Yesterday, 07:27 PM
A Singular Marvel of Engineering
In 1973, General Motors’ Terex Division unveiled the Terex 33-19 Titan, a prototype haul truck so massive it redefined the limits of mining logistics. With a payload capacity of 350 short tons, a length of 66 feet, and a height of 22.7 feet, the Titan was the largest truck ever built at the time—and remained so for 25 years.
Its powertrain was equally formidable: a 3,300 horsepower, 16-cylinder EMD 645E4 diesel engine, typically used in locomotives, paired with an AC electric transmission system. This diesel-electric setup allowed the Titan to climb steep grades and haul enormous loads with surprising agility.
Built for a Future That Never Came
The Titan was designed in anticipation of a mining boom, particularly in tar sands and low-grade ore extraction. But the global coal market softened in the late 1970s, and the projected demand for ultra-class trucks evaporated. As a result, only one Titan was ever built, making it a unique specimen in industrial history.
Despite its prototype status, the Titan was put to work. It began service at Kaiser Steel’s Eagle Mountain iron mine in California, then moved to Sparwood, British Columbia in 1978, where it hauled coal until its retirement in 1991.
Performance and Practicality
Fully loaded, the Titan weighed over 1.2 million pounds and could reach a top speed of 29.8 mph. It consumed 265 liters (70 gallons) of fuel per hour, supported by an 800-gallon tank, and required ten 40.00x57 tires, each standing 12 feet tall.
Its steering system was equally advanced: all-wheel steering with a 71-degree front wheel arc and 10-degree rear wheel movement, allowing for maneuverability that belied its size.
Stories from the Field
In a 1977 Terex commercial, golf legend Jack Nicklaus stood in the Titan’s bed, hitting golf balls to showcase its scale. The ad closed with Nicklaus surrounded by Terex machinery, underscoring the Titan’s symbolic role in GM’s industrial portfolio.
Locals in Sparwood recall the Titan rumbling through the mine, its engine growling like a locomotive. One former operator described it as “a beast that never flinched,” even when hauling 360 tons of coal through snow-covered terrain.
Preservation and Legacy
After retirement, the Titan was restored and placed on static display in Sparwood, BC, where it remains a roadside attraction and a monument to industrial ambition. Though its engine was removed, the truck still draws thousands of visitors annually, many of whom pose inside its wheel wells or gaze up at its towering frame.
The Titan’s legacy lives on in modern ultra-class trucks like the Caterpillar 797 and BelAZ 75710, which now exceed its payload but owe their lineage to its pioneering design.
Conclusion: A Titan in Every Sense
The Terex Titan wasn’t just a truck—it was a statement. Built for a future that never arrived, it nonetheless carved out a place in history through sheer audacity and engineering brilliance. Today, it stands not only as a relic of mining’s golden age but as a reminder that sometimes, the boldest ideas leave the deepest tracks.
In 1973, General Motors’ Terex Division unveiled the Terex 33-19 Titan, a prototype haul truck so massive it redefined the limits of mining logistics. With a payload capacity of 350 short tons, a length of 66 feet, and a height of 22.7 feet, the Titan was the largest truck ever built at the time—and remained so for 25 years.
Its powertrain was equally formidable: a 3,300 horsepower, 16-cylinder EMD 645E4 diesel engine, typically used in locomotives, paired with an AC electric transmission system. This diesel-electric setup allowed the Titan to climb steep grades and haul enormous loads with surprising agility.
Built for a Future That Never Came
The Titan was designed in anticipation of a mining boom, particularly in tar sands and low-grade ore extraction. But the global coal market softened in the late 1970s, and the projected demand for ultra-class trucks evaporated. As a result, only one Titan was ever built, making it a unique specimen in industrial history.
Despite its prototype status, the Titan was put to work. It began service at Kaiser Steel’s Eagle Mountain iron mine in California, then moved to Sparwood, British Columbia in 1978, where it hauled coal until its retirement in 1991.
Performance and Practicality
Fully loaded, the Titan weighed over 1.2 million pounds and could reach a top speed of 29.8 mph. It consumed 265 liters (70 gallons) of fuel per hour, supported by an 800-gallon tank, and required ten 40.00x57 tires, each standing 12 feet tall.
Its steering system was equally advanced: all-wheel steering with a 71-degree front wheel arc and 10-degree rear wheel movement, allowing for maneuverability that belied its size.
Stories from the Field
In a 1977 Terex commercial, golf legend Jack Nicklaus stood in the Titan’s bed, hitting golf balls to showcase its scale. The ad closed with Nicklaus surrounded by Terex machinery, underscoring the Titan’s symbolic role in GM’s industrial portfolio.
Locals in Sparwood recall the Titan rumbling through the mine, its engine growling like a locomotive. One former operator described it as “a beast that never flinched,” even when hauling 360 tons of coal through snow-covered terrain.
Preservation and Legacy
After retirement, the Titan was restored and placed on static display in Sparwood, BC, where it remains a roadside attraction and a monument to industrial ambition. Though its engine was removed, the truck still draws thousands of visitors annually, many of whom pose inside its wheel wells or gaze up at its towering frame.
The Titan’s legacy lives on in modern ultra-class trucks like the Caterpillar 797 and BelAZ 75710, which now exceed its payload but owe their lineage to its pioneering design.
Conclusion: A Titan in Every Sense
The Terex Titan wasn’t just a truck—it was a statement. Built for a future that never arrived, it nonetheless carved out a place in history through sheer audacity and engineering brilliance. Today, it stands not only as a relic of mining’s golden age but as a reminder that sometimes, the boldest ideas leave the deepest tracks.
