Morrow Project Scientific-One


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this Overland Train control car is marked with the Science branch logo;

pulling three empty flatbed payload cars, this photograph was taken during driver training.

a complete Science-One vehicle set

 

     The Scientific-One vehicles are mobile laboratories on wheels, using the same basic design as the Overland Train; they are entirely compatible with that system. The control car can detach from the lab modules and explore on its own. The lab modules have their own fusion power sources (unlike most cars of the Overland Train), but do not have driving controls (though something could be jury-rigged for awkward driving). There are only six of these vehicle sets stored around the country; each is the focus of several other, smaller Science and Recon teams in the same area. The usual configuration is a control car, a payload car (drawing power from the control car), a medical lab module, and a research lab module, for a total length of 61 meters. While teams vary, the usual crew is six persons:  driver, team leader, and four "scientists"; at least one of the crew is a fully qualified medical doctor and surgeon, one person will be assigned as "medical assistant", and at least two people will be trained to operate the Mk 2 HAAM suit.

     We have pictures of the non-Project version of the Overland Train here and here.

 

Specifications - Control Car

 

     The control car for a Science-One vehicle is the standard Overland Train module.

 

Lab Module

Weight: about 20 tons empty, max 25 tons loaded

Length: 16 meters

Width:  5 meters over hull, 5.25 meters over wheels

Height: 1.5 meters to floor, 4.2 meters to roof.

Ground Clearance (under hull):  1 meter

Turning Radius:  25 meters

Track Width:  4.3 meters; the tires are 3.5 meters in diameter and 0.6 meters wide, with central inflation system

Wheelbase: 12.5 meters

Ground Pressure:  5800kg per square meter (about 8 psi); each wheel carries a weight of 6 tons when fully loaded.

Max Speed:

(road) 72 kph

(offroad) 40 kph

Fording:  4 meters

Gradient:  50%

Vertical Obstacle:  1 meter

Trench Crossing:  2.2 meters

Engines:  four 750 HP electric motors (one in each wheel hub), powered from Mk 1 fusion generator

Electrical System:  24 volt, 110 volt, 240 volt. Utility power draw averages 4 kilowatts.

Batteries: 20 Morrow Project vehicle batteries, sufficient to provide utility power for 2 hours

Armament: fittings to attach an M18A1 claymore mine to the left and right sides; two M5 gas jets along the lower hull (one on each side); and a gunport on each of the four sides. The Claymore mines can be fired by the crew of the lab module, or from the control car.

Armor Protection:  8.3mm high-hardness Cadloy steel, plus a polyethylene spall liner

-- armor value 18

 

     The lab modules each have four wheels, with automatically-controlled steering and suspension. The actual inhabitable space is 5 meters wide and 7 meters long, with a headroom of about 2.5 meters. There is an airlock door on each side; spotlights are fitted on each side and end. Each is fitted with two Morrow Project computers and Laserdisc drives (and at least 30 Laserdiscs with technical information relating to the module purpose), a PRC-70 radio, a built-in version of the M2 CBR Kit, air conditioning and a complete NBC filter and decontamination system, and a 1000-liter water tank and filtration system. Voice-communication stations are installed in each room, plus a television comm station in the "office".

     The crew area has a small galley (sink, toaster oven and microwave, small fridge), a toilet/shower, fire extinguisher, and a double bunk bed; the water tank is at one end of the bed. The so-called office has a couple of floor-mounted chairs (with seat belts), the radio, air conditioning controls, a fire extinguisher, electrical controls and circuit breakers, the television comm station, one of the computers, and the library of Laserdiscs.

 

generic lab module interior plan

frame and suspension very simplified in this drawing

 

     The standard research module equipment is usually oriented towards chemistry and biology. Glassware, a 0.25 cubic meter refrigerator, an oven (0.25 cubic meters, can reach 700 degrees Celsius), microscope, centrifuge, spectroscope, autoclave/sterilizer, test and reagent chemical set, etc.

     Besides the fire extinguishers listed below, there is a water sprinkler head in each compartment of the lab modules; there are emergency pull handles in each compartment, fusible links in the sprinkler heads, and a central suppress/shutoff control panel in the central passageway.

