Constructing Cool Sleds
Video transcript
In this small workshop on Tasmania’s east coast, big things are happening.
Elphinstone Engineering have won a multimillion dollar contract to build 28 sleds
Business Owner Graeme Elphinstone; “This is the biggest single order we have had for Antarctica.”
The sleds will be used to transport expeditions to search for the oldest ice on Earth.
Next year they’ll carry a mobile station 1200 kilometres inland from Australia’s Casey station.
Australian Antarctic Division Traverse Project Manager, Anthony Hull; “The expected temperatures at our proposed site where we are heading to can be up to -30°C, -50°C.”
The traverse train will have five 12.5 metre sleds for accommodation vans and 23 smaller sleds for cargo
Australian Antarctic Division Traverse Project Manager, Anthony Hull; “The flat deck sleds are a universal platform. So those sleds we can put a range of different types of cargo on those, you know 20 foot containers, 10 foot containers, fuel tanks, general cargo.”
Business Owner Graeme Elphinstone; “We’ve been able to build a sled that is a lot less maintenance in the field and also been able to carry bigger loads over longer distances.”
The sleds will be pulled by tractors modified for harsh Antarctic conditions.
