What Happened To The INCREDIBLE Land Train?

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This train... doesn't need tracks.
With 56 wheels, this 570 feet long beast would be the longest land vehicle ever built. And it might even have been nuclear-powered.
In the 1950s the US military needed a series of early warning radar systems north of the article circle. Vast equipment and men would need to be transported through unknown hostile terrain - something that even the hardiest trucks would struggle with.
But one brilliant engineer had a solution, a train that could travel overland built from a space-age material - aluminum.
Today we will be looking at perhaps one of the most insane, yet dead ends, in technology - a type of land vehicle that would break records - but never be used.
This is the incredible history of the overland train!
it was called, the LeTourneau TC-497 Overland Train Mark II. It would be able to transport around 150 tons to some of the remote landlocked places in the world. It would have a cabin on board for a six-man crew, with kitchen facilities, and be able to carry an unlimited amount of cars.
And it would be made of the material of the future - aluminum.
But to understand why this train was built, and its mysterious purpose, we need to go back to the beginning...
This story actually begins with a man with a plan - Robert Gilmour LeTourneau.
An adventurous youth, leaving school at 14, saw him studying all sorts of trades including woodcutting, bricklaying, farmhand, miner, and carpenter’s laborer, ending up with a sound engineering background working on car repairs.
But after that dream of being a racecar driver ended, he found himself in debt and needing money,
he went to work as a regrader contractor for the new american highway system.
Seriously this guys early life is totally fascinating and I am not doing it justice.
But it was at this point that he found himself enjoying the mechanical machines used in earthworks, rather than the work itself.
By 1935, he devouted himself to the construction of unquie earthmoving equipment and business boomed.
By the eve of world war 2,
he had multiple factories building custom machines in Illinoi, Georgia, Mississippi, Texas and New South Wales - wait thats next to me here in Sydney!
He was so infulentual that during world war 2, he supplied up to 70% of all the earthwork machinines for the US army -
building a small fortune and also educating him about the sheer order power of the military-industrial complex.
Sensing the winds of change, by 1953, LeTourneau sold his earthworks divisin to the westinghouse company for 30 million usd - which is a staggering 318 million dollars today.
Why you might ask? To devote his future and his company to a revolution - the electric wheel drive.

[@Vault57]

As a kid in the 60s we drove from El Centro NAS to Texas prior to being deployed overseas. We saw this vehicle sitting alongside the highway being serviced or inspected or whatever. My brother and I were stoked seeing something the size of this beast. The Army had traffic control out so the drive by was slow enough to get a decent look. I think my mom got some photos too. It was epic!

[@harveyanimations8974]

Imagine getting to see that in person. My biggest car ride event so far was getting a train to honk at me after waving at the driver (I was 7)

[@LickeyWebster]

Very cool comment. Thank you for this.

[@whitelambo9430]

That’s awesome

[@notroll1279]

The idea of a hybrid-powered off-rail train is much older than that. Young Ferdinand Porsche designed the "Landwehr Train" for the Austro-Hungarian army in WWI to pull munitions in remote areas - with one gasoline engine generating electricity to power electric motors in the trailers.

[@808bigisland]

The WW1 tractor land trains were gigantic. Letourneau built on existing tech.

[@notroll1279]

@@zigarettengabel9911 In diesem Fall 🇦🇹, angesichts Porsches böhmischer Herkunft sogar möglicherweise 🇨🇿

[@weldonwin]

I believe that Porsche would try to use the same powerplant on his infamous version of the Tiger Tank during WW2

[@donberry6079]

It would be a slow, big target for the enemy. No good in a hot zone.

[@mytech6779]

The Case150 road locomotive (steam) comes to mind. Though it only had slow(2 or 3 mph) and extra slow(plowing) gearing.

[@RichardShelton]

I grew up in Yuma, Arizona. Nearby was the Yuma Test Station (YTS) now know as the Yuma Proving Ground (YPG). The land train was a common sight in the desert areas around Yuma back then. A truly memorable sight to behold!!! The crew cabin module sat in a Yuma wrecking yard for many years after that.

[@TheFiscalAgent]

They have one on the base still. I saw it up close when I was there for training.

[@olliefoxx7165]

Is the engine still around? It's a magnificent machine, be a shame if it were all scrapped.

[@garycurtis4914]

I grew up in Yuma also , drove by that crazy thing as a kid , always wondered what it was and what it was doing in Yuma.

[@Vault57]

As a kid in the 60s we drove from El Centro NAS to Texas prior to being deployed overseas. We saw this vehicle sitting alongside the highway being serviced or inspected or whatever. My brother and I were stoked seeing something the size of this beast. The Army had traffic control out so the drive by was slow enough to get a decent look. I think my mom got some photos too. It was epic!

[@JPER-cv2lq]

I was stationed at Fort Greely Test Station in Alaska 69-70 and discovered one similar abandoned in the far forest in the summer of 1970 . It was gigantic still had air in the tires . What a waste of tax prayer money

[@theupscriber65]

It's amazing they did this with relays and potentiometers! No motor controllers or feedback. They had all the cars communicating with each other to make sure each wheel was turning at the correct speed in a time when canbus didn't exist.