     Two M207 Stoner machineguns are carried in each lab module, along with two spare barrels and 2000 rounds of linked 5.56mm ammunition -- all stored in a locker in the central passageway.

 

Medical Module

 

     Every Scientific-One vehicle set has a medical module; the floor plan is roughly similar to the research module. This module has a Bio-Comp in the "office", an autoclave and sterilization unit, 3 Med Units, and medical lab (specifically for investigation and treatment of infectious diseases - it has an internal airlock). Consumables include 20 SCALP suits and a disturbing number of body bags.

 

Enclosed Payload Car  

 

     Just a fancy term for the normal Overland Train boxcar.

 

Equipment and Supplies

 

     In addition to all the items listed above (notably seven Stoner M207 machineguns), Scientific-One has the following:

 

vehicle equipment, Scientific-One control car

1

PRC-70 manpack radio, with packframe and accessories; uses "radio battery" or vehicle power

4

PVS-3A Starlight scopes, uses 2 "camera batteries"

6

PVS-5C night vision binoculars, uses "camera battery"

2

PAS-7 thermal viewer, used 4 "camera batteries"

32

Morrow Project rechargeable 24 volt "radio battery"

240

Morrow Project MP-AA rechargeable 1.5 volt "camera batteries"

40

sabot hulls to use AA batteries in C-cell devices

40

sabot hulls to use AA batteries in D-cell devices

4

battery charger:  can accommodate 1 "camera battery" and 1 "radio battery" simultaneously

1

Civil Defense V-717 high-range radiation survey meter and 7.6 m cable; 2.4 kg, uses D cell battery

1

coil 50 meters of 11mm diameter nylon OD rope

1

machete with olive drab belt scabbard, weight 0.5 kg

3

fire extinguishers

1

shovel

 

 

generally known as

pioneer tools

1

axe

1

sledgehammer, 6 pound

1

breaker bar, 137 cm long; has a five-sided socket on one end (for opening caches) and a lug nut socket on the other

2

crow bars

1

bow saw, 30" blade

1

tow cable, 80 meters

1

vehicle jack, 8 to 10 ton capacity

1 snatch block with hook, for 16mm rope or cable, weight 28 kg, capacity 10 tons

1

bolt cutter

2

camouflage nets, 3 m by 6 m

8

camo net poles

30

aluminum tent stakes in canvas bag

40

bungie cords, misc. colors and sizes

8

30 meter electrical extension cord, with 4 outlets on the end

8

dimmer switch/power switch plug/socket for electrical extension cord or light

8

75 watt work light, with 16 m cord for 120 V outlet

1

mountaineering mess set:  8" x 1" steel fry pan, and 2 aluminum cooking pots 7 1/2" dia. x 4" high.

6

cold weather kits

1

electric air compressor with 15.24 m long hose

1

25 liter food cooler/water carrier (mermite can), with three insert cans, weight 8 kg empty

6

20 liter jerry cans (marked "water")

1

spares kit (specific to vehicle:  various spare light bulbs, fuses, lug nuts, tire patches, rubber hull plugs, spare hoses, pipe clamps, wire, wire crimps, wirestripper tool, power/data/communications cables, spare external TV camera, spare radar set, etc.)

1

vehicle tool kit, in several tool boxes

1

spare wheel and tire, carried on roof of payload car (not every Scientific-One vehicle carries this item)

1

vehicle lube set:  forty 19 liter cans of API GL-5 gear oil, eighteen 5 liter cans of lube oil, twenty 5 liter cans of chassis grease

 

vehicle equipment, each Scientific-One lab module

2

AN/PVS-5 night vision binoculars, uses "camera battery"

1

M2 CBR Kit

32

Morrow Project rechargeable 24 volt "radio batteries"

240

Morrow Project MP-AA rechargeable 1.5 volt "camera batteries"

40

sabot hulls to use AA batteries in C-cell devices

40

sabot hulls to use AA batteries in D-cell devices

4

battery charger:  can accommodate 1 "camera battery" and 1 "radio battery" simultaneously

