (Model T-3)) are 1,000 gallon fuel vessels. These were unique in that the primary storage device were the two large wheels. During a military exercise in Greenland called Lead Dog 60, they performed well at transporting diesel fuel for the exercise.
The two – 500 gallon fuel cells (the tires) were filled using a gasoline powered pump, at a volume of 30 gallons per minute. Extracting the fuel was done using a 6 CFM compressor, creating a pressurized cell. In the image below, you can see Marty Martinez using a welding torch to melt ice around the spring loaded fueling valve. Ice formations around the filling valves was a common problem with the RLTs.
A Rolling Liquid Transporter wheel. Image: Marty Martinez – also shown above During the exercise, four of the wheel bearings failed. The Army’s only concern was that fuel could only be dispensed out of one RLT at a time. A total of 7 RLTs were used during the exercise.
Rolling Liquid Transporters on the Greenland ice cap during Lead Dog 60. Image: Marty Martinez. 
Rolling Liquid Transporters general data. Image: Lead Dog 60 report. -
There were 6 Overland Trains
When I watch or read about Overland Trains, authors typically forget, or don’t know, that there are 6 of them. The Overland Trains were built from 1952-1961.
The first built train was the Tournatrain. R. G. had many concepts prior to building the first train.
Next, was the VC-12 Tournatrain. This was an entirely different machine than the first train. It had two engines versus one in the original.
Alaska Freight Lines was the recipient of the 3rd Overland Train, the Sno-Freighter. This was the only train that was purchased by a private party. This train made several trips to the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line stations
The Side Dump Train had a few concepts before coming up with the built machine we know of. It also had a royal visitor!
The Sno-Train has the most complex and active history out of all the trains. Expect some mind blowing stories and facts when the book comes out. This was the first Overland Train to use the Firestone 120x48x68 tires.
Lastly, the Overland Train Mark 2. It was the most engineered and well thought out train of them all. it never entered active service and went from Longview, TX to Yuma, AZ. While it is said that none of the train made it out of the scrapper besides the control car, that is not accurate.
Tournatrain 
VC-12 Tournatrain 
Sno-Freighter 
Side Dump Train 
Sno-Train 
Overland Mark 2
Overland Trains 