back to the Index

Construction

    Note that the Tau Project bunkers are constructed nearly identically below the entrance level; most of them did not have a convenient cave system to place the entrance in. The "drive in" tunnel is at least 40 meters long, and (if properly built) continues 40 meters past the concrete structure at the top of the core.

     The bunker is 40 meters in diameter and 7 levels deep, with a central open core and eight radial chambers on most levels; the top level is about 50 meters below the entrance level. A freight elevator 10 meters in diameter runs up the core. The main levels are named A through G, in descending order.

An example of a Tau Project bunker (in this case, the Stronghold bunker).

     It was built in a hurry, from about 1980 to 1985; it has a fusion reactor for electrical power. The water supply is sufficient for 20,000 liters day.

notice the human figure down by the edge of the elevator platform

Level A

     Each of the barracks spaces has bunks for 20 persons. A single 20-person cryoberth, and six individual berths, are located on this level. Food prep and cleanup goes on in the galley. The pastor,  elders and deacons have rooms, also; the pastor has a small office.

     The hall has benches, maps, and lectern; a few radios, file cabinets, and other "office/headquarters" stuff is against the walls.

Levels B and C

     All of the motor vehicles and trailers are parked on these two levels. The buggies and Twisters are located closest to the elevator.

Level D

     Most of the members of the congregation are here, frozen in 20-person cryoberths.

Level E

     Supplies are stored here; many of them are in 6 meter long ISO containers.

Level F

     Water filtration and storage, wastewater removal, carbon dioxide fire suppression, power generation and distribution, air hearing/ventilation/cooling, and other "life support" functions are centered here.

Level G

     Eight fuel tanks each contain 350,000 liters of diesel fuel, for a total of 2.8 million liters. Barrels of lubricants, hydraulic and transmission fluids are stored around the elevator platform.

     Despite anti-oxidants, fuel stabilizers, and high sulfur levels, etc. the fuel went bad within 20 to 40 years.

Logistics

Habitation

     Supplies for tent housing for 500 people:  porta-potties, military kitchens, cots, medical supplies, portable light stands, fluorescent lights and cables for tents or temporary housing, 600 Schofield Reference Bibles, 600 copies of "The End of Planet Earth", water tank on stilts, refrigerators, barbed wire, water testing kits, a bailey bridge, a few hundred body bags, spools of black and white flexible 3/4" PVC pipe, lots of fittings for water system, etc.

Military

     Personal arms and equipment: 

• 200 P-1 pistols (the post-WW2 version of the P.38) ... damage 1d10, range 20 meters
  

• 12 Remington 870 pump shotguns ... damage per shell, range 20 meters
  

• 30 MP5A2 submachineguns ... damage 1d10, range 40 meters
  

• 30 Galil ARM rifles in 5.56mm caliber ... damage 2d8, range 90 meters
  

• 200 M16A1 rifles ... damage 2d8, range 90 meters
  

• 12 MAG-58 machine guns (including 8 as vehicle mounted weapons)

• 40 black kevlar Level IIIA vests and PASGT helmets  ... vest armor value 10 flex, helmets armor value 9
  

• 200 adult gasmasks, 300 childrens' gasmasks, 1000 exposure protection suits

• geiger counters and cumulative exposure meters

   

     Ammunition, spares and other ordnance:

• 150,000 rounds of 9mm ball

• 1440 rounds of 12 gauge magnum buckshot

• 1440 rounds of 12 gauge birdshot

• 20,000 rounds of 7.62mm NATO linked ball

• 230,000 rounds of 5.56mm NATO ball

• 8,000 rounds of 20x139mm ammo:  mixed 3 HEI-T and 2 APDS-T (can penetrate 34mm armor sloped 45 degrees at 1000 meters)

• several hundred kilograms of plastic explosives, along with detonating systems

• various linear and "hole-making" shaped charges, most of which don't contain explosive until needed

   

     Members of the scouting and security unit tend to own personal weapons (almost all in calibers that the Tau Project stocks). Some examples:  VP70 pistol, S&W Model 59 "Full House" pistol, Ruger New Model Blackhawk (a single-acton gate loader) with cylinders for .357 Magnum and 9mm, Franchi SPAS-12 semi-auto shotgun, and a Ruger AC556K full-auto carbine with folding stock. They are also the kind of folk who get serious about knives.

     Clothing, packs, hats, etc. are a mix of surplus and sporting gear; there's no real attempt to dress uniformly except for Tau patches.

Vehicles

     Vehicles characteristics can be found here. 

• two D7G armored bulldozers
  

• five scout buggies
  

• four Lockheed XM808 Twister armored patrol vehicles
  

• twelve D350D articulated off-road trucks (for cargo, 6m ISO containers, water and fuel)

• two diesel-powered forklifts

• four multifuel M35 cargo trucks with Caterpillar engines
  

• eighteen multifuel M35 trucks with Caterpillar engines, fitted with bus bodies
  

• one electric-powered truck (to carry the reactor)

• two 19,000 liter fuel tank trailers

• four M345 flatbed trailers

• four M586 insulated water-carrying semi-trailers

• one M353 semi-trailer, for the generator
  

• one M447C electrical shop semi-trailer

• one M447C machine shop semi-trailer

• one water purification trailer
  

• one "class 16" air-portable bridge, carried on an M345 trailer.
  

• one work boat, carried on a one-axle trailer.

• two Mk V inflatable Zodiac boats, both carried on the same M345 trailer.
  

• several dozen "Darby" carts

   

     The "big trucks" use an average of 800 liters of fuel for a 450 kilometer trip; so the congregation would need  27,000 liters of fuel for the trip, or two semi-trailer tanker loads.

Anachronistic Technology

• Twenty-five 20 person cryogenic sleep berths. Theirs do not look the same as the Morrow berths, especially since they each hold 20 persons, but are built on a version of the same technology; the manufacturer is Physio-Control Corporation, in Seattle.
  

• A boron fusion reactor, constructed by Varian at Palo Alto. Again, It doesn't look quite like the Morrow Industries versions, but is clearly the same technology. 

• Three of the four Particles.

Interesting Clues

     Some of the operating manuals mention Gatlin Industries -- a name that is familiar to some attentive Morrow Project members.