Just saw something very interesting on the tracks...

[Greg]

A train just went past me with a load of what appeared to be military prototype vehicles and they were MASSIVE! I would guess they were 5 or 10 ton trucks, probably 15-20 total, with 3 or 4 different models. One of them was a massive troop hauler, enclosed cargo area, lifted very high and what looked to be 53" Michelins mounted on it.

The train crew mentioned they were headed to Moab! I really hope these prototypes will be in Moab for some testing. I wish I had my camera ready, these things were impressive!

Might be a good time to be in Moab this next week.

 

[SAMI]

I hope they got their permits.

 

[neagtea]

Oshkosh brand perhaps?
Navy / USMC 7 ton units made by Osh Kosh IFS on all 6 wheels.
MRAP stuff is FPI/Oshkosh with either 2 or 3 straight axles. In process of putting IFS under the 3 axle rig. MRAPs were pushed out so fast there was not enough test time and the front axle housing was snapping due to hardly any up travel. I think a lot of new equipment is in the works due to the type of warefare projected. Tank wars may not be as prevalent as they were during the cold war.

 

[TRNDRVR]

These by chance?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I was thinking the new Osh Kosh too... they ran one in the Baja 1000 last year. An absolute best but I don't know that it was more than maybe a 3-5 ton?

 

[Stephen]

Those thing almost look like South African vehicles.

 

[Herzog]

Those look FUN!

 

[broncomitch]

Very cool:greg:

 

[99TJ]

Great vechiles for Iraq horrible for the war in Afghanistan.

 

[Stephen]

Yep, South African Casspir APC's

Now built by BAE out of the UK. Probably here for trials with the US Army/Marines.

The little ones look like Mambas.

 

[SAMI]

I think there were afew of those in the movie District 9?

 

[Stephen]

Yes, in the scenes when they first go into District 9.
The RSA has been dealing with the kind of stuff that the US and NATO are dealing with now in Afghanistan and Iraq for decades, so they built their vehicles to deal with that. The US and NATO are still using equipment designed to fight the USSR on the IGB. Why we didn't just start buying up these vehicles right after the invasion of Iraq, I will never know. I guess just the massive bureaucracy that is the US government and the ridiculous need to have every military vehicle made in the USA.

 

[Spork]

Looks like the new Oscar Meyer mobile if you painted it right...

 

[Hickey]

I've seen a few of those IFS 5 tons. I'm pretty excited to see anyone venturing into IFS territory for heavy trucks.

 

[Coco]

Those thing almost look like South African vehicles.

First thing I thought when I saw those was District 9

Sweet looking trucks.

 

[Greg]

Dan, those were the big ones! There were smaller models too, about 1/2 the size? They all looked less finished than the ones in the pics, which is why I thought they were prototypes.

Good info guys, nice digging around!

 

[Tacoma]

Stephen, you are correct to say they have been building them for years... I saw a bunch of them in Afghanistan, obvious that they had been around the block a while. They are the basis for our current MRAP, as far as the design goes-- the V-shaped, blast-reducing hull and modular design being the salient points we borrowed.

They, and the MRAP, for that matter, are ENORMOUS. I should dig those pics out again.

 

[krany]

Look identical to the vehicles in district 9

 

[SAMI]

^ You don't say...

 

[RockMonkey]

Hey those look a lot like the trucks in District 9!