Fans of unusual cars have long been arguing about which car is considered the longest in the world.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, there are three such cars in the world: an American limousine with a length of 30 meters, an American wheeled train with a total length of about 175 meters and a Chinese truck with a length of 73 meters.
Long limousines always attract people's attention. The third longest car in the world is the American limousine with 26 wheels. Its length is 30.5 meters. It is not intended for city driving, but for filming films and participating in auto exhibitions. The car has two cabins - for moving forward and backward - and, accordingly, two engines. In the second cab, if necessary, there is a second driver, and communication between the cabs is maintained using an intercom. Inside there is a small swimming pool and a king-size bed. Part of the hull was removed and re-equipped for helicopter landing. Of course, such a long car would be extremely difficult to turn around. For the convenience of maneuvers, the limousine can be bent in the middle. Unfortunately, the car was created in a single copy and there is no way to ride it. However, its passengers often include celebrities such as the Pope, Sylvester Stalone and others.
The world's longest truck was unveiled to the public on December 11, 2006. It is produced in China to work for a specialized shipping company and has no name. Its length from bumper to bumper is 73.2 meters. The carrying capacity of the giant reaches 2,500 tons of cargo. This is possible thanks to 880 huge wheels, 6 powerful engines.
The super truck is used to transport especially heavy loads: turbines, aircraft parts, assembled structures, finished bridges.
But earlier in the United States, another giant was created, which now rests on retirement.
In the 50s (the height of the Cold War), the LeTourneau TC-497 wheeled train was invented in the bowels of the Pentagon. The wheeled train was intended to replace railway transport in the event of an active war with the USSR. This unit could move 400 tons of cargo. Its standard length was 175 meters, but could be increased by attaching additional links. The cockpit was the highest point of the car, it rose 9 meters above the ground. The monster had 54 wheels, plus 4 for each additional section. The US military planned to test the car in Arizona and Alaska, after which the car was supposed to go to its workplace: a military base in Antarctica.
It is currently the longest car in the history of mankind. The construction of this "caterpillar" cost the US Department of Defense $ 3, 7 million at the rate of 61st year. Taking into account financial changes, now the car would cost 17.5 million.
The diameter of each wheel is 3.5 meters, specially made Firestone tires without tubes are used for the wheels. Each wheel was driven by an individual engine, which in turn was powered by four main generators with a total power of 3492 kW. In total, the car could carry up to 12 units - "cars". In addition, the train consisted of 2 links with generators, 1 link with a cabin and 2 links with service premises. The service rooms included sleeping and resting areas for 6 crew members, a dining room, a full bathroom and even a laundry! the crew included 2 driver-technicians, 2 mechanics, an engineer and a cook. At a maximum speed of 35 km / h, the car could pass 400 kilometers without refueling, while neither the size of the fuel tanks, nor the average fuel consumption data was saved.
The car was not used due to the appearance of a more profitable competitor - the Sikorsky CH-54 Tarhe heavy transport helicopter. The government decided that aviation was the future. In addition, one should not forget that during these years the Vietnam war was going on, and they simply did not find money to eliminate the shortcomings of the multi-wheeled monster.
after unsuccessfully trying to sell the car, in 1971, the links were sent for scrap, and the link with the cab was installed on display at the Yuma Proving Ground Heritage Center.
