National Geographic takes us on a tour of a mining Goliath and an RV colossus. One mega-vehicle built for work and one designed for play.
The Caterpillar 797B and the Winnebago Vectra, two very different vehicles with one striking similarity: They are each the ultimate version of their kind, and it takes incredible Ultimate Factories to build them.
On Monday, January 28, beginning at 8 p.m. ET/PT , the National Geographic Channel (NGC) takes you behind the scenes and inside the high-tech mega-manufacturing plants -- the Ultimate Factories -- that create these two icons of American work and recreation: Caterpillar and Winnebago.
Two back-to-back one-hour episodes trace the history and evolution of each of these innovative marvels of engineering and design that have set the standard for their respective industries.
From supersized parts to supersized challenges, meet the highly trained personnel charged with ensuring the absolute perfection of these products, and get a look inside the state-of-the-art world-class factories where they are made.
The two upcoming world premiere episodes of Ultimate Factories are as follows:
Ultimate Factories: Caterpillar 797B
It is a groundbreaking design on a groundbreaking scale. Imagine a truck the size of a two-story house, rolling by on 14-foot-high tires that weigh five and a half tons each. The diesel engine weighs roughly 42,000 lbs. and delivers 3,550 horsepower (twice as powerful as an M1 tank!).
But this is not just any truck. This is the Caterpillar 797B, the world's most powerful mechanical dump truck, designed by the world's largest manufacturer of earth-moving vehicles. It takes more than six plants and approximately 80 days to transform molten metal into this engineering marvel and mining Goliath. The vehicle is so large, the final assembly has to take place at the actual mine site -- and that alone takes about 21 days!
Travel across the country with the National Geographic Channel and get a real insiders' tour of the Ultimate Factories -- in Amite, La.; Lexington, S.C.; Lafayette, Ind.; and Decatur, Ill. -- where they build the extraordinary mammoth that is the Caterpillar 797B.
Ultimate Factories: Winnebago Vectra
Welcome to Winnebago, USA, otherwise known as Forest City, Iowa, where you will witness the creation of a revolutionary vehicle. Proudly celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Winnebago Industries, Inc., has set the standard for motor homes, or RVs, from compact models to mega-mobiles that feature deluxe living rooms, master bedrooms, working kitchens and media centers. But now it has upped the ante with its newest cross-country colossus, the Vectra.
With a new chassis design, it is 400 square feet of RV revolution. The Vectra is a well-oiled machine, cruising to a comfortable 75 mph. And with a 425-horsepower engine and a 60-degree turning radius, this 30,000-pound motor home handles more like a sports car. Plus, the Vectra has something revolutionary -- a giant basement storage space, up to 200 cubic feet of cargo room in the middle of the vehicle, tucked below the main level.
From the chassis supplier's factory in Gaffney, S.C., to the "Big Bertha" mega-plant in Iowa, join the National Geographic Channel as we visit the Ultimate Factories that create the ultimate home away from home on the open road.
Your Talkback on this Story