Sunday, April 14, 2013

Runaway Euclid 210




This happened at Panguna Bougainville in 1975. The turbine flamed out (stalled) on a long 12% downgrade. The truck was carrying approx 240 tons copper ore. Park brakes burnt out, still steerable, speed could have reached 60mph collided with Cat 14E motor grader, continued on still at (some speed) and another collision with an Isuzu bucket truck.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was a Heavy Equipment Fitter on the field crew in the seventies, and I have the 'Euclid' badge that was fitted to the radiator of the that truck

Anonymous said...

That is, the gas turbine powered Euclid on Bougainville island

Unknown said...

My dad has more photos of this truck and the machinery it crushed. He worked in the workshop from 1970-1989.

Anonymous said...

I'd be interested in any more photos if anyone has them. My uncle Joe worked here as well. He mentioned that these pictures were combined from different days as it happened twice. He also mentioned that he converted the engine to run on diesel after this.

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