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If You've Ever Wondered How Nuclear Waste Travels, the Answer Is 'in Style'

On a list of things you wouldn't want to see driving down your street, this thing must rank just under a convoy of the Red Army marching triumphantly. That is unless you live in Russia, of course, in which case that is a common occurrence at least once a year.
Nuclear waste oversize convoy 5 photos
Photo: YouTube screenshot
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This hard to describe rig looks like an awful waste of space. For some reason, somebody thought that putting the load in the middle of a ridiculously long trailer that takes up the whole road was a good idea, instead of having it transported on something much smaller, or rather much better fitted to its own dimensions.

But they were right to do it, and here's why: that white blob of metal on the trailer looking like something that could host human settlers on Mars is actually a nuclear waste casket on its way to its storage facility. And having it mounted on a big rig was the best idea anyone has ever had, because should anything happen to it, that part of the USA would instantly become closely related to a certain Ukranian town called Pripyat.

Well, as it happens, that particular shipment wasn't that dangerous, but it was still bad enough to warrant quite an impressive escort with several trucks accompanying the trailer and tens of men in reflective vests making sure everything goes to plan. Assuming, of course, they had a plan and didn't just say 'let's take this thing to the ocean and drop it in.'

That 112-wheeler definitely steals the show, but the truck pulling it also deserves some credit. With the contents of the casket weighing 298,400 lbs (that's 135 metric tons) and the whole rig adding a few of its own, that machine must have quite the pulling power. The author of the video does say they were moving extremely slowly, but it's impressive nevertheless since getting the behemoth going is the hardest part anyway.

Of course we shouldn't fear nuclear power, but the restrained joy this man was showing has to be a bit surprising. I mean, sure, you're excited to see that trailer up close, but at the same time, do you really make a face whenever a manure truck passes by, but you welcome 298,400 pounds of radioactive material? That just doesn't add up.

Unfortunately, we don't get to see the thing in motion, even though we probably aren't missing much. The speed must be close to walking pace, and with all those people around, it's hard to imagine anything could go wrong. They even had cranes to help support the load if needed, or lift things out of the way to make room. Nobody's in any hurry to become the second Chernobyl. Or third, if you count Fukushima.

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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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