Nothing like the actual facts to settle a debate. (Fact, any normal pickup with 4 wheel drive low and a working drive train could have towed it.)
3:20PM EDT October 14. 2012 - A Toyota Tundra pickup towed the retired space shuttle Endeavour across a freeway bridge in Inglewood, Calif., last night, a publicity coup that helped underscore Toyota's American connections.
The shuttle is winding its way from Los Angeles International Airport to a museum near downtown Los Angeles. Most of the way, it is being towed by a tractor atop of a high-tech rig. But for about 100 yards, the crews needed to lighten the load to get it across the Manchester Avenue overpass to cross the San Diego Freeway.
That's where the Toyota Tundra came in.
As we've told you, Toyota has been practicing for months for the move. We learned last night that execs actually gave the operation an internal code name, Blue Ox, and that training began several months ago -- all for a move of about 100 yards.
Indeed, the wait of few hours before the pull was mostly to get crews and equipment in place for the television commercial that Toyota is shooting. A director urged workers to pretend to inspect the rig carrying the shuttle at one point. "Give me a couple of guys in front of the tow hitch, please," he said.
The pickup that did the pull was silver with 2-foot-tall Tundra letters written across the side. On the front end was written "Born in America," making it clear that Toyota, a Japanese automaker, wants to use the shuttle pull to once again try to get Americans to think of it as an American maker. The Tundra is made in San Antonio.
Even though it practiced for months, pulling the 292,000-pound trailer turned out to be no big deal. The engine never even revved hard. When the truck started effortlessly pulling the shuttle -- in four-wheel-drive low, naturally -- the crowd of several hundred broke into a "USA, USA" chant.
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
Today's Featured Article - Fire in the Field A hay fire is no laughing matter-well, maybe one was! And a good life-lesson, too. Following World War II many farm boys returned home both older and wiser. One such man was my employer the summer I was sixteen. He was a farmer by birth and a farmer by choice, and like many returning soldiers, he was our silent hero: without medals or decorations, but with a certain ability to survive. It was on his farm that I learned to use the combination hand clutch and brake on a John D
... [Read Article]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
