Hoo, baby! Took one of these for a spin today:

[CanuckAmok]

400HP Mercedes TurboDiesel

40MPH

6 speed Alison gearbox with 6x6 drive and locking differentials.

10+ Tons empty, 50+ Tons loaded.

40MPH

It can hold the volume and weight of 12 Hummer H2s with 6 occupants each.

But it's no threat to you.

[RPM]

1. Do they make it in black?

i would like one - perfect for going out on the town...

[CanuckAmok]

2. No, it has to be in safety orange...

...in case you forget where you're parked.

[RPM]

5. orange is cool too.

i'll take one - how much $?

[CanuckAmok]

11. About $600,000 new.

With no warranty.

[In_The_Wind]

3. total power trip

:woohoo:

[eyepaddle]

4. Is that spelled "Uke?"

I've heard 'em called that, but never seen it spelled out.

Is that for a demo/construction project or some kind of mine thing?

[CanuckAmok]

10. It's a Hitachi AH-350 articulated dumptruck.

We have two of them working on the project I'm auditing.

They can be used in mining, but they're too small (!) for most mining activity.

These ones are being used to shuttle about 20 million lbs of mud from a stagnant bog to a clean fill about 200' away. But I tried two loads and then took it (empty) around the site...climbing 40 degree hills, fording viaducts, and generally being an ass.

Mine trucks are usually about twice the physical size (driver sits about 22' above the ground), and so powerful that they have to be driven by an electric motor powered by an on-board, constant-RPM diesel powerplant. Once you get beyond 1,000HP or so, any bad shift or too forceful a stab on the accellerator will snap the driveshafts like twigs. An electric motor can't be over-revved, and doesn't shift.

[CanuckAmok]

14. PS...

The one I drove is named "Phil".

Get it? Because it carries "fill".

Is this thing on?

[jobycom]

6. Got one just like it

Only a little smaller, and with less horsepower. And probably a lot older. But otherwise, just like it. Except the color.



This one is more fun, though



because of this

[elshiva]

12. PEACE!

[jobycom]

15. I won that peace necklace at a bazaar at St. Joseph's Catholic Church

when I was about eight. Somehow I've kept it all these years. I'll forget it for a decade, and open a box in the back of a closet, and there it will be. I found it just before the Gulf Invasion, ironically, so hanging it from the mirror of a Prius seemed appropriate.

The chain is not original. It was given to me by the first girl who said "I love you" to me, at a church camp in Gallman, Mississippi.

Yeah, it's late, who knows what they'll reveal when it's late. :-)

[indy_azcat]

7. oh yeah? I drive one of these babies EVERY day! HItachis RULE!

[kohodog]

8. I'd love one of those

Cars with Bush 04 stickers would never look the same after I was done with 'em.

[eyepaddle]

9. Here's what I drove tonight

[CanuckAmok]

13. That's probably as much fun, albeit in a different way..

I love sea kayaking, but I'm really clumsy at it, and usually spend most of my time capsising.