♪♪
Narrator: ONE BREED OF MONSTER VEHICLE
RULES THE HIGHWAYS.
THE MOST POWERFUL PRODUCTION TRUCK IN THE WORLD --
THE ROAD TRAIN.
IT'S BUILT TO SURVIVE WHATEVER THE BACKROADS CAN THROW AT IT.
IT CAN TRAVEL THOUSANDS OF MILES,
HAULING THE HEAVIEST LOADS.
BREAKING THIS $300,000 BEAST DOWN INTO ITS COMPONENTS...
WE'LL UNCOVER ITS TECHNOLOGICAL SECRETS.
♪♪
FROM THE MOST POWERFUL ENGINE OF ANY CONVENTIONAL TRUCK
TO GIANT FUEL TANKS
THAT HOLD ENOUGH DIESEL FUEL TO DRIVE 1,000 MILES,
AND A TRAILER-TIPPING PISTON
THAT CAN LIFT THE WEIGHT OF A SHERMAN TANK.
WE'LL REVEAL HOW THE ROAD TRAIN EVOLVED
TO BECOME A MEGA MACHINE.
-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA,
AT OVER 700,000 SQUARE MILES,
IT'S FOUR TIMES THE SIZE OF CALIFORNIA.
HUGE FARMS COVER THIS FERTILE LAND,
PRODUCING MORE THAN 36 MILLION TONS OF CROPS,
WORTH OVER $5 BILLION EVERY YEAR.
AT HARVEST TIME,
THE GRAIN COMPANIES RACE TO FILL THEIR SILOS
TO FULFILL ORDERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
BUT WITH THOUSANDS OF MILES SEPARATING
THESE DEPOTS AND FARMS,
AND FEW RAILWAY LINES TO RELY ON,
THE MAIN WAY TO GET THE GRAIN TO THE DEPOT IS BY ROAD...
♪♪
WHICH CAN BE FRAUGHT WITH DANGER.
[ TIRES SQUEAL ]
GRAIN COMPANIES OPERATE FLEETS OF MEGA TRUCKS
CALLED "ROAD TRAINS" --
TRUCKS WITH MULTIPLE TRAILERS,
SOME OF WHICH CAN CARRY OVER 100 TONS OF CARGO.
AND THE MOST POWERFUL OF THESE OUTBACK GOLIATHS
IS THE MACK SUPER-LINER.
♪♪
UNDER ITS HOOD, A 16-LITER, SIX-CYLINDER DIESEL ENGINE
KICKS OUT AN INCREDIBLE 685 HORSEPOWER.
INTELLIGENT AIR SUSPENSION SOAKS UP THE BUMPS
ON ROUGH COUNTRY ROADS.
30 SETS OF COMPRESSED AIR BRAKES...
♪♪
SPREAD THE STOPPING POWER THROUGH THE ENTIRE ROAD TRAIN.
AND THREE 30-FOOT LONG TRAILERS
CAN CARRY MORE THAN 30 TONS OF CARGO EACH.
NO MATTER WHAT THE ROAD THROWS AT IT,
THIS MEGA TRUCK IS BUILT TO DELIVER.
♪♪
AT NORTHERN QUEENSLAND'S MAIN DEPOT,
GRAIN TRADER BRAD ABEL
SHOULD BE FACING HIS BUSIEST TIME OF THE YEAR,
BUT UNSEASONAL RAIN HAS DEVASTATED THE HARVEST.
Abel: NORMALLY, THIS TIME OF YEAR,
THERE COULD BE ANYWHERE UP TO 500 HARVESTERS GOING.
IT SHOULDN'T BE LIKE THIS, WEATHER-WISE.
THE SUN SHOULD BE OUT.
Narrator: FARMERS WON'T HARVEST WET CROPS,
AS IT COSTS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO DRY THE GRAIN.
THE DELAY IS A DISASTER FOR BRAD.
HEY, HAVE YOU GOT TIME TO WORK OUT THESE TONNAGES
THAT WE NEED FOR THIS WEEK YET?
HE'S PROMISED HUNDRED OF TONS OF PRIME, AUSTRALIAN GRAIN
TO HIS CLIENTS.
BUT THE RAIN HAS DEPLETED HIS STOCKS.
BRAD HAS A FLEET OF ROAD TRAINS AT HIS DISPOSAL
TO GET MORE GRAIN,
BUT HE NEEDS A BREAK IN THE WEATHER
TO BE ABLE TO DEPLOY THEM.
PLANNED POTENTIALLY FRIDAY.
THE FORECAST PREDICTS A TWO-DAY PERIOD OF SUNSHINE
IN AN AREA TO THE SOUTHWEST.
WE'VE GOT A PERIOD THERE.
IT'S THE BREAK BRAD IS HOPING FOR --
A SMALL PATCH OF FARMLAND IS SET FOR A DRY SPELL.
ENOUGH TIME TO HARVEST THE GRAIN.
♪♪
THE GRAIN SILO IS ON THE EAST COAST,
ON THE EDGE OF A FERTILE FARMING BELT.
THEY USUALLY SUPPLY BRAD
WITH OVER 25,000 TONS OF GRAIN EVERY MONTH.
BUT OF THE 500 WHEAT FARMS WITHIN RANGE,
ALL HAVE BEEN CAUGHT IN WET WEATHER,
EXCEPT FOR ONE.
BRAD NEEDS TO GET A TRUCK TO THE ONE DRY FARM
SO THAT THE GRAIN CAN BE HARVESTED
BEFORE THE RAINS RETURN.
HE NEEDS TO COLLECT 70 TONS OF GRAIN
TO FULFILL A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT.
♪♪
THIS MEGA TRUCK, WITH THREE MASSIVE TRAILERS,
IS THE ONLY MACHINE THAT CAN SOLVE BRAD'S PROBLEM.
AT THE WHEEL OF THIS JUGGERNAUT
IS SEASONED ROAD TRAIN DRIVER, NATHAN GRAHAM.
