I spent a few years as a member of LLNL's Accident Response Group. Our job was to access the "package" in the event of a weapons transportation accident. Won't get into details as to how this is accomplished, let it suffice to say that you don't want to mess with one of these trucks.
I remember reading a article on this in the mid 80's in Parade magazine or something like that.. back then the trucks were more of an aqua blue/greeny color, if I remember right the drivers were armed. They were touting quite an impressive safety record.
Along the lines of the Big Lot truck.. I would go with a Walmart or a Schnider trucking orange run.. totally anonymous as long as the load did not get screwed up and somebody dropped a hot trailer off at the wrong loading dock.
This article has been around for years- I found it around 2004.
"To the untrained eye the new tractor is indistinguishable from a commercial 18-wheeler."
Yeah except that the trucks are the cleanest 377 Petes you will ever see, lack DOT #'s, and have absolutely no signage whatsover except for US Gov't license plates. Too clean, too stealth.
At least put a couple of stainless steel trucker girl silhouettes on the rear trailer mudflaps...
@econobiker: Oh, yeah, if they really wanted stealth they'd paint 'em up like a fake regional trucking company - a different one for each area so that nobody actually caught on, and it would solve the licensing issues of a nationwide chain.. "The plates look funny, and I've never heard of that company. Oh, they're based in Fort Smith, AR. That'd be why."
@HoonThatFerrari: I think it is unstated phrasing : "Don't like my driving? Talk to the business end of 7.62mm automatic weapon and a Federal arrest warrant."
First delivery of tritium to scientific facility -- Armed guards, transporter, convoy, plus media notification and review leading to a spot on local news.
Second delivery - Homeless looking guy driving a tired F150. Had to lift cap up a few inches to get enough clearance so container could be taken out of bed of pickup.
Way to go Friends of the Earth putting secrets like this on the internet for all to see. I’m just thankful terrorist don’t use the internet for research....I don't think they do....do they?
@Flathead Smith: Are you joking? I'm sure the terrorists have their preferred online resources. Any terrorist sourcing terrorism secrets from Jalopnik is behind the curve.
I know some of the guys who build these, even though technically I'm not supposed to know what they do. Trust me, there's a lot more to these than a padlock and some Owens-Corning fiberglass. These employ some awesome, hardcore technology. That I will gladly testify to knowing nothing about.
Did you know that more nuclear material is transported on Interstate 65 than any other U.S. highway? And that the Norfolk Southern line carries more nuclear material than any other train line?
And that these two heavily trafficked nuclear lines intersect in Lafayette, Indiana?
If you've ever been to Lafayette, you won't be surprised.
It's all misdirection. They've actually bought up a massive fleet of beige Chrysler minivans.
Therefore anyone opposed to nuclear proliferation should take it upon themselves to destroy every beige Chrysler minivan they can find. Hell, just to be safe, destroy every Chrysler. You don't want to miss any.
Don't worry, the containers are nice and strong, you won't get any nuclear on you.
When I was stationed at a nuclear missile base in Missouri, they used to run convoys from the missile site to the base and in the truck would be a warhead. Standard operating procedure dictated that the convoy be led by a Federal Marshall, 2 armored assault vehicles, the truck carrying said warhead, 2 more armored assault vehicles, a helicopter, and an armored assault would follow 2 miles back. On the open highway the minimum speed was 80 mph (at that time the national speed limit was 55) and in town was 45. If the vehicles slowed below 45, the security folks had to display weapons. A Highway Patrolman decided to pull over the chase vehicle one day, the guys in the chopper saw this and radioed the Marshall. The Marshall cut a quick u-turn, arrived on the scene and promptly handcuffed the Highway Patrolman to the outside of his vehicle, got in his car and left. He then proceeded to radio HP headquarters and told them to remind the patrolmen to never fuck with a federal convoy again. It was classic. The patrolman was suspended, and the driver of the chase vehicle was discharged.
They take that stuff pretty serious!
@leavethegun-takethecannoli: Then there is the story about the warhead that fell out of the truck at the intersection of Hwy 65 and Hwy 50 in Sedalia Mo. or the fanatical preacher that tried to jackhammer through the lid of a missile silo where the missile comes out, but I will save them for another time.
Noticed that it's "Friends of the Earth" who spilled the beans. It's interesting that they'd rather tell everyone where the safely contained radioactive material is (or was...) than KEEP THEIR BIG MOUTHS SHUT and not give away what might be considered a bit of a secret. Although by now you can be sure the DOE has started coming up with an alternative. Green trucks, maybe...that'd be ironic.
When they say they have an escort, I picture a troop transporter, minigun suburbans, an attack helicopter just off the highway, and a C130 gunship over head. I know this is probably not true, but I trust that there is no way we would let someone steal a nuke out of our back yard.
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Last I knew, Britain had The Bomb.
...okay, so the trains sometimes run on time...
09/09/09
Along the lines of the Big Lot truck.. I would go with a Walmart or a Schnider trucking orange run.. totally anonymous as long as the load did not get screwed up and somebody dropped a hot trailer off at the wrong loading dock.
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[www.sandia.gov]
This article has been around for years- I found it around 2004.
"To the untrained eye the new tractor is indistinguishable from a commercial 18-wheeler."
Yeah except that the trucks are the cleanest 377 Petes you will ever see, lack DOT #'s, and have absolutely no signage whatsover except for US Gov't license plates. Too clean, too stealth.
At least put a couple of stainless steel trucker girl silhouettes on the rear trailer mudflaps...
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What??? You mean they don't have stickers on the back of the box, saying: "Don't like my driving? Call 1-800-xxx-xxxx???"
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Second delivery - Homeless looking guy driving a tired F150. Had to lift cap up a few inches to get enough clearance so container could be taken out of bed of pickup.
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Now that their cover is blown the DOE's decided to go for a more "in your face" paint scheme.
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COTD!
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And that these two heavily trafficked nuclear lines intersect in Lafayette, Indiana?
If you've ever been to Lafayette, you won't be surprised.
09/09/09
/IU grad... Go Hoosiers!
09/09/09
Therefore anyone opposed to nuclear proliferation should take it upon themselves to destroy every beige Chrysler minivan they can find. Hell, just to be safe, destroy every Chrysler. You don't want to miss any.
Don't worry, the containers are nice and strong, you won't get any nuclear on you.
09/09/09
Although conventional ordnance would do, who knows what monsters Sebrings would mutate into under the effect of all that radiation?
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They take that stuff pretty serious!
09/09/09
Can I nominate Russter for COTD? Excellent anecdote.
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