Clean Energy has opened its first public-access CNG station in Santa Monica, Calif., in partnership with the Southern California Gas Co. The station is expected to dispense 100,000 gallons in its first year.
Rogers Ultima Series lowboy trailers now are available in capacities of 35, 50, 55 and 60 tons.
Carrier Transicold has announced extended warranty coverage for transport refrigeration system sensors and protection against refrigerant leaks.
Citgo Petroleum has improved its Mystik line, which will feature new product offerings and labeling, and a more contemporary logo.
Permatex is celebrating the 100,000th automotive technician trained through its Clinic Program.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has honored singer Willie Nelson in recognition of his support of cleaner-burning biodiesel fuel.
Phillips Industries has opened an Eastern Canada Distribution Center in Mississauga, Ontario.
Freightliner Custom Chassis, FedEx Express, Eaton, Utilimaster and Detroit Diesel have teamed to develop a line of hybrid diesel/electric walk-in vans.
A new six-page brochure from Dana describes the benefits of the Dana Spicer TIMS tire inflation and monitoring system for trailers. Visit this site to order or download.
Cooper Tire & Rubber is seeking to increase its brand awareness through an experimental, interactive website, www.coopertire.com.
The Automotive Engine Rebuilder’s Association has selected Clevite Engine Parts as the official supplier of engine parts for its ethanol-fueled engine building competition.
The Multec Medium Duty Common Rail fuel system from Delphi Corp. has been chosen by JCB, a construction and agricultural equipment maker, for use on its 4.4-liter in-house diesel engine.
Volvo Powertrain’s Hagerstown, Md., plant, which will produce all 2007 engines for Mack and Volvo Trucks North America, is undergoing extensive renovations and upgrades, including a new engine development lab. Improvements also include new robotics, more ergonomic tools and workspaces, refined production processes, state-of-the-art information systems and greatly improved energy efficiency.
The 1.5 million-square-foot plant, which sits on 281 acres, employs some 1,770 people and produces 160 Mack engines, 100 Volvo engines and 75 Mack transmissions per day.
While Mack and Volvo engines will have parallel displacements and ratings, and will be built using common main components such as blocks and crankshafts, there will be subtle differences – camshaft profiles and software tweaks, for example – that will help ensure that each brand retains its individual characteristics, according to senior vice president Sten-Ake Aronsson.
BFNT to retrace historic route
Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire is participating in a retracing of the cross-country trip that changed the way Americans travel.
Eighty-seven years ago, the First Transcontinental Motor Train traveled 3,230 miles from Washington, D.C., to San Francisco, and this June, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) will retrace the historic route to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the life-changing U.S. Interstate System.
It was July 7, 1919, when Lt. Col. Dwight D. Eisenhower embarked on the coast-to-coast trip to learn whether troops and supplies could cross America successfully by truck. When the convoy reached Columbiana, Ohio – so the story goes – Ike and his men were invited to enjoy a fried chicken dinner at Harvey Firestone’s farm. As the convoy set out the following day, Firestone added two of his own trucks to the group. Firestone’s trucks had his pneumatic tires, while Eisenhower’s used mostly solid rubber.
The convoy reached San Francisco 55 days later, achieving an average speed of 6 mph. By then, Eisenhower reportedly was sold on Firestone’s pneumatic tires – and on his idea for an interstate highway system. In 1956, Eisenhower, then president, signed the bill creating our modern interstate system.
AASHTO plans to begin the commemorative journey in San Francisco on June 15 with stops to celebrate along the way. The convoy, including two Firestone tractor trailers, will roll into Washington, D.C. on June 29.
Separate sites
Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire has created websites for each of its truck tire brands: www.bridgestonetrucktires.com for large- and medium-sized fleet customers, and www.firestonetrucktires.com for smaller fleets and owner-operators.
More work from Workhorse
Workhorse Custom Chassis has introduced a 16,000-pound GVWR version of its W42 chassis. The new platform, with wheelbase choices of 125, 133, 157, 178 and 190 inches, is available with either a diesel or gas engine, and is intended for walk-in trucks in the package delivery, laundry, utility, mobile tool sale and newspaper industries. The previous GVWR range for the W42 chassis was 9,400 to 14,500 pounds.
The diesel platform is powered by the International VT 275 V6 engine, producing 200 hp and 440 lb-ft of torque, coupled to an Allison LCT-1000 electronic 5-speed transmission; while the gas version gets GM’s 6-liter Vortec 6000, making 300 hp and 355 lb-ft of torque, coupled to GM’s 4L80-E Hydromatic electronic transmission with overdrive.
Upgraded chassis features include four-wheel Brembo disc brakes, a Westport Wide Track I-Beam front axle with a full 50-degree wheel cut, Meritor WABCO four-channel ABS, and a ZF variable-ratio power-steering box. In addition, new parabolic taper-leaf springs and custom-tuned shocks reportedly improve stability and comfort on the road. The chassis has full J-1939 diagnostics capability and a new Smart Cluster instrument panel with LCD screen for diagnostic and driver information.
Equipment Puzzler
In April, we asked readers to name an engine cooling system that uses propylene glycol (as opposed to ethylene glycol), and no water.
The Hybrid or Evans system is a waterless cooling system that gained limited popularity in the 1980s.
At press time, no one had supplied the correct answer, but you can correct that situation by sending the answer to this month’s Puzzler to [email protected]. If you do – or if you send in a Puzzler of your own and we use it – you’ll receive an elegant CCJ pen and Air Brake Book.
This month’s Puzzler:
In an air brake system, suppose 60 psi were applied to a chamber with a 16-square-inch diaphragm, and the pushrod were acting on a 4-inch slack adjuster. How much torque would be applied to the S-camshaft?