♪♪
NATHAN'S CLOCKED MORE THAN 3 MILLION MILES
BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A ROAD TRAIN --
THE EQUIVALENT OF DRIVING AROUND THE EARTH'S CIRCUMFERENCE
120 TIMES.
NATHAN NOW HAS THREE DAYS TO DRIVE 500 MILES,
PICK UP 70 TONS OF GRAIN,
AND DELIVER IT TO BRAD'S DEPOT.
BUT THE ROUTE IS FILLED WITH HIDDEN DANGERS.
FIRST, HE MUST DRIVE 60 MILES OF HIGHWAY.
THEN, AS NIGHT FALLS,
NAVIGATE AN AREA NOTORIOUS FOR WILD ANIMALS ON THE ROAD.
♪♪
AND HE MUST NEGOTIATE TWISTING SUBURBAN STREETS
BEFORE GOING OFF ROAD TO REACH THE FARM.
♪♪
THE ROAD TRAIN HEADS SOUTH, TOWING ITS EMPTY TRAILERS.
BUT CARRYING SO MUCH ACROSS SUCH A DISTANCE
REQUIRES MASSIVE CAPACITY.
♪♪
IN ORDER TO GO THE DISTANCE,
IT HAS FOUR LARGE FUEL TANKS
THAT TOGETHER HOLD ABOUT 500 GALLONS OF DIESEL FUEL.
A HIGH-PRESSURE PUMP SUCKS UP THE FUEL
AND SQUEEZES IT INTO A FUEL PIPE
WITH 10,000 TIMES THE PRESSURE OF A HOUSEHOLD FAUCET.
♪♪
THE PIPE FEEDS THE 16-LITER ENGINE
AND CONNECTS TO SIX FUEL INJECTORS
THAT OPEN AND CLOSE OVER 1,000 TIMES A MINUTE.
♪♪
WITH THESE INNOVATIONS,
THIS HEAVY-DUTY TRUCK CAN COVER 1,000 MILES
ON A SINGLE LOAD OF FUEL.
♪♪
OMINOUS LOOKING CLOUDS BLANKET THE SKY
AS THE ROAD TRAIN HEADS SOUTH IN SEARCH OF SUNSHINE.
ALTHOUGH THE OUTBACK IS RENOWNED FOR LONG, STRAIGHT ROADS,
DRIVING THEM IN A ROAD TRAIN HOLDS EXTREME DANGERS.
IF THE TRAILER WHEELS RUN OFF THE EDGE OF THE ROAD
ONTO THE ROUGH GROUND BEYOND,
THE TRAILERS CAN START TO SWING VIOLENTLY OUT OF CONTROL.
WITH TRAFFIC COMING THE OTHER WAY,
THIS WOULD BE A COMPLETE DISASTER.
HE MUST CONSTANTLY KEEP HIS OUTSIDE WHEELS
AT THE VERY EDGE OF THE TARMAC,
WITHOUT LETTING THEM DROP ONTO THE ROUGH GROUND.
OUT-OF-CONTROL TRAILERS CAN BE DEADLY.
TO BRACE FOR JACKKNIFING,
THE ROAD TRAIN HAS AN EMERGENCY HANDLE.
♪♪
THIS HANDLE CONNECTS TO A SET OF HIGH-POWER AIR BRAKES
ON THE TRAILER WHEELS.
TO POWER THESE BRAKES,
A DEDICATED, TWO-CYLINDER AIR COMPRESSOR
STORES AIR IN A TANK AT 120 PSI.
WHEN THE DRIVER PULLS THE BRAKE HANDLE,
A VALVE OPENS,
RELEASING A TORRENT OF HIGH-PRESSURE AIR.
AS THE AIR ENTERS THE BRAKE CYLINDER,
IT FIRES A PISTON FORWARDS,
SQUEEZING TWO BRAKE SHOES AGAINST THE BRAKE DRUM.
APPLYING THE BRAKE ONLY TO THE TRAILERS,
BUT NOT THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK,
STRAIGHTENS THE ROAD TRAIN
AND KEEPS THE TRAILERS UNDER CONTROL.
♪♪
IT'S ALWAYS REALLY SHOWING IT NOW
THAT YOU GOT THAT TRAILER BRAKE THERE.
IT'LL GET YOU OUT OF TROUBLE.
Narrator: WITH ITS TRAILERS IN A STRAIGHT LINE,
THE ROAD TRAIN MOTORS ON,
CLOCKING THE MILES AT A STEADY CRUISING SPEED
OF 55 MILES AN HOUR.
♪♪
AS THE SUN SETS,
THERE'S NO REST FOR NATHAN.
HE'S ONLY 100 MILES INTO HIS 500-MILE TREK,
AND HE MUST GET CLOSE TO THE FARM TONIGHT.
EVEN A SIMPLE PROBLEM LIKE A FLAT TIRE
BECOMES A MAJOR CHALLENGE IN THE DARK.
THE PRESSURE IN TRUCK TIRES
IS MORE THAN THREE TIMES THAT IN A CAR,
AND THEY CAN EXPLODE WITHOUT WARNING,
ESPECIALLY IF NOT TREATED WITH RESPECT.
♪♪
TRYING TO RE-INFLATE ONE OF THESE IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT
CAN BE A RECIPE FOR DISASTER.
Graham: I'M JUST CHECKING TO SEE IF WE GOT ANY FLAT TIRES.
Narrator: NATHAN TESTS ALL 58 TIRES
BY GENTLY TAPPING THEM WITH A BAR
AND LISTENING FOR AN ECHOING SOUND.
Graham: THE LAST THING WE WANT TO BE DOING
IS CHANGING A TIRE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DARK.
♪♪
YEAH, EVERYTHING SOUNDS GOOD.
♪♪
Narrator: NATHAN HAS DONE HIS BEST
TO PREPARE FOR THE NIGHT AHEAD.
BUT SOME DANGERS ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO AVOID.
♪♪
Narrator: IN QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA,
A MILLION-DOLLAR GRAIN CONTRACT IS AT STAKE
IF THIS ROAD TRAIN CAN'T PICK UP 70 TONS OF WHEAT
IN THE NEXT TWO DAYS.
