I wondered if this might have been the basis, either physically or at least aesthetically for the Aliens APC. Apparently not; while very similar in low-slung form factor, that was a Hunslet ATT77 air towing tractor: https://www.hooniverse.com/movie-cars-aliens-armored-personn...
ErneX 5 hours ago [-]
I thought the same, even searched for it on the article.
verve_rat 7 hours ago [-]
I was wondering if it had any relationship to the trucks from The Highwayman tv show.
That one's explicitly mentioned at the end of TFA itself, though.
usrusr 7 hours ago [-]
Read about it back then in what might best be described as a kid's annual hardcover magazine and loved it so much (a few years later they had a long article about the Porsche 959, it's almost a tie for me). "Das Neue Universum": in those years they had an awesome mix of technology, culture, adventure and science - some parts much further from "ELIF" than one might expect.
A part of that young me still seems to live on being mighty disappointed that I'm not living in that future!
There are similar variations about the world wherever blades for wind generators need to be moved through tight roads.
Australian road trains can get pretty lengthy depending on region, but they're essentially standard prime movers with multiple linked trailing "standard" trays.
It reminds me of my old Citroen BX, what a slab of unworthiness that thing was.
I really have to wonder how the Steinwinter was supposed to be pratical, with such dreadful clearance?
A case of whimsical design, perhaps.
bfkwlfkjf 2 hours ago [-]
My father had a Citroen bx, I'd like to hear more why you think it's a "slab of unworthiness". I never had any contact with it as an adult.
jcgrillo 5 hours ago [-]
You might be surprised how low the clearance is on some over-the-road trailers. Especially the long ones for hauling heavy equipment, their breakover angles are atrocious. Most roads are navigable regardless, and they know how to pick routes that avoid impassible ones. Low as it is, this truck's clearance probably isn't as limiting as you might think.
I can't believe something like this would get any further than artist's renderings. The visibility would be shite. Even for limited purpose use like in a large warehouse lot where they need something just to move trailers around the lot. I'd have thought any dolt could see this being a problem, but I guess not
GuB-42 6 hours ago [-]
The design was driven by regulations that limited to total length of the truck but not specifically the trailer. Smaller tractor, bigger trailer, more carrying capacity, more profit. Sure, visibility is shite, but if it is legal, they will get it, because carriers are here to make money.
But it turned out not to be legal, and regulations changed, now specifying different limits for the trailer and the total length, meaning it lost its main reason for existing.
Searched for it, they are called Towbarless (TBL) Tugs, they go under the nose of plane and lift the front wheels
I don’t particularly like cars, but those ones always had my attention in the terminal :)
https://www.komatsu.com/en-us/products/equipment/room-and-pi...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Highwayman_(TV_series)
https://www.motortrend.com/news/peterbilt-semi-truck-the-hig...
A part of that young me still seems to live on being mighty disappointed that I'm not living in that future!
Interesting publication (history) [1].
1. [https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Das_Neue_Universum]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsZ6YPsPpj0
Australian road trains can get pretty lengthy depending on region, but they're essentially standard prime movers with multiple linked trailing "standard" trays.
https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/df7a5e0c-8004-40...
(from the electric Ferrari
http://www.roadandtrack.com/photos/g71401901/2028-ferrari-lu...)
I really have to wonder how the Steinwinter was supposed to be pratical, with such dreadful clearance?
A case of whimsical design, perhaps.
But it turned out not to be legal, and regulations changed, now specifying different limits for the trailer and the total length, meaning it lost its main reason for existing.