High Mobility Battlefield Logistics Transport - The Build

[PR19_Kit]

Before track is ballasted and tamped the rails are always wonky, no matter if they're being transported to their eventual site or if they're in position. The crews spike or clip them down to the sleepers and only then does the tamper run along the length, align the track with the designed plan and smooth it all out.

Mind you, on some railways I could mention they're wonky even THEN! 

[NARSES2]

It's the way that the rails flex and bend when being cranned off trucks that gets me

[rickshaw]

Before track is ballasted and tamped the rails are always wonky, no matter if they're being transported to their eventual site or if they're in position. The crews spike or clip them down to the sleepers and only then does the tamper run along the length, align the track with the designed plan and smooth it all out.

Mind you, on some railways I could mention they're wonky even THEN! 

Modern rail laying downunder is fascinating to watch.  I watched them relay a section of the Ghan - from Adelaide in South Australia through to Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, when they changed the route to try and overcome the frequent flooding problems they had (the Ghan train I seem to remember had the world's record for the longest in service train trip - six weeks - when stranded by floods the train took that long to complete its scheduled service).  What they had was a machine which picked up 20 sleepers at a time, ran forward on normal truck wheels and layed them them.  Another machine then picked up the rails in 100 metre lengths and then layed them on the sleepers and then some blokes walked along, putting a small "pig's tail" into place with a sledge hammer, which held the rails to the sleeper.  Then on the railway tracks followed a machine which dropped, spread and compacted the ballast between the sleepers.   Finally a machine came along and welded the lengths of track together.   No more "clackety-clackety" on Australian tracks.

[PR19_Kit]

Back in 1970 I worked on the first piece of paved track ever laid, at Ratcliffe-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire.

BR Research laid a test length of paved concrete track using an ex-motorway slip-form paver to form the track foundation on which Pandrol clips were used to fasten standard rail lengths. It worked a treat, even if the noise level was higher and the ride for passengers tended to be harder over the paved track section.

Nowadays it's relatively common in tunnels and in urban areas where track maintenance can be difficult, but I doubt it will ever be used for mail lines as it's expensive to lay.

[Rheged]

how abought roof panels that split open and vertical launch rocket systems, the land tain pulls up... the roof panels CLANG open and theres a massive WOOSH and sheets of exaust. and the pallets come floating down on little chutes.. 
maybe i need a longer sitdown before posting ideas.

Look up "Hajile" , developed by the British Admiralty's Directorate of Miscellaneous Weapons Development (DMWD) during the final years of World War II. !!!!!!!

[Steel Penguin]

once again i prove that theres nothing new under the sun.
but i do like the madness of the origanal idea. 

[Go4fun]

"Pop Out" rail-mounted sliding doors on the sides? You can hang a lot of weight off rails (Like Armor) and by having them with the center 'door' set out you can move them around as needed to off load straight out.I'll do a drawing.

Clear as mud? 

[Weaver]

Why not have the fork lift on the tractor unit?

By definition, the cargo wagon will be stationary when you're unloading it, so why not uncouple the otherwise unemployed tractor unit and put it to use? The forks could be mounted on the back of the tractor and fold up when not in use to avoid fouling the towing connection, and the vehicle could be driven in reverse to use them by either a rear-facing crewman or the commander.

[kerick]

just put the folding forks on the front to allow the driver better vision.

[rickshaw]

Why not have the fork lift on the tractor unit?

By definition, the cargo wagon will be stationary when you're unloading it, so why not uncouple the otherwise unemployed tractor unit and put it to use? The forks could be mounted on the back of the tractor and fold up when not in use to avoid fouling the towing connection, and the vehicle could be driven in reverse to use them by either a rear-facing crewman or the commander.

It wouldn't be manoeuvrable enough.  Forklifts can move in tight circles and even, if equipped with all-wheel steering, steer crabwise (I've done that, loads of fun when people don't believe you can move the forklift metres sideways without moving forward or back, while you "walk" the wheels back and forth sideways ).    Otherwise you'd need areas tens of metres wide to allow the tractor unit to manoeuvre.

I think the sliding doors have merit, they open up the whole side of the trailer.  Coupled with the wide rear hatch, you have more than amble room to reach all corners of the load area.

[Old Wombat]

Wow!

Go away for a week & look what happens! Some interesting ideas thrown out there, people. I especially like Go4fun's sliding rail door system.
However, as I'm not building a cargo trailer because I can't afford a couple more Strykers, just the tractor & "caboose" units, I'll keep them in mind... Coz.... One day..... Maybe.

I also get the idea some people think this vehicle is larger than it really is.

So, here are some pic's with Tomas the Tanker & Driver Dan to give you all a sense of scale.

Driver Dan & Tomas the Tanker at the side hatch... it's only small.


Tomas playing "Peek-a-boo".


Tomas & Dan where the rear ramp is going to be. Tomas is surprised & Dan is in a brown study (Why do they call it that?).


Dan has got himself some wheels! Dan likes wheels!


Dan, Tomas & Dan's wheels from above.


Hope this helps, folks. I'm off to study for a job interview tomorrow. After which I intend to sit down & build!



Guy

[bigarv65]

If that's the case, I think a squad of able bodied grunts could get your freight unloaded pretty quick (or slow, if it's not something they really want).

[kerick]

Wow!

Go away for a week & look what happens! Some interesting ideas thrown out there, people. I especially like Go4fun's sliding rail door system.
However, as I'm not building a cargo trailer because I can't afford a couple more Strykers, just the tractor & "caboose" units, I'll keep them in mind... Coz.... One day..... Maybe.

I also get the idea some people think this vehicle is larger than it really is.

So, here are some pic's with Tomas the Tanker & Driver Dan to give you all a sense of scale.


Driver Dan & Tomas the Tanker at the side hatch... it's only small.


Tomas playing "Peek-a-boo".


Tomas & Dan where the rear ramp is going to be. Tomas is surprised & Dan is in a brown study (Why do they call it that?).


Dan has got himself some wheels! Dan likes wheels!


Dan, Tomas & Dan's wheels from above.


Hope this helps, folks. I'm off to study for a job interview tomorrow. After which I intend to sit down & build!



Guy

Have you built a motor for this project yet? I would like to see Tomas' tank engine.
Good luck with the interview!!

[Go4fun]

Poor old Thomas is in a bit of a 'Brown Funk' isn't he? Those wheels give me an idea that if you build a forklift to fit it may have to be controlled with a remote box at least until it is out of the caboose.
And why do you need a very manueverable fork lift in the field? Get it out and on the ground and let the Troopies break it down to move it about. As for loading the supply station should have their own dedicated fork lifts so no problems there. If your talking "Forward Battle Area" supply I don't think they need it driven by forklift to the fox holes!

[Go4fun]

So who WILL build the freight cars?