TO GET CLOSE TO THE ONE FARM THAT DOESN'T EXPECT RAIN,
DRIVER NATHAN STILL HAS TO THREAD HIS WAY
THROUGH THE DARKNESS FOR ANOTHER 100 MILES.
♪♪
THE BIGGEST RISK TO THE ROAD TRAIN
IS HITTING THE ANIMALS
THAT CONSTANTLY CROSS THE ROAD AT NIGHT.
♪♪
IN THE ARID OUTBACK,
AS ROADS COOL AT NIGHT,
MOISTURE CONDENSES ON THEIR EDGES,
CREATING AN OASIS OF UNDERGROWTH,
WHICH ATTRACTS WILDLIFE.
ANIMALS ARE SPREAD OUT DURING THE DAY.
BUT AT NIGHT, THEY TEND TO MIGRATE TO THE ROADSIDE TO FEED,
AND BECOME A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR TRUCK DRIVERS.
♪♪
WITH NATHAN'S TRUCK TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD
AT 55 MILES AN HOUR,
ONE OF THE MOST VULNERABLE PARTS IS THE RADIATOR,
BECAUSE IT SITS RIGHT AT THE FRONT.
IF THIS FRAGILE PIECE OF METAL COLLIDES WITH A KANGAROO,
OR ANY OTHER BIG WILD ANIMAL,
IT COULD BE GAME OVER FOR THE ANIMAL
AND FOR THE TRUCK.
IN AUSTRALIA, 90% OF ROAD COLLISIONS WITH ANIMALS
INVOLVE A KANGAROO.
ALTHOUGH SOME SEE THEM AS A NATIONAL SYMBOL,
TO MANY DRIVERS, THEY'RE ACTUALLY A PEST.
[ CRASHING ]
[BLEEP]
A FULLY-GROWN KANGAROO CAN BE AS TALL AS A HORSE
AND HEAVIER THAN A HUMAN.
♪♪
TO PROTECT THE RADIATOR,
ROAD TRAINS ARE EQUIPPED WITH PROTECTIVE BARS,
KNOWN AS "BULL BARS."
AND THIS FACTORY IN BRISBANE MAKES THE BULL BARS.
♪♪
WELDING TECHNICIAN BRAD TRUSSELL ASSEMBLES THEM
OUT OF THICK ALUMINUM.
WELL, A BULL BAR IS KIND OF LIKE
A PIECE OF EXTRA INSURANCE FOR A TRUCK OWNER.
THE COST OF A BULL BAR IS QUITE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS
THAN REPLACING A WHOLE BONNET OR A CAB ON A TRUCK,
IF THEY WERE TO HIT A WILD ANIMAL.
AND IN THIS COUNTRY, YOU'RE GOING TO HIS SOMETHING
SOONER OR LATER.
IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE THEM
ON THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK.
Narrator: FIRST, BRAD ASSEMBLES THE FRAME
THAT WILL CARRY THE OVERSIZED BARS.
THIS IS THE ACTUAL MAIN BASE OF THE BULL BAR.
SO THIS WILL MOUNT TO THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK.
AND THEN THE VERTICAL POSTS WILL COME UP OFF OF THIS.
Narrator: BRAD SETS UP THE VERTICAL POSTS.
THEY HOLD THE REST OF THE BULL BAR TUBES IN PLACE.
SO HE MUST POSITION THEM EXTREMELY ACCURATELY.
I'VE GOT A PLANE SQUARE THAT I'LL USE, A STRAIGHT-EDGE STICK,
A COUPLE OF CLAMPS, AND A RUBBER MALLET,
JUST TO MAKE SURE I GET IT RIGHT.
Narrator: IF THE HOLES AREN'T PERFECTLY ALIGNED,
THE BARS COULD FAIL IN A COLLISION.
WELL, IT'S CRUCIAL THAT THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE
ANY WEAK SPOTS.
A BULL OR A BIG HORSE OR A CAMEL CAN RIDE A TRUCK OFF.
Narrator: HE THEN FITS THE CRUCIAL BOTTOM BAR.
THIS PIPE RUNS ALONG THE BOTTOM OF THE BULL BAR.
ANIMALS WILL GET HIT DOWN THERE, STUMPS, ROCKS,
ALL SORTS OF DAMAGE WILL HIT THE BOTTOM,
SO WE LIKE TO MAKE IT NICE AND STRONG DOWN THERE,
JUST TO GIVE IT THAT EXTRA ADDED STRENGTH.
♪♪
Narrator: TO MAKE SURE THE BAR IS STRONG ENOUGH
TO TAKE ON EVEN THE HEAVIEST BEASTS,
BRAD USES AN OLD WELDER'S TRICK.
HE TAKES THE THICKEST TUBE AVAILABLE AND DOUBLES IT
BY FITTING A SECOND ONE INSIDE.
Trussell: THAT'S SIX. THAT'S SIX.
AND SO THEM TOGETHER IS 12.
IT MAKES IT A LOT STRONGER.
Narrator: THE FINAL STAGE OF THE PROCESS
IS TO WELD THE ALUMINUM COMPONENTS.
SUPER-STRONG BARS
NEED EQUALLY STRONG WELDS TO HOLD THEM TOGETHER.
♪♪
180 AMPS OF ELECTRICAL CURRENT FLOWS FROM THE WELDING GUN.
IT CREATES A SPARK THAT HEATS THE METAL BARS
TO 5,400 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,
FUSING THEM TOGETHER.
BRAD NEEDS TO COMPLETE 300 DIFFERENT WELDS
TO PROTECT THE TRUCK FROM THE ANIMALS OF THE OUTBACK ROADS.
♪♪
THE BULL BARS SHOULD PROTECT THE ROAD TRAIN
FROM ALL BUT THE MOST MASSIVE DESERT ANIMALS.
♪♪
[BLEEP]
FOR THREE MORE HOURS OF NIGHTTIME DRIVING,
ALL NATHAN CAN DO IS KEEP HIS EYES PEELED,
HOPING HE WON'T HAVE TO PUT THE BARS TO THE TEST.
♪♪
BY 7:00 A.M.,
NATHAN AND HIS HEAVY-DUTY TRUCK
MAKE IT THROUGH THE NIGHT UNSCATHED.
