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An Interesting American Road Train.

5th December 1907
Page 5
Page 5, 5th December 1907 — An Interesting American Road Train.
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The six-wheeled vehicle is attracting a fair amount of attention from experienced motor-vehicle designers in all parts of the world. The possible advantages attending its adoption occupied the greater part of the discussion on Col. Crompton's address, given to the members of the Institution of Automobile Engineers (this was reported in our issue of the 28th ultimo). The latest vehicle of this type was exhibited at the American motor show, at Madison Square Garden, New York, the machine, with two trailers, being staged by its makers, the Alden Sampson Manufacturing Company, of Pittsfield, Mass., U.S.A. The train may consist of a power car to which a petrol engine and dynamo are fitted, and several selfpropelling units. The central pair of wheels of the power unit, and of each of the following ones, are driven by two electro-motors which take the current from the generator on the power :car. The first, or power, car is capable of taking about 3 tons of useful load on its own platform and each follower can take 7 tons. With four vehicles behind the power unit carrying in all 31 tons of merchandise, the train wilt, on ordinary roads, maintain an average speed of 5 to 6 miles an hour. Each steering wheel is individually pivoted and is controlled from the first car. By this means, the steering is so simple and effective that a train of four units, measuring .wit!.1. the power car seventy feet overall, can turn in a roadway which is only forty feet wide.

The platform space of each vehicle, other than the power car, is 17 feet long by 4 feet 2 inches wide, and the platform stands 4 feet above the ground ; the wheel base is 6 feet ; and each unit weighs, unladen, about 31 tons. The advantages attending t use of a mechanical road train of ti type, with its lower axle weights, o sence of draw-bar pull and conseque strain on the main frames, and the bi ter adhesion which is obtained, o points which should greatly inter' American manufacturers and miners the districts far removed from railwa:


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