Rail/Road Racer
 
 
This time, our teams must go loco...locomotive that is. They will have to build a machine that will travel from a normal road then ride the rails. There are three times tests. The first test is to drive up to a crossing, get on the tracks and ride the rails to a station 150 meters away. The second is to carry a 1 tonne cargo load up a gradient to a checkpoint. Finally, teams must race back down the gradient to the train station. The team that posts the fastest total time over the three trials will be victorious.
 
The Tunnel Ratz have an unconventional design in mind. They're going with a motorcycle and side car. The motorcycle will be raised up onto a homemade train wheel and the rear tire will provide both drive and braking. They face a power problem. Only one tire will make contact with the track meaning there won't be much traction. Also, it could be a problem getting stopped having one brake...especially with a tonne of weight behind them.

The Pit Stop Crew are sticking with the norm. They'll take a vehicle that has the same wheel width as train tracks and attach bogey wheels to the front which will be jacked down (raising the front of the car/truck by a hair). The rear tires will provide all of the power and braking by making contact with the rails. Finding the right vehicle might be troublesome as will the bogey wheels which they will have to make with near-perfection.
 
 
Tunnel Ratz
clockwise, from top lt; Capt Sicknote,
Jonah, Pennfold, TC Bryn Spencer
Pit Stop Crew
clockwise from top lt; Capt Dave,
Marko, Ade, TC Mick Rice
 
 
The Ratz's upright racer
The Crew's extra-wheeled racer
 
 
This taxi has a wheel-width close to
that of train tracks
A big 650cc Yamaha should move
the Ratz along nicely
 
 
If they get it down, the axle from this
car will make a good sidecar
By welding a piece of cast iron pipe
to a brake disc, they get a flanged wheel
 
 
Expert Norman Blake
The Ratz will use wheel rims
 
 
The sidecar goes on
Having made some measurement
goofs, the Crew make sure of their
axle with a test
 
 
They recheck again and there's still
a problem with wheel width
One of the front wheels of the
octo-wheeled cab
 
 
The Ratz's Rail & Road Racer
The Pit Stop Crews Cunning Choo-Choo

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