THEY ARE NOW JUST A 50-MILE DRIVE FROM THE FARM.
BUT BACK AT THE DEPOT, BRAD IS WORRIED THAT THE RAIN
MIGHT HIT THE FARM MUCH SOONER THAN PREDICTED.
IT'S RAINING THERE.
WELL, THEY'VE GOT RAIN LAST NIGHT,
BUT NOT RAINING THIS MORNING, BUT THERE'S MORE COMING.
ANOTHER CHANGE COMING ACROSS FROM THE WEST BEGINS.
WELL, THIS IS A BIGGER SYSTEM THAN WHAT WE JUST BEEN THROUGH.
EXACTLY.
THAT'S MORE RAIN COMING THAN WHAT WE JUST HAD.
THAT'S NOT LOOKING GOOD.
BRAD'S REPUTATION AND A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT
DEPEND ON COLLECTING THIS GRAIN.
♪♪
Narrator: WITH A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT AT STAKE,
A MACK SUPER-LINER IS RACING TO ONE OF THE ONLY FARMS
IN QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA,
THAT HAS DRY GRAIN READY TO BE HARVESTED.
DRIVER NATHAN NEEDS TO GET TO THE FARM FAST
BECAUSE THE HARVEST CANNOT BEGIN UNTIL HE ARRIVES,
JUST IN CASE IT STARTS TO RAIN.
LOADING THE GRAIN WITH ANY MOISTURE
RISKS THE WHOLE BACK ROTTING IN THE SILOS.
♪♪
THE HUGE 16-LITER ENGINE ROLLS ALONG,
EATING UP THE MILES.
BUT AS NATHAN GETS CLOSER TO THE FARM,
HE LEAVES THE BUSH AND HIGHWAYS BEHIND,
AND PASSES THROUGH MORE POPULATED AREAS.
♪♪
THESE NARROW URBAN ROADS HAVE POTENTIAL DANGER
LURKING AROUND EVERY CORNER --
HOUSES, PARKED CARS,
PEDESTRIANS, AND SCHOOLCHILDREN.
AND THE ROAD TRAIN TAKES FAR LONGER TO STOP THAN A CAR.
IF NATHAN SIMPLY SLAMS ON HIS BRAKES,
HE RISKS CAREENING OUT OF CONTROL.
HERE, THE ROAD TRAIN IS LIKE A 100-FOOT-LONG BULL
IN A CHINA SHOP.
[ TIRES SQUEAL ]
ONE WRONG BRAKING MANEUVER HERE
CAN MAKE HIM COME OFF THE ROAD.
♪♪
BUT TO AVOID DISASTER, THE TRUCK CAN TRANSFORM ITS MIGHTY ENGINE
INTO A POWERFUL BRAKE.
AT CRUISING SPEED, THE CYLINDERS COMPRESS AIR AND DIESEL FUMES
UNTIL THE MIX EXPLODES,
GENERATING UP TO 685 HORSEPOWER.
BUT WHEN NATHAN EASES OFF THE GAS,
IT STOPS THE FUEL INJECTION AND THE EXPLOSIONS.
♪♪
THE PRESSURE IN THE CYLINDERS NOW SLOWS DOWN THE PISTONS,
GENERATING 570 HORSEPOWER OF BRAKING FORCE.
♪♪
THIS IS HOW 16 LITERS OF AIR CAN SLOW OVER 100 TONS OF TRUCK
FROM CRUISING SPEED TO WALKING PACE,
WITHOUT THE DRIVER EVER TOUCHING THE BRAKES.
♪♪
AS HE APPROACHES A TURN, NATHAN USES ENGINE BRAKING
TO EASE THE MASSIVE VEHICLE DOWN TO A CRAWL,
KEEPING COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE TRAILERS BEHIND HIM.
♪♪
CARFUL NOT TO CRUSH ANYTHING UNDER ITS 58 GIANT WHEELS,
NATHAN STEERS THE THREE HUGE TRAILERS
AROUND A TRICKY 90-DEGREE CORNER.
ONCE HE'S CLEAR, NATHAN HITS THE THROTTLE
AND THIS HEAVY-DUTY TRUCK'S MASSIVE ENGINE ROARS
BACK TO LIFE.
THE FARM IS NOW IN SIGHT.
THE ROAD TRAIN HAS COVERED 250 MILES IN 24 HOURS
AND ARRIVES TO GLORIOUS SPRING SUNSHINE.
AS IT MOVES FROM THE SMOOTH TARMAC
TO THE FARM'S ROUGH BACK ROAD,
THE HEAVY-DUTY TRUCK FACES A NEW CHALLENGE --
THE WET WEATHER AND THE FAR VEHICLES HAVE CUT
DEEP, HARD RUTS INTO THE SURFACE,
MAKING IT EXTREMELY BUMPY FOR THE HEAVY ROAD TRAIN
TO DRIVE OVER.
THIS RUGGED ROAD COULD RATTLE AND SHAKE THE ROAD TRAIN
TO PIECES.
STRONG, PROLONGED VIBRATIONS LIKE THIS HAVE BEEN KNOWN
TO UNSCREW BOLTS, DISLODGE CARGO,
AND EVEN CRACK SPRINGS AND CHASSIS.
THIS LEVEL OF VIBRATION COULD SHAKE A LESSER TRUCK TO PIECES.
♪♪
BUT TO SURVIVE THE PUNISHMENT, THE SUPER-LINER HAS YET
ANOTHER OVERSIZED SOLUTION
UP ITS SLEEVE.
AT THE FRONT, HIDDEN UNDER THE ENGINE,
LAYERS OF STEEL FORM TWO GIANT LEAF SPRINGS.
♪♪
FLEXIBLE YET STRONG, THEY SUSPEND THE FRONT WHEELS.
ON THE TWO REAR AXLES SIT RUBBER DRUMS.
FILLED WITH COMPRESSED AIR, THESE AIR SPRINGS
CUSHION IMPACTS FROM THE REAR WHEELS.
BACK AT THE FRONT, TWO MORE AIR SPRINGS ISOLATE
THE DRIVER'S CAB FROM VIBRATIONS
AND STOP THE DRIVER FROM GETTING TOSSED AROUND.