[@tomasgogashvily5350]

When we build thing to solve problems, we tend to innovate to solve technical issues. When we build thing we don't need, we tend to fail a lot. xD

[@torginus]

Control Theory describes the theoretical feedback loops necessary to keep physical systems stable. These systems can be realized either in digital circuitry with math operations and delay lines, or analog components with inductors, capacitors, transistors and resistors. In a way, analog systems are a more natural fit for implementing these control loops. I'm pretty sure at the time you could walk into an electronics and buy an FM radio that had the very same control loops required to demodulate the signal.

[@RidinDirtyRollinBurnouts]

This is one of my favorite land vehicles. It's so ridiculous a concept that I've always been fascinated by its existence

[@jayjay53313]

At least it enters service with Hiigaran in Desert of Kharak & China mining group in Wandering Earth. This overland train is useful only in large flat plateau such as the silk road covering west asia, China Mongolia Gobi desert, the middle east, africa continents, more practical than trains on tracks

[@tver]

@@jayjay53313 Deserts of Kharak Hah! I actually thought it fits the original 1994 Command & Conquer game aesthetic, but Deserts of Kharak definitely seems to have used this vehicle as a concept. Just like the Antarctic Cruiser.

[@jayjay53313]

@@tver it does apart from those giant platform with tracks and wheels. Dune reboot movie Harvester took the platform vehicle concept from Desert of Kharak too

[@fleebogazeezig6642]

A nuclear version of this would be perfect for the setting of Fallout especially since the US was fighting the Chinese in Alaska.

[@enriquegonzalez6265]

In 1986, the creator of the of the original Big Foot Truck scraped the TC-497 MKII tires to build the Big Foot 5, which today still holds the record of the heaviest truck at 28,000 pounds.

[@e.s.6275]

what you mean the heaviest truck at 28000 pounds? aren't zeroes missing there?

[@enriquegonzalez6265]

@@e.s.6275 sorry, heaviest Pick Up Truck.

[@The_DuMont_Network]

Why were they scraped? To clean them? Or perhaps you you mean SCRAPPED?

[@bustyrandit]

BIGFOOT#7 also has a set of the 10ft tires. It's currently on display at the "Big Fun" amusement park in Orlando, FL. It was on display at the now closed Race Rock Orlando restaurant.

[@brandonweaver2024]

Wow someone has been on Wikipedia 🤣

[@almirria6753]

And the "engine" is located at the Yuma Proving Grounds, Yuma County, Az. USA and there were some very serious attempts to get it back up & running, but the equipment required to remake some of the parts are no longer made & available.

[@Chris_at_Home]

There is a VC-22 parked along the highway just north of Fairbanks, Alaska. I used to drive by it quite a bit.

[@musewolfman]

@@Chris_at_Home to be accurate, that is *the* VC22. Only the one was made.

[@giordanobruno1333]

Yuma is where things go to die. Terrible place. No law. No constitutional rights. F Yuma.

[@oldscuba]

I remember as a kid in the sixties it was first parked in separate pieces in a junk yard in Yuma Arizona, on Arizona Ave just north of 16th street prior to parts of it going out to YPG.

[@almirria6753]

@@oldscuba The Locomotive/engine was moved to the YPG in the late 90's & is on display in the main vititor parking lot

[@Aitelly]

Land Train similar to Australia trucks we did saw on Discovery of Truck Train hauling many trailers of Cattle. I wonder if they are still in Service?

[@horrowstories8294]

They are still in Used ..hey love your work bro on the javelin 👍

[@edwardfletcher7790]

Aussie Road trains are only getting longer and greater in number ! Cattle ones aren't the majority, they're usually mining carriers.

[@Aitelly]

@@edwardfletcher7790 ok , that's a Great way of churning maximum outputs from trucks driver .I guess the drivers are very skilled at their job. Imagine if the road have curves.

[@edwardfletcher7790]

@@Aitelly That's the thing about Australia, 70% of the country is arid or semi arid flat desert. Thats a total desert area three times the size of Alaska ! We have the straightest roads in the world, many of them over 80 miles long, before the tiniest of curves.

[@vincentashton5134]

They do still exist

[@wafoxonline6826]

I actually got the chance to see what remains of the VC-22's cab and trailers abandoned on the side of the road in Alaska. It's amazing the scale of these things that you can only really take in up close.

[@Cordell-]

Where is it at in Alaska?

[@mattelder1971]

There are still plenty of scenarios where these vehicles would be more effective and practical than heavy lift helicopters. Helicopters have much more restrictions on where they can go based on weather and range than a vehicle on the ground.

[@richardcathcart2952]

Perhaps for Moon or Mars colonies??

[@cmendoza1094]

Imagine if Russia had a few of these, mobilize their entire army in a few weeks.

[@richardcathcart2952]

@@cmendoza1094 Imagining: Russia then as vulnerable on land and the US Navy's aircraft carrier battle groups are on the high seas.

