Category: VC-22 Sno-Freighter
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The Sno-Freighter’s Final Rescue
In May 1961, the Sno-Freighter was being prepared for its final rescue. It had been sitting for nearly five years in a valley without the ability to move. It’s engine’s were inoperable and the wiring in the control car were destroyed after it jackknifed and caught fire during a DEW Line resupply mission. However, the…
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Alaska Freight Lines Sno-Freighter: Dates are Not What they Seem
I am a bit of a sucker whenever a LeTourneau image is for sale online. I opened my front door and found the USPS had delivered my latest image. When I started writing this book nearly two years ago, I erased all of my assumptions and previous data I thought that I knew about the…
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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…
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Overland Trains Video by Calum
An acquaintance of mine posted a video on the Overland Trains today. It has been a labour of love for him over the past 2 years. His research and narration are top class. I can’t recommend watching his video enough.
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Are we Forgetting How to… Everything?
I have been working on the finishing the Sno-Train chapter for the last two weeks. This machine has the most complex history out of all of the 6 Overland Trains. In one of the more detailed sections of my book, I am writing about a vehicle recovery journey where the Sno-Train was used as the…
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Sno-Freighter Trailer Ready to Cross the River
In October 1968, the Sno-Freighter and its trailers were being shipped out of the Yukon. The 5 trailers and Control, or Power Car were transported across the International line to Alaska by a local contractor. The equipment sat at Boundary for several years until it made its way to Miller Salvage in Fairbanks, Alaska. The…
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Alaska Freight Lines Sno-Freighter Swinging Axle Assembly
When Alfred Ghezzi purchased the Sno-Freighter for supply runs to the Distant Early Warning Line, he never realized that it would make just three working trips before coming inoperable. Over the last couple of months, I have been contacted by two individuals about suspension and steering mechanisms. I thought that I would go ahead and…
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Sno-Freighter on the Cover of National Defense Transportation Journal
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Sno-Freighter Serial Number Tags
The Sno-Freighter control car was serial number 5198, while the 4 trailers were serial numbers 5199-5203. The serial number tag was pulled from the Sno-Freighter and rests safely framed on a person’s wall in Alaska. The Sno-Freighter trailer serial number tag should still be on the unit, unless it has been pulled by someone.
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Abbreviations and Acronyms
If the military is involved, you can be certain that they will use an abbreviation or acronym for their organized name, project, or equipment. Here are a few of the more commonly used abbreviations and acronyms used during the scope of the Overland Trains. ACAN – Army Command and Administrative Network ACFEL – Arctic Construction…
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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…
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Custom Slingshot from a R.G. LeTourneau, Inc. Draftsman I Interviewed
During my trip to Texas last week, I interviewed a man who drafted the suspension components for the Overland Train MkII. The interview lasted only an hour. A couple of days later, we met up with another man who worked on the R.G. LeTourneau, Inc assembly line. During the 2 hour lunch, he gave me…