♪♪
THIS COMPREHENSIVE SUSPENSION SYSTEM GIVES A SMOOTH RIDE,
EVEN ON THE ROUGHEST ROADS.
♪♪
AS NATHAN NAVIGATES THE MEGA TRUCK ONTO THE FARM,
THE GROUND IS DRY, AND THE CROPS LOOK RIPE.
NATHAN NEEDS TO FILL HIS THREE 30-FOOT-LONG TRAILERS
AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO GET THE MUCH-NEEDED GRAIN BACK
TO HEADQUARTERS BEFORE THE RAIN STARTS POURING.
NOW THAT NATHAN IS ON THE FARM, THE HARVESTING CAN BEGIN.
TO FILL ALL THREE TRAILERS, THE HARVESTER WORKS FAST.
♪♪
IT STRIPS A TON OF WHEAT EVERY ONE AND A HALF MINUTES.
BUT EVEN AT THIS RATE,
IT'LL TAKE NEARLY TWO HOURS TO GET NATHAN
THE 70 TONS HE NEEDS.
HE MUST FILL HIS TRAILERS TO THE BRIM
TO GET THE GRAIN BACK IN TIME FOR HIS BOSS
BRAD TO COMPLETE HIS ORDERS.
♪♪
IF THE RAIN RETURNS AND THE HARVESTING STOPS,
NATHAN WILL FAIL HIS MISSION.
Graham: THE CLOUDS COME IN, THE WIND'S PICKED UP,
AND I'M JUST A BIT WORRIED
THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET LOADED BEFORE IT STARTS RAINING.
THERE'S NOTHING READY AT THE MOMENT.
Narrator: IT'S HARVEST SEASON IN AUSTRALIA'S FARMING COUNTRY,
BUT UNEXPECTED TORRENTIAL RAIN HAS PREVENTED MOST FARMERS
FROM CUTTING THEIR CROPS.
NATHAN GRAHAM HAS DRIVEN
HUNDREDS OF MILES IN HIS ROAD TRAIN
TO FIND A FARM WITH DRY WHEAT.
THE HARVESTER NOW NEEDS TO CUT 70 TONS
BEFORE THE WET WEATHER COMES BACK,
OR DRIVER NATHAN WILL NOT HAVE ENOUGH GRAIN TO FULFILL
A MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR ORDER.
THEY'RE GETTING INTO IT NOW,
SO HOPEFULLY, IT WON'T BE TOO LONG.
Narrator: BACK AT THE DEPOT, GRAIN TRADER BRAD CAN ONLY WAIT
AND HOPE THAT NATHAN CAN START LOADING SOON.
ON THE FARM, AFTER 45 MINUTES OF HARVESTING,
THE FIRST LOAD ROLLS UP TO THE ROAD TRAIN.
NATHAN DIRECTS THE FLOW OF WHEAT FROM THE TRAILER
AND TRIES TO PACK IT IN EVENLY.
TO FULFILL BRAD'S ORDER,
NATHAN MUST BRING BACK AT LEAST 70 TONS.
TO HELP HIM OUT,
THE TRUCK HAS BUILT-IN DIGITAL SCALES.
THIS MODERN SOLUTION IS THE PINNACLE
OF 5,000 YEARS OF WEIGHING-SCALE EVOLUTION.
♪♪
THE FIRST SCALES DATE BACK TO 3,000 B.C.
MIDDLE-EASTERN TRADERS USED CALIBRATED BALANCE WEIGHTS
TO MEASURE THE WEIGHT OF THEIR PRODUCE.
BUT IN THE 18th CENTURY, A BRITISH INVENTOR BUILT A SCALE
THAT USED THE EXTENSION OF A SPRING
TO SIMPLY DISPLAY THE WEIGHT ON A GAUGE.
THE ROAD TRAIN WEIGHS ITS LOAD WITH AIR.
SENSORS IN THE AIR SPRINGS
WILL DETECT AN INCREASE IN AIR PRESSURE
AS MORE GRAIN PUSHES DOWN FROM ABOVE.
THESE AIR SCALES SIT UNDERNEATH THE TRAILERS.
TO MEASURE THE WEIGHT OF A WHOLE TRUCKLOAD OF GRAIN,
DOWN TO THE LAST POUND.
TON AFTER TON OF GRAIN FLOWS INTO THE TRAILERS.
♪♪
BUT THE FILLING PROCESS STOPS AND STARTS
AS THE HEADER, THE TRAILER THAT DELIVERS THE GRAIN,
RUNS TO AND FROM THE HARVESTER TO COLLECT ITS LOAD.
WITH THE OMINOUS THREAT OF RAIN,
IT'S AN AGONIZING WAIT FOR NATHAN.
YEAH, THE HEADER WILL BE BACK SHORTLY,
SO HOPEFULLY, WE'LL GET A FULL LOAD.
Narrator: BACK AT THE DEPOT,
BRAD'S CLIENTS ARE STARTING TO ASK QUESTIONS.
IT'S STILL A LITTLE TOO WET ALL AROUND HERE.
NOW WE'VE GOT AN URGENT NEED OF PICKING THIS GRAIN UP
AND GETTING IT HERE, A.S.A.P. TO FILL THESE URGENT ORDERS.
SO, IT'S VERY CRITICAL AT PRESENT.
Narrator: BRAD IS DESPERATE FOR GOOD NEWS FROM THE FARM.
AND AFTER TWO HOURS OF HARVESTING,
THE TRAILERS ARE FINALLY FULL OF GRAIN.
♪♪
EAGER TO GET BACK ON THE ROAD,
NATHAN CHECKS THE SCALES ONE LAST TIME.
BUT HE DISCOVERS THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG
WITH THE LOAD IN THE FIRST TRAILER --
IT'S FOUR TONS LIGHTER THAN IT SHOULD BE.
WAS HOPING TO GET IT UP 20 1/2, BUT IT'S JUST ABOUT FULL.
I CAN'T GET ANY MORE IN THERE.
Narrator: THIS IS A DISASTER.
