Terex Corporation (Machinery)
Introduction
The Terex 33-19 "Titan" was a prototype of a three-axle ultra-class mining truck, with a rigid chassis and a diesel-electric powertrain, designed by the Terex division, at the time, belonging to General Motors and assembled by the diesel division of General Motors, in its assembly plant located in London, Ontario "London (Ontario)"), Canada, in 1973. Only one 33-19 was produced and was for 25 years the largest yoke with the highest load capacity in the world. After 13 years of service, 33-19 was restored and is now preserved on display as a tourist attraction in Sparwood, British Columbia, Canada.
Development and production
General Motors developed the “Titan” in response to the need for more efficient yokes for open pit mining operations. GM believed that a decrease in the quality of ore "Ore (mining)") combined with the project to extract oil sands would increase the amount of ore to be transported, by operators of this type of trucks, worldwide. .[1] The Titan was the largest yucler in the Terex 33 series, which also included the 33-03, 33-05, 33-09, 33-11 and 33-15 models. The 33-19 “Titan” and 33-15 used diesel-electric powertrains, while the lesser 33 series models used mechanical powertrains.
The Titan was assembled at the General Motors diesel division assembly plant located in London, Ontario, Canada, in 1973. The Titan was shown to the public for the first time in October 1974 at the American Mining Congress in Las Vegas, Nevada.
GM predicted that when the Titan entered production, it would cost approximately $1.5 million in 1976 US dollars, which adjusted for inflation, as of 2016, it would cost approximately $6.25 million in 1976 US dollars.[5][6] In any case, the Titan never entered regular production. The global coal market weakened in the late 1970s, causing coal mines to reduce production and operating expenses, rebuilding existing equipment or purchasing smaller capacity yokes with proven operating records. The projected market for the Titan never materialized and only a few yokes of line 33 were delivered to a Canadian mining company. Many of them continued working by the year 2000.[2].
Service History
Terex put the 33-19 “Titan” into service with Kaiser Steel at its iron ore mines located in Eagle Mountain, California, in January 1975.[7][8]. The 33-19 “Titan” was frequently out of service, but over the course of its four years of service at the Eagle Mountain mine, the 33-19 hauled 3.5 million tons of material.