[@firstduckofwellington6889]

@@cmendoza1094 What? Mobilization is a economical, organization and political issue. Trains won’t change anything

[@Aztesticals]

@@cmendoza1094 as someone who has relatives over there they are basicly on scraps. People are getting partial magazines and they are using dummy charges to make it sound like artillery is more effective than it is. Basicly 50 years of steady decline since the peak of the union has Russia kinda just big. And it's burning what little it does have. If they didn't have nukes this would have been suicide as just Finland and Ukraine could have swept to Moscow with the state of their defence systems. They have nukes that's the only thing saving them from mass ground assaults by other nations. Apparently they are about 60% of the way through their entire munitions stockpile since the ear started

[@_NoDrinkTheBleach]

I was always impressed the Bigfoot 5 monster truck used original sets of wheels and tires from the LCC-1 decades after the train was decommissioned.

[@edwardfletcher7790]

The crazy thing is, this tech was so famous worldwide, it inspired a vehicle in the 1967 anime, Speed Racer episode 7 & 8 "The Challenge of the Mammoth car" !

[@sQWERTYFALIEN2011]

Saw that Episode . Still cant figure out who Racer X was . Speed always wondered what happened to his Brother Rex .

[@edwardfletcher7790]

@@sQWERTYFALIEN2011 Ummm are you being sarcastic ? Racer X was definitely his estranged Brother. I'll be rewatching the show next week...

[@seanbigay1042]

How they could classify something like the Mammoth Car as a race car is something I've never understood.

[@edwardfletcher7790]

@@seanbigay1042 Ummm it was really fast and a cartoon for pre-teens 😆 You forgot to ask how Chim Chim could drive.... LOL

[@lawrencedoliveiro9104]

Unlike the real thing, that Mammoth Car could really motor.

[@benmcreynolds8581]

I absolutely love this guy's engineering designs and visions. Some worked so well and if the had continued support and upkeep than they could have continued to use these amazing designs into today's modern society. I would absolutely love if these creations with all sorts of different types and models would be amazing. I especially love the "for the time" cutting edge designs with the crew living area, the electrical power ran off of diesel generators, the drivetrain for each individual wheel they built and he invented the mechanical internal structure and it gave these vehicles so much more capabilities and level of power, yet efficient machine's that could do tasks and work in environments that most other vehicles could not. So they really were so valuable during their moment in the Canadian spotlight.

[@hardtackbeans9790]

I had seen the concept of 'land train' many years ago during talks of it's revival. I was an engineering student at the time & my first thought was 'Someone didn't think this through'. But I have been wrong before & there wasn't much talk afterwards. Railroads spend a lot to grade their roadbeds. It would take enormous national incentive to make something like this work. And there is no need that large to push it through. Even niche' uses could be done more efficiently by several vehicles rather than one long one.

[@newforestroadwarrior]

I could see it being useful for maintaining railways.

[@TV-kj3gi]

Mechanical Brakes will be still required on electric driven vehicles, because generatoric brakes lose efficiency on low revolutions especially on low speeds just before stop. Here mechanical brakes apply on speeds usually below 3kph and apply as holding brakes too. Classical applications here are huge power generators on power plants, or most known on electric trains ( light rail and heavy rail)

[@allangibson2408]

You can actually bring an electric power vehicle to a complete stop on electric power alone - you run the motors as stepper motors, which takes some significant electronics to execute and power to hold. Mechanical parking brakes are however still required when the system needs powering down.

[@rododonnell6856]

@@allangibson2408 , Yes very true. My electric mobility scooter works very well with totally electric braking. TV is probably talking in the context of railway locomotives where at least a modicum of mechanical braking is necessary. In my years as a locomotive engineman I was able to hold a long freight train steady while awaiting signalling clearance. It was a situation where the very long train was held steady by the varying gradients under its wheels. A sort of natural mechanical braking that turned on & off automatically.

[@TV-kj3gi]

Allan Gibson is right. It's possible to come down to a standstill with electric brakes, you will need here external power supply to the motors too on braking, because as mentioned electric brakes loose efficiency when turning slow. (Sitenote: Electric brakes generate an electromagnetic field reversed to the motion of the motor which causes the braking. This effect weakens on slow revolutions). @rod o Donnel: lokomotion is only one application, Power generation and electric mobility are other fields of usage. In the final it's a matter of philosophy on which solution to go. However mechanical holding brakes are required in any case

[@mytech6779]

Coming to a stop with electric motors is called "plugging" and it is the typical design used in electric heavy machinery such as battery powered forklifts. The stopping force is equal to the acceleration force. Effectiveness of regeneration (which is not always used) at varying speed is affected by control of variable magnetic field strength, with core saturation as the maximum, this does not require computer control or stepper motors. And you are correct that they still need a mechanical parking brake, but that is much cheaper than mechanical primary brakes and can even be replaced by simple wheel chocks.