1

Civil Defense V-717 high-range radiation survey meter and 7.6 m cable; 2.4 kg, uses D cell battery

3

fire extinguishers

1

shovel

 

 

generally known as

pioneer tools

1

axe

1

sledgehammer, 6 pound

1

breaker bar, 137 cm long; has a five-sided socket on one end (for opening caches) and a lug nut socket on the other

1

crow bar

2

camouflage nets, 3 m by 6 m

8

camo net poles

30

aluminum tent stakes in canvas bag

40

bungie cords, misc. colors and sizes

8

30 meter electrical extension cord, with 4 outlets on the end

8

dimmer switch/power switch plug/socket for electrical extension cord or light

8

75 watt work light, with 16 m cord for 120 V outlet

1

20 liter jerry can (marked "water")

1

spares kit (specific to vehicle:  various spare light bulbs, fuses, lug nuts, tire patches, rubber hull plugs, spare hoses, pipe clamps, wire, wire crimps, wirestripper tool, power/data/communications cables, etc.)

1

vehicle tool kit, in several tool boxes

 

     The ordnance supplies are usually carried in the payload car, until needed:

 

ordnance supplies, Scientific-One

1

Mk 2 laser with basic load

1

Atchisson assault shotgun with basic load

1

High-Standard M10B shotgun with basic load

2

HK69A1 grenade launchers with basic load

2

Stoner M22 rifles with basic load

3

Ingram M10 submachineguns with basic load

4

HP-35 pistols with basic load

6

HAFLA-35L flame launchers

1

M67 recoilless rifle with 4 rds HEAT, 4 rds HE, 4 rds flechette

2

demolition kits

4

cases of M1 2.75" high explosive rockets

2

cases of M112 C-4 explosive

1

case M26A1 fragmentation grenades

1

case M34 white phosphorus grenades

1

case M7A3 tear gas grenades

1

case M6 CN-DM gas grenades

1

case M9A1 BZ gas grenades

1

case AN-M8 HC smoke grenades

1

case AN-M14 thermite grenades

1

case Mk 1 illuminating grenades

2

cases of M18A1 claymore mines (each kit is complete with bag, clacker and firing wire)

1

case M433 HEDP 40mm grenades

1

case M651 tear gas 40mm grenades

1

case M583 parachute flare 40mm grenades

1

case MBA stunbag 40mm grenades

1

case of 2880 rounds 9x19mm ammunition

1

case of 1640 rounds 5.56mm NATO ball ammunition, on stripper clips

1

case of twenty Stoner-system tubs of 5.56mm linked ammunition, 4 ball to 1 tracer; 2000 rounds total

1

case of 800 rounds 12 gauge buckshot

8

cases of .50 cal linked ammunition

8

cases of 20mm HEI, not linked

8

cases of 20mm API, not linked

 

payload car contents (besides ordnance)

1

Airscout, dismantled

2

electric motorcycles

1

Amphibious ATV

1

Mk 2 HAAM suit, with special Rh202 rifle and twenty 20-rd magazines

1

Mk 1 Fusion Generator, crated with power cables

2

geologic sampling kit; weight 7 kg

2

soil analysis kit; weight 5 kg

2

water analysis kit; weight 3 kg

2

tree boring and bio-sampling kit; weight 7 kg

2

survey kit; weight 20 kg

2

meteorological kit; weight 30 kg

1

set of "shelter assistance cache" contents

1

printed on paper version of the survival library, in a 1/4 ton jeep trailer

3

boxes of 20 SCALP suits (suit, contamination avoidance, liquid protective:  polyethylene hooded jacked, trousers, and booties in sage green; S, M, L, XL and XXL (although the sizes are all oversize to allow wearing over AUIB suits and other clothing)

20

cases of LRP rations (each case is 5 boxes, 12 meals per box, 4.2 kg per box), total 1200 meals

3

team cold weather kits 

6

mountain kits 

6

trade packs 

2

fire extinguishers

1

set of nylon tie-down straps

1

block and tackle, with rigging and slings (can pull about a ton from 10 meters away; weight 20 kg

2

steel vehicle loading ramps, 6 meters long each