Overland Trains

Articles

  • The United States Air Force Modern Day Project Iceworm

    The United States Air Force Modern Day Project Iceworm

    In the late 1950s, the United States Army (USAR) started carving ice tunnels in the Greenland ice shelf. The tunnels formed Camp Century, secretly known as Project Iceworm. Publicly, Camp Century was a research and development station. Ice cores sampled during this time are the foundation for scientists climate change assertion. The first functional nuclear power station, as part of the Army’s Nuclear Power Program, went CRITICAL in Camp Century – the reactor was called PM-2A and built by ALCO. Project Iceworm’s mission was to determine the feasibility for the Greenland ice shelf to support nuclear missile launches.

    Letter stamped with Camp Century processed through Army and Air Force Postal Service dated 22July61.

    A couple of decades after Camp Century was abandoned, a 1962 memo was found, detailing Project Iceworm’s proposal. The USAR really wanted to determine the feasibility for the Greenland ice shelf to support 600 nuclear missiles, targeted at the Soviet Union. The missiles would be moved around, under the ice sheet, by rail. The warheads would be safely concealed under 28 feet of ice, with a surface area equal to the state of Alabama.

    photo: A. Haynes

    In 2013, the United States Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center was planning to award several study contracts, worth up to $3 million each. The goal of the study contract was to figure out how to extend the operational life of the Minuteman III missiles.

    There were two possible outcomes that the Air Force was looking to pursue, (1) maintain the current Minuteman III missiles until around 2030 or, (2) replace the current setup with a new ICBM that would be hidden within a trackless, underground subway system. The cost of developing a complex underground system would be a considerable, with figures between $52 billion to $210 billion.

    You can read the 2013 United States Air Force Counterproliferation Research & Education article at https://media.defense.gov/2019/Jul/24/2002161886/-1/-1/0/CPC%20OUTREACH%201049.PDF. I did not want to post the article here because of possible copyright issues.

  • Firestone 120x48x68 Tires

    Firestone 120x48x68 Tires

    The Firestone 120x48x68 tires are arguably, one of the most recognizable features on the last 3 LeTourneau Overland Trains. These tires were first produced in 1952. The numbers describe the tire dimensions as 120 inches tall – diameter (10 feet), 48 inches wide (4 feet), and 68 inches inner diameter. The were manufactured in thicknesses of 10-ply to 36-ply based on the machine it was used. If you wanted to buy a tire and rim combination during the 1960s, you would expect to shell out around $3,500 per tire and $1,600 per rim.

    • photo: D.Hardy, 2009
    • Rim and tire combo weight, 2,322 pounds each.

    Tire and rim combination weights will vary by rim model, rim metal composition, and tire plies. These tires were also used on the Crash Pusher, Water Wagon, Marsh Buggy, Sno/Swamp-Buggy, and possibly a few others that I have not seen.

    April 15, 1954 – Ft. Eustis, VA. Three visitors marvel at the new Firestone tires.
  • Sno-Train on the Beach with Troops

    Sno-Train on the Beach with Troops

    It is uncommon to see an image with the Sno-Train on the beach, let alone with troops and company or battalion guidon. I date this photo sometime after it came back from Greenland in early to mid 1957 and before August of 1960. Why August of 1960? You will have to wait until the book comes out!

    image courtesy A. Haynes
  • Tournatrain Test: Pulling Heavy Tree Crusher Push Beams & Rollers

    Tournatrain Test: Pulling Heavy Tree Crusher Push Beams & Rollers

    A critical part of any newly developed machine is testing. On April 3, 1954, the VC-12 Tournatrain, R.G.’s successor to the Tournatrain, carried the front and rear push beams and rollers to the Tree Roller/Tree Crusher. The total weight of one machine was 100 tons, with the rollers and push beams seen in the photo, contributing significantly to that weight. The zoomed image at the bottom shows the front roller and beam on one trailer and the rear roller and beam on another trailer.

    VC-12 Tournatrain carrying a Tree Crusher push beams and roller
    Zoomed – VC-12 Tournatrain carrying a Tree Crusher push beams and roller

    Later in the month, the VC-12 Tournatrain was scheduled for some very important visitors.

    Dale Hardy contributed significantly to this article.

  • Sno-Freighter Recovery from Yukon Territory in 1962

    Sno-Freighter Recovery from Yukon Territory in 1962

    The Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line was a line of radar stations spanning from Alaska, Canada, and parts of Greenland. Large quantities of materials were needed to build and resupply these stations. There were a total of 63 remote radar sites. The President of Alaska Freight Lines (AFL) proposed to the government contractor building the DEW Line, that they could haul 500 tons of materials to these stations. As part of the contract, AFL would not be paid until all 500 tons of freight were supplied. In January of 1955, AFL contracted with R.G. LeTourneau, Inc to build the Sno-Freighter to accomplish the resupply contract.

    • DEW Line map
    • image: Millen Collection

    In the spring of 1956, its final supply trip, the Sno-Freighter lost control in the ice and snow and jackknifed. A fire started because of the jackknife, which destroyed it’s ability to transport under it’s own power. Cliff Bishop’s book “18 Wheels North to Alaska: A History of Trucking in Alaska” talks about his efforts to recover the Sno-Freighter from its break down. Fast forward 6 years later.

    After a number of years of deteriorating in Canada, the government wanted it out of their territory. The United States Army was sent in to recover the Sno-Freighter in 1962. The images below show the Sno-Freighter as it makes its way from the Yukon Territory to Alaska.