[@dannyCOTW]

@@rododonnell6856 I ran a unit with ac traction motors, we could use dynamic braking down to 0.5 mph. Probably slow enough to take it out of DB and into powering the other direction if you had to.

[@casuallatecomer7597]

With some modifications, could a improved version be used for space exploration? Like, during the colonisation of other planets, where bases/colonies may be built far apart but still need resupply but there's little in roads, rail or even an atmosphere for heavy-lift aircraft, I could potentially see this being useful.

[@vladdracul7810]

You got a rocket in your back yard that's gonna lift it? Come back to earth, we're not colonizating anything in the next 100 years..and according to the global warming morons, by then everything not under water will be fried to a crisp....which is about as plausible as colonizating space.

[@makeachaininthecommentsect7953]

Maybe. It would also be a good idea to put it airless tires so there's no risk of popping them somewhere and leave you stranded. But probably it would have been too costly at the same time since we're talking about a big vehicle that would occupy a lot of space in the rocket and would be very heavy to lift up, aswell as require more than 1 rocket to send the cars too only than the locomotive, which isn't cheap at all. I could see the antarctic snow cruiser being less costly since you only need to fire up 1 rocket to fly it to another planet.

[@pratyushojha]

this is an intriguing idea.

[@HalNordmann]

The Soviets had a similar idea for their Mars mission - a fully mobile base with 2 ascent vehicles and a light aircraft.

[@rhysgoodman7628]

Probably, but the question is not whether you could use the truck, but rather if you could get the truck into space and onto another planet. Driving it on another planet is the simplest part!

[@gigatheprotogen]

15:14 ah yes, "pwimeueauy constructed"

[@MrFreddyFartface]

I wonder if a nuclear or even fusion-powered version of this, built on-site, will ever be rumbling through the plains and deserts of Mars. Given a stable power supply that runs without atmospheric oxygen as well as life support and radiation shielding, this thing could be perfect in an environment that does feature low gravity, yet doesn't have an atmosphere dense enough to support operating cargo helicopters economically. So whenever you need to transport a huge amount of stuff from Musk City to Bezosville, you just strap it onto this beast and watch it tear through the red sands.

[@kelliewatts830]

The martians won’t be exactly amused by it I don’t think.

[@MrFreddyFartface]

@@kelliewatts830 Come on, it's fine - as long as you don't mess up their canals, I'm sure it took a long time to dig those

[@iversonjcameron]

This is already ready to be sent to mars....Tesla is way ahead of the game

[@lukeonuke]

If there isnt a city named New Los Angeles or Newer York on mars or the moon ill be very dissapointed

[@juriaanoussoren]

What is Amazon transporting there? You don't even get this machine there in the first place

[@andrewcholiman]

Dudde you're covering all my childhood wonders thank you 😊😊💕 I remember the schoolastic book fairs. The popular machines magazines always had cool machines like this in them

[@FoundAndExplained]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@wastelandwarrior9738]

Oh shit memory unlocked 😂

[@Chris-ok4zo]

This channel has allowed me to come up with a list of several oddities of a bygone history. These machines are something I'm using for a massive project, but in my far future, hopefully. Also, that Antarctic Snow Cruiser is probably kicking itself under 100ft of snow.

[@jaydagreen5216]

or thousands of meters under the sea.

[@memesfromdeepspace1075]

No they now become relick of unknown Civilization in Atlantis

[@richardcathcart2952]

Byrd's Antarctic Snow Cruiser rests on the Southern Ocean's seafloor after floating away on a tabular iceberg. SEE: Ted Scambos & Clarence Novak, "On the current location of the Byrd 'Snow Cruiser' and other artifacts from Little America I, II, III and Framheim" POLAR GEOGRAPHY 29: 252-267 (October 2005).

[@Chris-ok4zo]

Uh, thanks for the info, didn't know that boy sunk long ago.

[@benitogutierrez81]

Be niece if you could bring the history of Mr. Leatournou to the people I read his book RG Leatournou mover of man and mountains, from Birth to death.

[@Worker_Drone_dude]

Fun fact the massive tires that were used to move this amazing vehicle we're also used to build a monster truck called Bigfoot 5 designed by Bob Chandler

[@harrisonkelly-kj7kf]

That’s right

[@CalumRaasay]

THose 3D models are just 👌👌👌

[@FoundAndExplained]

Glad you like them!

[@fmf5304]

glad to see the subtle nod on the pin board to the snow cruiser, this thing instantly reminded me of it.

[@DocWolph]

Just shows that you can not rely on military contracts to launch a good idea. civilian uses for the land train would have made up for any lack of military applications, especially in regions with little to no infrastructure. Still the underlying technology, the electric drive wheel, would have made a huge splash decades earlier in larger and heavy duty vehicles.

[@casuallatecomer7597]

Yeah, selling off the construction vehicle production rights seems like a big mistake on LeTourneau's part but at the same time he did need that money to develop this. I do agree with the electric wheel drive, I wonder if that system could be applied to other types of vehicles, not just the land train.

