Terex's "Titan": Meet the colossal, diesel-guzzling truck astonishing Las Vegas in 1974
The "Titan" had exceptional features. Not only was its size a highlight, but also its high-tech aspects. It was electrically powered, but the electricity generation was handled by a diesel engine.
The "Titan" derived its power from a robust V16 diesel engine that displaced an impressive 169 litres. Added to this were a turbocharger and an intercooler. The engine was able to produce an astonishing 3300 HP. Cooling this power unit was a cooling system with a capacity of 310.2 gallons of fluid. Additionally, the oil system held 399.5 gallons of lubricant substance. The truck's diesel tank had a storage capacity of over 1,849.2 gallons, a reasonable requirement given "Titan" burnt about 5.3 gallons of diesel fuel for every mile it covered, which equates to 0.99 miles per gallon.
One of "Titan's" distinguishing attributes was its sizeable capacity. Bearing a total permissible weight of over 604,544.4 lbs, it had a payload limit of 705,479.9 lbs. If put into series production today, the "Titan" would cost roughly 7 million dollars.
The debut operation for the "Titan" was Eagle Mountain mine in California, where it was set to work in 1975. Four years later, the imposing truck made its way north to Canada when Westar Mining bought it from General Motors for an economical 200 thousand dollars. Today, this amount equates to approximately 550 thousand dollars, yet the company spent a significant one million dollars more on spare parts alone.
The "Titan" was retired from service in 1991. It now serves as a spectacle, without its engine, in Sparwood, Canada, where it continues to impress all who behold its imposing size.