NATHAN MUST BRING BACK 70 TONS OF GRAIN
AND NOT ONE POUND LESS.
OH, IT'S ABOUT 4 TON LOWER.
Narrator: NATHAN SUSPECTS THERE MAY BE AIR POCKETS IN THE GRAIN,
TAKING UP VALUABLE ROOM.
USING AN OLD TRUCKER'S TRICK,
HE ATTEMPTS TO FREE UP SOME SPACE.
♪♪
GUNNING THE ROAD TRAIN'S ENGINE,
HE ACCELERATES BACKWARDS AND THEN JAMS ON THE BRAKES.
THE SHARP BRAKING SHAKES THE TRAILERS
ON THEIR AIR-CUSHIONED SUSPENSION,
WHICH NATHAN HOPES WILL GET RID OF THE AIR POCKETS INSIDE.
♪♪
THE LEVEL OF GRAIN IN THE TRAILERS DROPS.
BUT IS IT ENOUGH TO SQUEEZE IN FOUR MORE TONS?
♪♪
NATHAN DIRECTS THE FLOW OF THE GRAIN
INTO THE SPACE HE'S JUST CREATED,
AND THEN HE GETS HIS OWN HANDS DIRTY
TO CRAM IN THE LAST FEW POUNDS.
THE TRAILERS ARE NOW FULL TO OVERFLOWING,
BUT THE SCALES WILL HAVE THE LAST WORD.
♪♪
IF THEY SHOW 16 1/2 TONS, THE LOAD IS COMPLETE.
NATHAN HAS FINALLY GOT ENOUGH GRAIN.
THANKS, MATE.
[ LAUGHS ]
Narrator: HE COVERS THE TOP OF THE TRAILERS,
READY FOR HIS JOURNEY BACK TO HEADQUARTERS.
♪♪
THE ROAD TRAIN NEEDS TO HAUL ITS BOUNTY
BACK 250 MILES TO THE DEPOT,
BUT NOW, THE GAME HAS CHANGED.
FULLY LOADED, THE MEGA TRUCK AND TRAILERS WEIGH 106 TONS --
NEARLY THREE TIMES MORE THAN EMPTY.
IT'S NOW MUCH HARDER TO GET MOVING.
THE ENGINE IS WORKING
AT THE LIMITS OF ITS TOWING CAPACITY
AS IT DRAGS THE WEIGHT OF TWO HUMPBACK WHALES
OVER THE ROUGH COUNTRY ROAD.
AND THE HOT, MIDDAY SUN HAS BAKED THE DIRT ROAD DRY,
CREATING A NEW CHALLENGE FOR THE ROAD TRAIN -- DUST.
♪♪
DUST CAN BE LETHAL TO THIS GIANT OF A TRUCK.
WITH ITS ENGINE NOW WORKING AT FULL POWER,
IT SUCKS IN 8,000 GALLONS OF AIR PER MINUTE.
EVEN TINY DUST PARTICLES
CAN BE AS HARD AND AS ABRASIVE AS SANDPAPER.
IF THEY GET SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE,
THEY CAN BRING IT TO A GRINDING HALT.
YEAH, IT'S FAIRLY DUSTY NOW.
Narrator: WITHOUT A BREAKTHROUGH INNOVATION,
THIS MEGA TRUCK WOULD SIMPLY BITE THE DUST.
Narrator: IN THE BACK ROADS OF AUSTRALIA,
THIS MEGA TRUCK HAS 70 TONS OF GRAIN READY FOR TRANSPORT,
BUT BARRELING ALONG THESE DUSTY COUNTRY ROADS
WOULD SIDELINE MOST VEHICLES.
STANDARD AIR FILTERS WOULD CLOG UP IN MINUTES.
SO, TO SURVIVE IN THE DUSTY OUTBACK,
THE ROAD TRAIN USES A TRICK BORROWED FROM NATURE.
RIGHT NEXT TO THE CAB,
13-FOOT-TALL STAINLESS STEEL SNORKELS
REACH UP ABOVE THE DUST CLOUDS.
THEY SCOOP UP THE AIR AND CHANNEL IT DOWNWARDS.
BEFORE THE AIR REACHES THE ENGINE,
IT PASSES THROUGH A SET OF BLADES
THAT FORCE THE AIR INTO A SPIRALING VORTEX.
WHIPPING AROUND AT HIGH SPEED, THESE MINI TORNADOS THROW
THE DUST PARTICLES OUTWARDS...
SO THE TRUCK CAN EJECT THEM,
LEAVING THE AIR FLOWING DOWN INTO ITS ENGINE,
FREE FROM DAMAGING DUST,
SO THE FULLY LOADED ROAD TRAIN CAN KEEP GOING,
EVEN ON THE DIRTIEST COUNTRY ROADS.
♪♪
WITH ITS MINI TORNADOS UNDER THE HOOD,
THE MEGA TRUCK MAKES IT SAFELY OFF THE ROAD
AND STRAIGHT INTO ITS NEXT CHALLENGE.
PULLING OVER 100 TONS OF TRUCK UP TO SPEED
ON A BUSY HIGHWAY CAN BE RISKY.
♪♪
NATHAN KNOWS HE NEEDS TO GET HIS TIMING JUST RIGHT
AND HOPES THAT THIS BIG MACHINE IS UP TO THE TASK.
YEAH, WE'RE JUST COMING ONTO THE MAIN ROAD HERE,
AND WE GOT A BIT OF TRAFFIC COMING, SO...
Narrator: IN AUSTRALIA,
ALMOST 2,000 PEOPLE ARE HOSPITALIZED EACH YEAR
BECAUSE OF CRASHES WITH TRUCKS.
[ TRUCK HORN BLARES ]
♪♪
AND NATHAN'S FULL LOAD MAKES AN ALREADY-TRICKY MANEUVER
EVEN MORE DANGEROUS.
YEAH, IT'S A BIT HARD, BUT WE GOT TO TAKE OFF
BECAUSE WE GOT SO MUCH WEIGHT,
IT TAKES A BIT TO GET THE TRUCK MOVING.