[@DocWolph]

@@casuallatecomer7597 I think Long haul semis, Dump trucks, Garbage trucks, some construction vehicles would be low hanging fruit. Delivery vehicles, Buses, and HD Pick-ups would be a little less likely but still possible.

[@newforestroadwarrior]

@@DocWolph Quite a few larger mining trucks use diesel electric drive.

[@TheMemeDynamics]

This is the insane engineering of the land tr... wait, wrong channel! The thumbnail actually made me think that this was from Real Engineering, not F&E. Man, your thumbnails are improving by the day!

[@danestonebraker8571]

Reminds me of my grandpa, he invented several earth moving machines, cranes, diggers, etc, but the coolest thing he invented is called the transporter. Used all over the world and as the base for the crane “big blue.” They can be put together using just pins for easy assembly. He didn’t patent anything.

[@jessihawkins9116]

cool story kid but where’s the proof?😐

[@naiknaik8812]

@@jessihawkins9116 what

[@davidtran4760]

Great video by the way, never gets old seeing story's about equipment that I would have never been able to make

[@JohnnychimpO907]

I drive by one here in Alaska every day on my way to town. They have the remains of it over at a local tourist spot in Fairbanks, called Gold Daughters (a gold panning place for tourists). There are several other incredible vehicles here as well, like the 1926 armstead snowmotor, which is kept at Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum and it still works!!!!

[@dkslackmaster]

I was going to say the thing 👍. It’s pretty cool to see that monster on the way past

[@soggypringlethebest]

15:12 primhmMmmem

[@nullfi7148]

Well now, looks like I've stumbled upon another youtuber who covers obscure engineering and historical mechanics and I couldn't be happier! I'd never heard about the land train before this so thank you for covering it, this was an easy channel to add to my subscription feed.

[@gafrers]

Great. This and Calum's video on the topic are really comprehensive

[@masterchaud555]

Glad this popped up in my feed. The LCC-1 is on display here in Whitehorse. Super cool vehicle and such an impressive scale when you stand beside it

[@millsyinnz]

This could have been used to get supplies and materials to areas in developing countries where there is little infrastructure. This also was the inspiration for the 'Wagon Trains' from Patrick Tilley's underrated novel series The Amtrak Wars, which I hope is adapted to film or TV at one point in time.

[@KB-ke3fi]

they'd use it to transport illegal immigrants across the border.

[@pop5678eye]

What happened to the land train? It was relegated to transporting checked luggage to airplanes you finally agreed is too large for overhead compartments and hence you aren't holding up the entire line of other passengers behind you while trying to squeeze it there.

[@N1originalgazza]

Top level video! F&E works are always interesting...even when it's not about planes!!

[@allangibson2408]

Pretty much all of the large (75 ton plus) mine trucks use the same concepts with generators and wheel motors. A couple of mines use road haul trucks with powered trailers for road use in a much narrower track.

[@Bill23799]

I wonder if they planned on incorporating ground penetrating radar into the engine of the Arctic Overland Train to avoid driving into a deep crevasse in the ice .

[@dender5936]

It’s always a good day when F&E uploads

[@TheKurtsPlaceChannel]

Very nicely put together video and very entertaining as well. Thanks for posting this.

[@MrSorbias]

That was very interesting concept I never before knew existed and your editing and story telling is very good. This kind of things make my imagination fly to some side tracks. 😅 thanks for sharing.

[@andrewfsheffield]

Sometimes your videos make me so frustrated because you present this amazing vehicle and I'm like "yeah why didn't that ever happen!?" Then you get to the end of the video and it's like, because it was replaced by a completely practical thing, and I'm like "oh yeah I guess helicopters do pretty much do the same job as this thing..."

[@mattelder1971]

Except in situations where they don't. Helicopters have nowhere near the range that this would have, and they can't fly safely in some types of weather, where this would still be practical.

[@rpkiller2489]

@@mattelder1971 Don't forget heli's couldn't carry nearly as much as this train.

[@OutsiderLabs]

@@mattelder1971 Weather passes, rivers and mountains do not.

[@Daedhart]

The channel Calum did a video on this. I highly recommend you watch that if you find yourself wanting more of this. EDIT: Ah, you plugged him in the vid. Excellent! Would love to see his channel get even bigger.

[@rogerhargreaves2272]

Loved the video, super impressed by your new hardware! 😱

[@Alex-vv2rd]

I usually skip sponsor plugs but this one was so well done I kept watching it through.

[@chaseman113]

Sweet I love vids on these things. Fun fact, the Bigfoot 5 monster truck was built to run the 10 foot tires of the land train. I believe it still goes to shows.

[@skittlecar1]

I shouldn't have had to scroll this far for this fact.

[@actually5004]

4:15 "no transmission" while the picture behind him shows the "D.C. Motor and Gear Train" (ie. transmissions) in the wheels. No, it has 4 times as many transmissions and many more moving parts than a traditional drivetrain.

