The Look of CNG

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Eric

There has been much noise recently about alternative fuel sources for trucks.  Last year it was all about electric vehicles.  This year, it’s all about another fossil fuel taking the stage, natural gas.  I will spare you the mumbo jumbo about what fuel is better and why as we’ve been over that more than a few times.  However, I would like to highlight some of the equipment necessary when running a liquefied or compressed natural gas vehicle.

Below is National Grid Freightliner M112 dump truck with a compressed natural gas setup.  How can you tell?  The large square box behind the cab is a dead give away of CNG system.  A setup of this kind is the equivalent of 75 diesel gallons.  If you don’t like the equipment mounted behind the cab you can opt for a LNG (liquefied) setup which  provides you with the more traditional saddle tanks typically used with diesel fuel.  LNG tanks offer the equivalent of 86 diesel gallons (dge).

Freightliner M112 CNG - Click to Enlarge

Past Diesel Dose Articles about Natural Gas

Natural Gas – Fuel of the Future?

A Green Milestone

Peterbilt 386 LNG – One Smart Truck

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Top Gear (USA Edition)

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Eric

Just a quick FYI, tonight is the season premier of Top Gear (US Edition), on the History Channel.  I found the episode description to be of interest…

Rutledge, Adam and Tanner decide that driving Big Rigs can’t be as difficult as everyone says, and to prove it, set themselves the challenge of delivering tons of precious (and explosive) cargo across Michigan after only a few hours practice. What could possibly go wrong?

Sounds like fun to me.  History Channel, 9PM EST

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Plows, Plows, and More Plows.

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Eric

It hasn’t been much of winter this year with regards to snow fall but that hasn’t stopped the new plow trucks from rolling off the line.  Who knows, old man winter may still have a few tricks up his sleeve and give these two trucks a trial by fire.

Workstar Plow – Click to Enlarge

Workstar Plow – Click to Enlarge

Workstar Plow – Click to Enlarge

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Twas the Season

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Eric

Have you ever looked for something but was unable to locate it? Usually you find the object of your search only when you stop looking.  And many times you discover that what you wanted to find was right under your nose the entire time. For example, this Mack Pinnicale that was part of the Capitol Christmas Tree Tour. When I first heard about this truck back in late November I scoured the web for photos. I found plenty of articles relating to the truck and its voyage but couldn’t find a photo. Eventually one turned up on the Mack website and was able to publish this article. Now Christmas is just a distant memory, the magic gone for another year, the search for the Mack Christmas Convoy truck ended. It’s only fitting that it turned up a dealer five minutes from home toward the end January.

Mack Pinnacle - Click to Enlarge

Mack Pinnacle - Click to Enlarge

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Still Working – Diamond Reo Giant Redux

Posted on February 11, 2012 by Eric

If you’ve been a Daily Diesel Dose visitor from the start you will remember this truck. As a matter of fact this very truck was the subject of the 9th post EVER on this little slice of the web. Thanks to Jim we get to pay a visit back in time and also learn a little more about this great old piece of iron. As mentioned before this truck operates for ProPave but it appears this is not the first time the Giant has worked in the service of a paving company. Jim called my attention to the blue stripe near the top of the dump body. He believes that blue stripe is left over from when the Diamond-Reo worked for Ruston Paving, another local Syracuse company. I would have to agree as I remember seeing this truck sit on the corner of their property years ago while the attempted to sell it. Their corporate baby blue paint hastly covered with a thin coat of white paint. I often wondered where it ended up, well, now I know. Jim figures this truck is powered by a Cummins NTC290.

ProPave Diamond Reo Giant - Click to Enlarge

ProPave Diamond Reo - Click to Enlarge

Thanks for the great shot Jim!

Do you know of an old truck or piece of heavy equipment that is still earning it’s keep? Email Me!

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World’s Toughest Trucker

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Eric

Another reality TV show based around the trucking industry is set to premier on the Discovery Channel this Monday at 10PM EST. According to the Discovery website..

From transporting cattle through the desolate, sun baked roads of the Australian Outback to carrying fragile loads through the icy, treacherous Indian Himalayas, eight of the world’s most experienced truck drivers go head to head in some of the harshest environments on earth.

Hmmmm, sounds familiar *cough* Ice Road Truckers *cough* but any TV show based around trucks I am willing to give a shot. However, the folks over at Commercial Motor have a greatly different impression after viewing the first episode.

“I never thought any programme could make Ice Road Truckers look authentic, but that’s what World’s Toughest Trucker – Episode One- has done.

Ouch. Click here to read the full review.

Based on the clip below will you give this show a chance?

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What’s this? Onondaga County DOT Kenworth?

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Eric

Today we have a Kenworth T800 (maybe) behind the fences at Kenworth of Buffalo.  What caught my eye about this rig (besides being a plow truck) was the Onondaga County DOT seal.  I can’t say that I have ever seen a Kenworth plow truck, much less a red one, in the employ of the County. Is this a test unit? Or is the County following a radical diversification plan? Right now you can find them running Internationals, Volvos, and Western Stars.  They may even have a Freightliner or two kicking around.  Inquiring minds want to know.

Onondaga County DOT Kenworth – Click to Enlarge

By the way, this truck was located at K of B’s new and much larger facility in Syracuse, NY.

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The New CATs

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Eric

Milton CAT in Syracuse had not only the new CT660 on the lot but also an entire fleet of brand spanking new heavy equipment.  Believe it or not the massive 966k wheel loader and the 349E excavator shown below are considered medium size vehicles according the Caterpillar website.  I suppose that makes sense when you manufacture a 400 ton dump truck! From what I understand these are all new models.  Click on any photo to see a larger version.

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[Show as slideshow]

Once again, apologies for that pesky winter sun.

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Mercedes-Benz Actros – Taxi

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Eric

If you watched the Super Bowl this past weekend you probably saw the Chevy Trucks commercial that placed some well centered jabs on the chin of the Ford blue oval.  Apparently Ford didn’t care for the content and asked both GM and NBC to pull the ad.  The request fell upon death ears and now we know that you will die if you drive a Ford truck when the end of the world falls upon us.   Continuing the corporate sissy fights I bring you this video of MB using their new Actros semi as taxi to pick up employees of rival truck manufacturers Man and Volvo.

All joking aside, I want taxis to be big trucks across the globe.

MB Actros

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CAT CT660 – First Sighting

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Eric

At Daily Diesel Dose we’ve talked about the Caterpillar CT660 more than a few times but until now this new truck line has remained elusive…until yesterday.  On a whim I decided to swing by Milton Cat to see if they had one laying around.  A few months back I made a random drive by but was greeted with a lot devoid of any equipment, not even a dozer.  I was expecting more of the same but luck was with me today as one Cat CT660 sat on the lot waiting for my inspection.

As a quick recap you will recall that this truck is made in partnership with International Trucks at their Garland, Texas plant.  This happens to be the same factory that produces the Paystar line of trucks.  Obviously you would expect the two trucks to share some common parts.  In the case of the CT660 it happens to be the cab and frame.  Taking a look in the cab there is a great difference between the dash and the materials used compared to its Paystar cousin.  Some feel that the hood looks the same as International ProStar with a fancy grill stuck on.  I must disagree.

The midday winter sun played havoc with getting a shot of the Cat but they are still worth a look.

Caterpillar CT660 - Click to Enlarge

Caterpillar CT660 - Click to Enlarge

If you build it will they come?

Past stories on the CT660

Caterpillar Reveals New Truck Line

One Truck to Rule them All – The CT600

Navistar and Caterpillar – Close Friends Getting Closer

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