Narrator: TO GET THE ROAD TRAIN
AND ITS HEAVY LOAD ROLLING QUICKLY FROM A STANDING START,
NATHAN MUST RELY ON THE FLAWLESS INTEGRATION
OF THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION.
AT THE HEART OF THE MACHINE,
THE MIGHTY 6-CYLINDER ENGINE DELIVERS 685 HORSEPOWER.
AS THE PISTONS POWER UP AND DOWN,
THEY DRIVE A TRANSMISSION
WHICH THEN FEEDS THE POWER TO THE WHEELS.
THE TRUCK'S TRANSMISSION HAS 12 GEARS...
AND AN ELECTRONIC BRAIN TO SHIFT THEM AUTOMATICALLY.
AS THE ROAD TRAIN STARTS TO ACCELERATE,
THE COMPUTER CALCULATES THE PERFECT MOMENT TO SHIFT...
AND THEN CHANGES GEARS FASTER AND SMOOTHER
THAN A HUMAN DRIVER COULD
TO DELIVER MAXIMUM POWER TO THE WHEELS
AND GET THIS 100-TON ROAD TRAIN ON THE ROAD.
♪♪
WHEN YOU'RE PULLING OUT ONTO THE MAIN ROAD,
YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY
ABOUT SELECTING GEARS OR ANYTHING.
YOU JUST WATCH FOR THE TRAFFIC, AND YOU JUST PUT
ALL YOUR FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR AND DRIVE.
♪♪
Narrator: THE ROAD TRAIN POWERS FORWARD
AS THE TRANSMISSION GLIDES EFFORTLESSLY UP THROUGH THE GEARS
TO HIT A CRUISING SPEED OF 55 MILES AN HOUR.
THERE WE GO. WE'RE UP TO SPEED ALREADY.
♪♪
Narrator: FOR THE NEXT FOUR HOURS,
THE ROAD TRAIN HAULS ITS MOUNTAIN OF GRAIN
FOR 200 MILES WITHOUT STOPPING.
THIS MACHINE IS DESIGNED TO RUN AND RUN,
TO NEVER FAIL, AND ALWAYS BE READY TO SPRING INTO ACTION.
THIS RELIABILITY COMES FROM THE PRECISION
WITH WHICH THE TRUCKS ARE BUILT.
ALL SUPERLINERS START THEIR LIFE HERE,
AT THE MACK FACTORY IN BRISBANE,
WHERE TECHNICIANS BUILD EVERY TRUCK BY HAND.
FIRST, THEY ASSEMBLE THE ENGINE
TO GET IT READY FOR THE MAIN PRODUCTION LINE.
IT'S THIS COLOSSAL ENGINE THAT ALLOWS THE MEGA TRUCK
TO HAUL MONSTER LOADS WITHOUT BREAKING DOWN.
THIS 16-LITER MP10 ENGINE IS A HUGELY POWERFUL ENGINE,
THE MOST POWERFUL ENGINE IN A CONVENTIONAL VEHICLE.
IT'S FULLY ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED
TO DELIVER THE MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE
100 PERCENT OF THE TIME.
NEXT, TECHNICIANS ATTACH TWO SUPER-STRENGTH DRIVESHAFTS
TO TRANSMIT THE IMMENSE POWER FROM THE ENGINE
TO THE REAR WHEELS OF THE TRUCK.
IF THE SHAFT IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH,
THEN AS SOON AS THEY APPLY
ALL OF THAT POWER FROM THE ENGINE,
THAT SHAFT WILL JUST BASICALLY TWIST LIKE AN ALUMINUM CAN
AND FOLD UP AND SNAP IN HALF.
Narrator: TO AVOID THE SHAFTS FAILING UNDER THE IMMENSE LOAD,
THEY'RE MADE FROM HEAT-TREATED STEEL,
WHICH MAKES THEM STRONGER.
NEXT, THE CREW SWINGS IN THE DRIVER'S CAB FROM ABOVE
AND BOLTS IT ON.
IT WEIGHS AS MUCH AS AN S.U.V.
INCREDIBLY, THIS FACTORY BUILDS UP TO 20 TRUCKS EACH DAY.
BUT NONE OF THEM WILL LEAVE UNTIL THE SAFETY TEAM
PUTS THEM THROUGH RIGOROUS TESTING
IN THIS GIANT TESTING BAY.
EACH TRUCK MUST UNDERGO A BARRAGE OF CHECKS.
FIRST, IT'S A BRAKE TEST.
Turnell: I'M JUST GONNA HOLD MY FOOT AT THE RIGHT PRESSURE ALL THE TIME.
Narrator: THE BRAKES MUST BE STRONG ENOUGH
TO STOP A FULLY-LOADED ROAD TRAIN
FROM GETTING OUT OF CONTROL.
THERE WE GO.
AND THE BRAKE TEST IS OKAY. IT'S GOOD.
Narrator: THE TEST DRIVER THEN PUSHES THE ENGINE TO THE LIMIT
WITH A SPEED TEST ON A ROLLING ROAD.
THERE'S A MAXIMUM-SPEED TEST NOW.
Narrator: REVVING UP THROUGH THE GEARS, THE TRUCK HITS 60 MILES AN HOUR.
[ DEVICE BEEPING ]
AND WE'RE LOOKING PRETTY GOOD. 100 PERCENT PASS.
♪♪
Narrator: WITH THE SIGNATURE OF APPROVAL ON THE HOOD,
THIS GIANT MACHINE IS NOW OFFICIALLY CERTIFIED
TO HAUL THE BIGGEST LOADS WITHOUT GRINDING TO A HALT.
AT THE WHEEL OF THE ROAD TRAIN,
TRUCKER NATHAN IS RACING BACK TO THE GRAIN DEPOT.
IF HE DOESN'T DELIVER HIS 70 TONS OF GRAIN IN TIME,
HIS BOSS, BRAD, COULD LOSE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
♪♪
Narrator: THE ROAD TRAIN IS OUT ON THE AUSTRALIAN HIGHWAY.
FULLY LOADED WITH GRAIN,
IT'S RACING BACK TO THE GRAIN DEPOT.