[@Nightdare]

Nice lack of knowledge you're displaying here You know, they invented something they call "the internet", where you can look up information to support your case You type in something like "Advantages electrical motor over combustion engine" and you get results that will make you learn stuff So when you post something, it doesn't make you look like an uneducated fool Electric motors consist of 1 (yes One) moving part, so for 4 wheels that's 4 moving parts, put in a few bearings and seals, a sensor here and there and that's about all the parts susceptible to wear Now compare that to a combustion engine that, apart from a crankshaft (Comparable to the rotor in an electric motor), needs (several), pistons, rods, camshafts, valves, valve springs, timing belt and also needs multiple bearings, seals, shims, pumps (oil/fuel/coolant), sparkplugs, sensors, etc. Just an engine is at least 800 parts, depending on the amount of cilinders, whereas an electric motor is about 20 The gear train is NOT a transmission in the sense that you think it means Probably at most a gear reducer which doesn't have to be more than 2 cogs, hell, maybe 4 for redundancy, as well as torque limiter to save the axles This is nothing compared to a manual transmission that has 800 parts (never mind the amount of parts a truck transmission with hi/lo gearing has, which you would need to move this train), of which most are subject to wear and tear, even an automatic transmission counts more than 200 parts. Electric motors can give their full power from go You don't need to have a (classic) transmission to put the torque of an electrical motor in the most efficient rev range, like with a combustion engine Another bonus is that an electric motor is smaller and 6 times lighter at the same amount of power as an ICE And on top of that, an electric motor is twice as energy efficient as an ICE

[@actually5004]

@@Nightdare Seethe, you'll never drive one to work.

[@hueyiroquois3839]

It's like an off-road version of my favorite vehicle on "Speed Racer": the Mammoth Car.

[@RealGrouchy]

One of the LCC-1 units shown at 11:50 is on display at the Yukon Transportation Museum in Whitehorse (Canada). A locomotive and one car with wheels, plus I think another car without wheels.

[@bushcraftnorthof6012]

I visit it every time I go there.

[@murrayscheuerman5900]

Such a cool bit of history. My father worked seismic in the Canadian arctic during the 1950s. I have his collection of slides. I am certain there are pictures of the Alaska Freight Lines unit.

[@TV-kj3gi]

Maybe you could find those slides and post them if you desire 🤔

[@DeliveryMcGee]

I live in the same city as the domed factory buildings seen in the background of some of the shots, and the university he founded. You pronounce his name way more French than we do. 🤠

[@matthewfontaine9714]

Hello fellow Longview local! I am an engineering student at LETU.

[@kennethferland5579]

This concept would be ideal for rovers on Mars or other planetary bodies, all rovers are already using electric wheel moter and the largest are indeed nuclear powered. Such a train could be landed in pieces and then assembled and worn out cars replaced. The locamotive in front being in charge of power, stearing, route finding and orientation would allow the other cars to be specialized for other uses.

[@gamesmithonline4133]

dude, i did not know that you made these yourself! this is so cool dude! good for you doing your own renders!

[@2011joser]

I have visited the locomotive section at the Yuma proving grounds in Arizona. Its quite impressive in person.

[@whyjnot420]

Calum really does do a great job with the videos he makes.

[@docsgearheadgaming2503]

Seen one in person in Whitehorse at the Transportation museum. What a beast they are, the one I was in was powered by a V12 twin turbo diesel. Its not drivable as the wires have been cut to the motors but its still a sight to behold.

[@lolathompson4530]

Hey I really like the new animation style, just like the hand held style clips and the cork board way of showing similar things and what not. I like it, def give your animator a raise

[@FoundAndExplained]

Haha! well considering that I do everything... and everything you see is just little me, i'll treat myself to some mcdonalds tonight. Thank you!

[@glike2]

The high carbon intensity of flying things around with helicopter is a potential reason to bring this technology back. It could even be solar powered as long as the traveling speed is low enough to support that. And maybe if SMR technology ever becomes practical at the scale it could be used as a generator to power these.

[@eldnah2]

The heavy lift helicopter being one of the reasons for the demise of the land train makes no sense to me because, unless they would have the helo's in constant motion, they could not match the overall cargo shipping of the land train. I don't know about maintenance needs of the train, but helo's need a lot of maintenance and repair.

[@Greippi10]

It does make sense though, the last land train had a capacity of 150 tons, heavy lift helicopters are generally around 15 tons, so ten helicopters or roundtrips which isn't that many. Helicopters sure are expensive to maintain, and I'm sure they can't fit as many different kinds of cargo as the land train. However the land train has more limitations than that. It only works on specific terrain, fairly flat land with no obstacles, or roads where you can use regular trucks anyway. Helicopters can fly anywhere, with the only limitation being weather that you can wait out and still beat the land train to the destination. Helicopters can also do rapid troop deployment and other missions. The land train makes sense for niche things like building the early warning radar line, but that's a one-time thing. It just doesn't have enough regular applications to make sense to keep around.

[@neveraskedforahandle]

I really enjoyed the presentation, visuals, the information, etc. Great vid, all around.

[@FoundAndExplained]

Much appreciated!

