There’s a Massive Antarctic Exploration Vehicle Lost Somewhere at the Bottom of the World

Pocket ^ | unknown | Peter Holderith

[BobL]

“EMD, the electro motive division of General Motors that started building diesel electric locomotives since the 1940s”

I was wondering the same, I figured trains pre-dated it.

[BobL]

“Wouldn’t diesel fuel have gelled at Antarctic temperatures?”

Likely heaters of some type, although they’d have to run close to non-stop on the coldest days, unless really well insulated too. Then you also have to worry about the fuel lines gelling...and have a way to take care of that.
(I used to be in the winter-hardening business)

[Vermont Lt]

As soon as it crossed the line into MA they slapped both a sales and excise tax. Then forced them to get regulated insurance.

[Dr. Franklin]

They didn’t test it driving it on snow until taking it to Antartica. It carried 5,000 gallons of diesel fuel, which should weigh about 15 tons.

If it is full of diesel fuel, that would aid its buoyancy, since diesel fuel is less dense the water. No one has seen it floating around anywhere.

[Dr. Franklin]

I see the problem. They didn’t put snow tires on it.

The tires appear to have no tread at all. It's like they were just happy to get tires big enough for it that they didn't care about the tread. You would think that Good Year would have been embarrassed at the performance of its tires.

[ro_dreaming]

Yup, diesel engines to charge the batteries.

Who knew?

[SpaceBar]

It will eventually show up as an anomaly on a high resolution magnetic areal survey in the future.

[fso301]

EMD, the electro motive division of General Motors that started building diesel electric locomotives since the 1940s, such as the famous Santa Fe chief F7 model would be fascinated to know this not a thing until the late 50s.

Electric wheel drive was pretty standard on R.G. LeTourneau heavy earth moving equipment during WW-2.

[5inch38gunner]

I remember going to the fair in IL about 1958 and seeing the Cat tractors with extra wide low ground pressure tractors headed to Antarctica. They worked pulling trains of sleds. I wonder if they are still running down there.

[HartleyMBaldwin]

Ferdinand Porsche designed an electric wheel motor in the 1890s, and created gasoline-powered military transports with electric wheel drive during WWI.

[SamAdams76]

When they do find it, I bet it will have a ton of parking tickets tucked under the windshield wipers.

[Western Phil]

The no tread was the reason it was abandoned. If some of the modern farm machinery tire engineers would have been employed for that job, it would still be cursing the countryside there.

[steve86]

I don’t think they were so stupid as to think that smooth tires were a good idea on snow and ice but the manufacturing ability to include “molded in tire chains (tread)” probably hadn’t arrived yet, especially at that tire size.

[Clay Moore]

Why would you try to run a diesel engine in Antarctica when diesel fuel jells at about 10* F?

[Celtic Conservative]

True. But how are they gonna tow it?

CC

[Dr. Franklin]

True. But how are they gonna tow it?

They will just put a big boot on one of the tires.

[Dr. Franklin]

Why would you try to run a diesel engine in Antarctica when diesel fuel jells at about 10* F?

A quick search online shows diesel anti-gels that work to -40 F. The additive likely affects performance, but is unavoidable in the Antarctic.

[NorthMountain]

I’d think “Prist” would help with the fuel gelling problem.

[DesertRhino]

“Electric wheel drive was pretty standard on R.G. LeTourneau heavy earth moving equipment during WW-2.”

Did not know that either.

[fso301]

Ferdinand Porsche designed an electric wheel motor in the 1890s, and created gasoline-powered military transports with electric wheel drive during WWI.

Was not aware of that but I did know he used it in armored vehicle prototypes in WW-2.