Terex Titan – The World’s Largest Truck

The Terex Titan 33-19 is one of  the world's largest trucks designed by Terex Division of General Motors Inc.It was a prototype off-highway truck assembled at General Motor's Diesel Division's London,ON,Canada assembly Plant in 1973.It was an ultra class,three-axle,rigid frame,diesel/AC electric power-train haul truck.According to wikipedia only one truck of this type was ever produced and it was the biggest and the highest capacity haul truck in the world for 25 years.It was first shown to public in 1974 at the American Mining Congress in Las Vegas,Nevada.It remained in service for 13 years.Now it is preserved on static display as a tourist attraction in Sparwood,BC,Canada.

                                     Figure 1 : Front view of Terex Titan 33-19
                                                     (Image source : flickr.com)

                                     Figure 2 : Rear view of Terex Titan 33-19
                                                     (Image source : flickr.com)

                             Figure 3 : Side view of Terex Titan 33-19
                                                (Image source : flickr.com)

Open pit mine operators need high capacity and efficient haul trucks for high productivity.The General Motors designed this truck keeping in view these requirements of open pit mine operators.

   

                        

                                Video 1 : Terex Titan 33-19

                       

                                Video 2 : Terex Titan 33-19

At the time of its production in 1973 the Terex 33-19 Titan was the biggest and the highest capacity haul truck ever build.It held the title of being "the biggest truck in the world" for 25 years until the production of Caterpillar 797 in 1998 by Caterpillar Inc. USA,which has payload capacity of 360 short-ton (330t).The technical specifications of Terex Titan 33-19,according to wikipedia, are :

• Payload Capacity : 350 short tons (320t)
• Net Vehicle Weight : 509500 pounds (231100kg)
• Gross Vehicle Weight : 1209500 pounds (548600kg) 
• Top Speed When fully loaded : 29.8mph (48km/h)
• Tyres : It requires ten 40x57 tyres
• Power Train : The power train consists of diesel/AC electric power train,based on Electro-Motive Division model 16-645E4,16-cylinder,gross 300hp (2461 kw),10320-cubic-inch,turbocharged, inter-cooled,unit injection,locomotive engine coupled directly to Electro-Motive Division model AR 10-D14,10-pole,AC electric alternator sending DC power via a rectifier to General Motors model D79CF traction motors at each of the four rear wheels.
• Steering : The steering is based on a power,all-wheel steering system.

The Terex Titan 33-19 never entered regular production,only one of its type was produced.After  acquiring the Sparwood mine in late 1992,Teck Corporation offered the 33-19 Titan for preservation as a public monument in 1993.The 33-19 Titan is on static display as a tourist attraction off Highway 3 in Titan Park,141 Aspen Drive,Sparwood,BC,Canada with its engine removed.