[@ruampolphaobanchong6139]

These cool Land Train remind me of Rovers from the game Astroneer. Now I know where the Dev got idea from.

[@monteiro5306]

Just when I think you can't make even better videos, I see how wrong I am. What a fantastic job, an excellent and informative video. Iron Side computers are amazing, and when they find your talent, the result is truly wonderful. Many thanks and greetings from a Brazilian subscriber.

[@jgt2598]

Interesting. It makes sense that it lost its niche of remote heavy lift to helicopters, another competing factor may have been the advancements of road clearing and military rapid infrastructure construction. I could actually see a vehicle like this making a comeback in the future in an environment like the moon or Mars, where there isn't a dense atmosphere to use for air transportation.

[@wastelandwarrior9738]

NASA used some of the ideas from this but on a smaller scale lol

[@mulhatton]

15:13 "primrrrrrrrly" 🤣 Excellent vid dude 🥳👍

[@TheMugwump1]

I can't imagine going from a laptop to a proper consumer workstation like that. I'm totally spoiled. I've pretty much the same specs as you and it's awesome with the real-time rendering results and the super fast simulations, not to mention how fast you can render scenes.

[@denvera1g1]

While the overland train didnt have a transmission, it did appear to have a single speed gear box

[@TommyCrosby]

If 3D artist are now working with Callum, we are going to see wild machines coming back "alive"

[@skylerfox7663]

fun fact in Whitehorse Yukon in Canada where I grew up the museum next to the airport has one of these beasts and they are massive irl

[@YukonDemon]

There is one of these sitting at the Yukon Transportation Museum here in Whitehorse Yukon, Canada. US Army brought it through when they were building the AlCan highway way back when.

[@doankhang9496]

Can you do a video on the Saunders-Roe SR.53 mixed jet and rocket interceptor?

[@Roddy_Zeh]

And the SR.177!

[@doankhang9496]

Both look amazing

[@ElijahPerrin80]

Diesel electric is how all vehicles need to be made with capacitors to balance the load with the engine working at peak efficiency with in-wheel motors, swap out the capacitors with batteries and you have an electric hybrid vehicle for certain uses, nuclear and turbines also are great options depending on use unless we finally figure out the hydrogen economy.

[@papasfixitshop7982]

I have lived in Yuma my whole life. In 1974 I began working at a local Military surplus equipment yard. The Land Train was bought and scrapped at that yard which was called Jet Sales Company. I am one of the men that scrapped the train. It was made of aluminum and we cut it into bits and sold it.

[@seagconstruction4688]

RIP Jet Sales and Jim. I bet it was quite an adventure working for Jim back then.

[@papasfixitshop7982]

@@seagconstruction4688 Oh yeah, I could tell stories for sure. Jim passed away this past January. I sure miss him.

[@seagconstruction4688]

@@papasfixitshop7982 I went to his services. I miss him greatly. We were good friends for quite some time. He is the reason I love Yuma.

[@papasfixitshop7982]

@@seagconstruction4688 I was there to.

[@colbysmallwood9780]

15:15 when he says “Primarily” lmao 😂

[@SpaceMonkeyBoi]

I wonder how fast we could progress space research with one of these bad boys (modified for space of course)

[@TV-kj3gi]

I was wondering 🤔 about the same topic

[@gearsmashking6880]

Well, if we do make it to Mars, why not have a mobile research base? A land-train would be perfect for that!

[@TV-kj3gi]

@@gearsmashking6880 why don't you suggest it to the NASA or the Esa? Technically it would be feasible, but the crux will be the logistics around it. You will need multiple launches to transfer all "waggons" (or however these trailers are being called) to the Mars, moon or any other destination. Nasa had worked on a vehicle for usage on other planets and the moon, which can be considered/extended as an type of Lokomotive for such a train (AFAIK they didn't mentioned this option on that particular vehicle)

[@gearsmashking6880]

@@TV-kj3gi Nasa and the ESA won't listen to some country boy like me. But, if it were possible, they could send the "Head" of the land-train with the crew and some supplies in the first transport ship/shuttle, so the crew at least have transportation and some stable shelter. The second one only needs to maybe carry 3 or 4 wagons for living quarters, research, maintenance, and consumables storage. Which, as described in the video, can be built out of lightweight materials. (Aluminum, carbon fiber, etc.) And, considering we're talking about space travel, mostly unknown terrain, and the advancements of human technology, a land-train built for Mars exploration would be more advantageous than a stationary base with limited exploration range. I'm not an expert on the logistics or engineering involved in space exploration, but I believe that if anyone was willing to push beyond their limits and put their minds to it, Mars would have really big wheel marks on its surface during the mission.

[@TV-kj3gi]

@@gearsmashking6880 you can be sure if they will listen or not, only if you try :) A steady base will be necessary in any way als Base and supply depot. The land- train as described by you could then perform a long term mission of longer time periods. Supply storage on moving applications are much less by its nature than on steady bases. Furthermore in space is protection from cosmic radiation required which with the momentary stand of technology will require a buried in application for protection. Mars (as the destination of your desire) has no magnetic field (this is valid for the moon to) to provide protection from cosmic radiation like earth has (therefore the aurora lights on earth).