    • image: M. Martinez
    • image: M. Martinez

    The Sno-Freighter did not have the means to make it out of Canada on its own. As you can see from the image above-left, the entire engine and generator compartment are burnt out. As part of the research on the Overland Trains, I was fortunate to meet and interview the Non-Commissioned Officer in charge of the recovery out of Canada. More on how they did it in my book coming late 2021, early 2022.

    • Top 3 Book Picks: Half Way there 2021

      Top 3 Book Picks: Half Way there 2021

      As part of writing this book on the LeTourneau Overland Trains, I have read a couple of dozen books. Some are background and way off the path, while some are directly relevant to the topic at hand – telling the story of the Overland Trains.

      • “Atomic America” by Todd Tucker
      • “The Ice at the End of the World” by Jon Gertner
      • “Surface at the Pole” by James Calvert

      A couple of books stand out for me. I am not even finished with “Atomic America” and it made the list. Jon Gertner’s “The Ice at the End of the World” is extremely well researched and written. I thought it flowed really well and is ripe with information. Finally, “Surface at the Pole” tells the story of the USS Skate, the first submarine to surface in the North Pole. The book takes the reader through a once in a lifetime journey to break through the ice at the North Pole.

      We are a little more than half way through 2021. These books captured my attention and respect for well researched and written books. Thank you to the authors!

    • What am I Reading? June 30, 2021

      What am I Reading? June 30, 2021

      I started out buying the book Idaho Falls to learn more about the SL-1 reactor. Not more than 5 minutes after I bought the book, I received an email from a friend of mine talking about Atomic America. The latter is a much easier read and really well written so far. I recommend Atomic America for a more well rounded perspective and Idaho Falls for those that want to dive in.

    • LeTourneau Train Concept for the Iraqi Government

      LeTourneau Train Concept for the Iraqi Government

      R.G. LeTourneau, Inc. drew a number of trailer concepts and trains before the 6 Overland Trains we know of today. His newly developed electric drive wheel seemed to spur his Train concepts. R.G. developed nearly a dozen train ideas during the early to late 1950s. The train concept below is a 6×6, powered electric drive developed for the Iraqi government. The lead car, or control car looks to use a Side Dump Train style front. The 4 containers on this train were designed to be removed and left at a work site, only to be picked up later. This train was never built.

      undated train concept for the Iraqi government

      The train above was not the first to be targeted for use in a desert environment. The Sno-Freighter was also marketed for use in the Sahara! Read through the Sno-Freighter brochure below.

      https://advnscuba2.wordpress.com/updates/vc-22-sno-freighter-brochure/ VC-22 Sno-Freighter thumbnail

    • Alaska Freight Lines and Bob Growden

      Alaska Freight Lines and Bob Growden

      Robert (Bob) Growden was an Alaskan trucking pioneer. He would drive in conditions that other men would not. Bob had a genuine knack for people and greatly contributed to Arctic development. He worked for Alaska Freight Lines during the active time of the Sno-Freighter in 1955.

      image: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, 6th Annual Progress Edition, November 9, 1955

      In an interview with his son Dick on December 30, 2020, he talked about his dad’s boxing history in Alaska.

      My father was also a Golden Gloves boxer in Alaska. And when they were young Catholics growing up in Ruby, Alaska, the the boxing was a big deal there in town. Yeah, my father started out boxing I think as a lightweight and then he moved to light middleweight and then the bantamweight. Part of the reason why he moved through the way classes is because he beat everybody in his weight class. My Uncle Andy I was fortunate enough to talk to him shortly after my father before he died himself and I said, well, what was it like then?

      You could not believe the turnout in the town. Your dad was like this folk hero. If you know everybody the priest didn’t couldn’t legally bet on anybody because he didn’t want he was against the church’s Doctrine, but they would gladly give $20 to their best friend of bet to bet on your dad. Yeah right now was a lot back then and it was funny. He said as he grew in stature.

      During my interview with Dick, I could tell that his father’s passing had a significant impact on him. I know that he is sorely missed. Read more about Bob and his contribution to Alaskan trucking in my Overland Trains book, due out sometime later 2021 or early 2022.

      Bob’s obituary is found at https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/newsminer/obituary.aspx?n=robert–growden&pid=147740551.

    • Writing Continues, Plus Interviews!

      Writing Continues, Plus Interviews!

      These last couple of weeks have been full of interviews, both in-person, email, phone conversations, and one video chat. The interview usually starts off with me asking when they served in Greenland, Alaska, or in other parts of the world. Once you start jogging the memories of these fantastic people, the information flows well. I do not understand how many of these service men still remember the details of their Temporary Duty deployments over 60 years later. As I rethink that last statement, the raw, mostly untouched Greenland of the mid to late 1950’s and early 1960’s was a sight to see. They were figuring out how to make the equipment work in Arctic extremes.

      Around a month ago, I had a person reach out to me because they found this website. This contact has led to a wealth of new information and the opportunity for me and my wife to meet some truly great people. I met them both for lunch around 20 minutes from my house. Later next week, my wife and I went over to their house, around 30 minutes away, and spent three hours talking over pizza and beer. He was a Korean and Vietnam Vet, and had extensive time spent with the Sno-Train and Sno-Freighter – you just don’t hear of these individuals any more. He provided the image below from his time in Fort Eustis, VA.

      Image courtesy M. Martinez (2nd from the left). Fort Eustis, VA

      I am still processing the data from my trip to Texas. Rest assured, the pages are flowing!