THE MEGA TRUCK HAS LUGGED THESE THREE HUGE TRAILERS
ALMOST 500 MILES.
EACH NOW WEIGHS MORE THAN A LARGE EXCAVATOR
AND CARRIES ENOUGH WHEAT TO MAKE 45,000 LOAVES OF BREAD.
DRIVER NATHAN IS NOW PUSHING
THE FULLY LOADED TRUCK TO ITS LIMITS
TO GET TO THE DEPOT BEFORE THE RAIN RETURNS.
HE CAN'T UNLOAD IN THE RAIN.
IF THE WHEAT GETS WET, IT COULD ROT IN THE SILOS.
PULLING THIS HEAVY LOAD,
THE TRUCK BURNS NEARLY ONE GALLON OF FUEL
EVERY TWO MILES
AND WOULD NORMALLY BE SPEWING OUT TOXIC LEVELS OF HARMFUL GAS.
BUT ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY MAKES THIS ENGINE SUPER CLEAN.
THE FIRST ROAD TRAINS WERE POWERFUL FOR THEIR DAY,
BUT THEIR DIESEL ENGINES WERE INEFFICIENT GAS GUZZLERS
THAT SPEWED OUT LOTS OF TOXIC EXHAUST.
LATER MODELS RECIRCULATED THE EXHAUST INTO THE ENGINE
TO BURN OUT THE TOXINS AND REDUCE EMISSIONS.
♪♪
BUT IN THE SOARING AUSTRALIAN HEAT,
THESE HOT EXHAUST GASES COULD ALSO CAUSE
TRUCK ENGINES TO OVERHEAT
AND LEAVE TRUCKERS STRANDED ON THE ROAD.
SO, THIS HEAVY-DUTY TRUCK
INJECTS A TOXIN-CLEANING CHEMICAL CALLED AdBlue
DIRECTLY INTO THE EXHAUST TO BREAK DOWN
NOXIOUS NITROGEN OXIDES BEFORE THEY ESCAPE.
♪♪
THIS EXHAUST TREATMENT MEANS
NATHAN CAN PUT THE PETAL TO THE METAL
WHILE THE RESIDENTS AND WILDLIFE BREATHE EASY.
AT LAST, THE ROAD TRAIN PULLS INTO THE GRAIN DEPOT
WITH GOODS IN TOW.
♪♪
[ TRUCK HORN HONKS ]
THE JOURNEY HAS TAKEN THREE DAYS
AND COVERED MORE THAN 500 MILES ACROSS DIRT ROADS
AND LONG AND DIFFICULT HIGHWAYS.
NATHAN HAS MADE IT BACK IN TIME, BUT THE GRAIN IS NOT SAFE YET.
NATHAN'S BACK. TIME IS NOT ON OUR SIDE.
AND WE'RE ALL STARTING TO WORRY.
NOBODY CAN PREDICT THE WEATHER.
Narrator: THE RAIN CLOUDS ABOVE THE DEPOT HAVE ALREADY STARTED TO DRIZZLE.
NATHAN MUST GET THE WHEAT INTO THE SILOS
BEFORE THESE DROPS TURN INTO A DOWNPOUR.
IF HE UNLOADS IN THE RAIN,
THE WET CROP WILL ROT IN THE CONTAINERS.
HE NEEDS TO GET THE 70 TONS OUT OF THE TRAILERS
AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE,
BUT CAN'T AFFORD THE TWO HOURS IT TOOK TO LOAD THE GRAIN.
SO THE ROAD TRAIN HAS A BUILT-IN SOLUTION.
TUCKED IN BEHIND THE CAB...
IS A 6 1/2-FOOT LONG HYDRAULIC CYLINDER
WITH FOUR TELESCOPIC CHAMBERS HIDDEN INSIDE IT.
AS HIGH-PRESSURE OIL FLOWS INTO THE CHAMBERS,
IT PUSHES THEM APART AND THEY EXTEND,
QUADRUPLING THE LENGTH OF THE CYLINDER.
THIS LIFTS THE HEAVY TRAILER AND TIPS IT UP BY OVER 45 DEGREES.
THIS LETS GRAVITY DO THE REST.
THESE TIPPING TRAILERS MAKE THE ROAD TRAIN
THE ULTIMATE GRAIN DISPENSER.
♪♪
USING THIS TIPPING TECHNOLOGY,
NATHAN CAN UNLOAD EACH TRAILER FULL OF GRAIN...
...IN SIX MINUTES FLAT.
AS THE LAST GRAINS OF WHEAT DROP INTO THE SILOS,
BRAD CAN FINALLY RELAX.
Abel: NOW THE GRAIN'S HERE ON TIME,
WE CAN COMPLETE OUR PACKING
AND GET IT TO THE PORT OF BRISBANE.
THE TRUCKS ARE IN LINE,
THE CONTAINERS ARE GOING ON THEIR BACKS,
WE'RE GETTING IT ON THE ROAD.
Narrator: THE SUPERLINER AND ITS TRAILERS HAVE SAVED THE DAY.
WITHOUT THOSE MASSIVE PAYLOAD THAT THE SUPERLINER CAN CARRY,
WE WOULD BE IN TROUBLE.
♪♪
Narrator: AS SOON AS IT'S EMPTY, THE MEGA TRUCK IS BACK AT WORK
AND ON THE ROAD AGAIN.
THIS AMAZING MACHINE IS A LEGENDARY WORKHORSE
THAT THOUSANDS OF FARMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY DEPEND ON.
THIS TRUCK CARRIES MASSIVE CARGO OVER EXTREME DISTANCES
AND HARSH TERRAIN,
MAKING THE ROAD TRAIN THE TRUE KING OF THE ROAD.
IT'S ALL THANKS TO THE MIGHTY BUT EFFICIENT ENGINE,
A SMART, 12-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION,
AIR-CUSHIONED SUSPENSION,
MINI TORNADOS INSIDE ITS AIR FILTERS,
AND HEAVY-HAULING TIPPING TRAILERS.
IT'S THESE TECHNOLOGICAL SECRETS
THAT HAVE HELPED THE ROAD TRAIN EVOLVE TO BECOME A MEGA MACHINE.