[@gatarooshghangurde7305]

How cool will it be if a similar thing is seen in the DUNE universe.

[@mattelder1971]

A similar concept of vehicle was in Book of Boba Fett, but yeah, I could totally see something like this in Dune as well.

[@hightechredneck8587]

I could still see these being very useful for supplying remote Northern communities in the North West Territories where they do not have 4 season roads.

[@nikerailfanningttm9046]

I remember reading the report on the TC-497 for Project OTTER when they tested the TC-497 at the Yuma proving grounds. Thank god the Engine is preserved.

[@stefaneer9120]

I love this vehicle more than any electric car.

[@donaldvincent]

I would think this would be fantastic for the oil and gas industries. Being able to basically go anywhere at anytime, regardless of weather or season with huge loads. Think of the drilling rigs on the North Slope in Alaska.

[@RexsHangar]

This looks like something you'd find in Satisfactory, I love it xD

[@tristanmacke3557]

15:15. The way you said primarily. 😂love it

[@geemanbmw]

what happened at @ 15:15 ? a mini stroke 😮

[@DavidLee-im8tg]

I thought you were going to do a piece on Patrick Tilley's Amtrak wars. Mentioned this early on in the video incase you do mention it later on...

[@appellationsupply9348]

my Grandfather James Harp was one of the creators of this train. FUN FACT: the USSR had a contract for over 100 cars and nearly purchased the patent before they collapsed! They plan to use it for artic exploratiion of their oil fiields! The other USMC General responsible for this was Gen. Lasseter and he passed late last year, my grand father passed last July and would have been so excited to see people seeing his invention!

[@christinalynn8143]

Awww. Sweet story about your grandfather's connection.

[@arthurwagar6224]

Those big wheels look good on Big Foot. Thanks for good stuff.

[@mjuneoginn]

Why was it that the US Armed Forces didn't reconsider the prospect of repurposing them as Mobile ICBM Launchers, to combat Russia's Strategic Mobile Nuclear Weapons Platforms

[@GhostScout42]

Because you dont need a train of nukes most likley

[@benhuston310]

Aluminum is pronounced aluminum, not aluminum.

[@EriMCardenasRC]

Depend what part of the world you are of course

[@theskicker8856]

The tires that were on that are on the World’s largest monster truck BIGFOOT#5. I love monster trucks and it was cool to learn about where the tires for the truck came from. I already knew that they came from the Overland Train I just didn’t know to much about it. Nice Video!!!

[@Calamity556]

This reminds me of that really cool Arms Fort from Armored Core: For Answer called Great Wall. It was an enormous land train, too.

[@GiffysChannel]

That was pretty cool for the shout-out to Calum. His channel is great!

[@aidansky55]

You know it’s going to be a good day when Found & Explained uploads.

[@warmstrong5612]

I remember as a kid reading a book written in the late 70's about a dystopian post-apocalyptic world where people lived on these massive land trains and drove around in "ancient" cars from the 80's. All Mad Max meets Snowpiercer style. Wish I could remember the title.

[@justindunlap1235]

Was it the Amtrak wars? I feel like that's the book you're describing.

[@warmstrong5612]

@@justindunlap1235 No it wasn't a series, just one book. Had a picture of a guy with wheels for limbs IIRC. Edit: It was "On Wheels" by John Jakes.

[@justindunlap1235]

@@warmstrong5612 thanks, I'm going to order that from the library. It sounds like an interesting read.

[@mikepierce1724]

Awesome stuff I didn't even know you can build a computer like that oh great content

[@marcin.99]

Nicely done video. ❤️

[@michaelletour]

Thank you for this piece. Such a cool machine. He is a distant relative of mine.

[@clivestainlesssteelwomble7665]

This could be an idea due for a revisit. ..particularly in areas that require cheaper less time critical outsized load deliveries. Sandstorms and ice storms in high winds are killers for aviation. With modern computer control and navigation systems self propelled sections could split off to different locations and reform later possibly on the return leg or by catch up at a staging post. Diesel electric has got even more efficient and as each power waggon is a large scale self propelled generator plant that could support a community or camp. Some Canadian cities having lost their Grid power... have resorted to using giant Diesel Electric goods locos to provide emergency power for weeks. The train Co just re routed the rails and they drove them off the track down the main street to the standing point for the connection.

[@CarsSimplified]

Excellent video, and what wild vehicles!

[@fhwolthuis]

Great video! Did you know they used these wheels on the first monster truck, called Bigfoot?

[@ceciliacicchinelli4797]

Part of the land train still exists on the Alcan Highwat somewhere. I have pics buried somewhere but saw it in 2019.

[@mickwinters8484]

God that would look awesome in my driveway:) great vid!!!

[@dcummings7253]

I have picture of the Alaska Freight Lines one. It is park next to the road in Fairbanks. I seen it there in 2019.