Rockets by rail

[John57sharp]

My “job” these days is to write articles about rockets for NASAspaceflight - an independent news organisation - but today we covered a rollout of the new Vulcan rocket to its launchpad, by rail! Two locomotives on parallel tracks push the train which consists the launch platform, with rocket and tower mounted vertically, and several wagons of “air conditioning” and so on to keep the rocket pressurised and the various components stress-free.

Amazingly, the two trains join two parallel mainlines via switches, and then proceed uphill to the launch site. It is not unknown for the consist to have insufficient momentum for the incline, and the whole lot back up for another run at it.

There's a video in the link to X showing the assembly rolling by.

 

[John57sharp]

Screen grab

 

[John57sharp]

Incidentally, our commentators were bemused by the amount of horn blowing from the train, but it was pointed out that as a railroad, it has to operate under the same rules as every other railroad and hoot before moving, crossings, and so on.

John