Where was Cummins during the gas-turbine truck race?

[kscarbel]

Cummins partnered with Garrett in 1969, an odd development at the time given the Garrett’s affiliation with Mack Trucks under the Signal Companies.

But Cummins quickly switched partners and work with MAN. However, the Cummins-MAN gas turbine joint venture was soon abandoned with little progress having been made.

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Cummins Launches Joint Gas Turbine Study

Commercial Motor / January 3, 1969

From Columbus, Indiana, it is announced that the Cummins Engine Company and the Garrett Corporation, one of the Signal Companies, have signed an agreement for a joint program to explore the feasibility of gas turbine applications to highway trucks and construction equipment.

The companies say that recent advances in turbine technology, coupled with the increased speed and weight predicted for future vehicles, along with requirements for less air pollution and reduced noise, may permit the gas turbine to take its place alongside the diesel and petrol engines as an economical power plant for future trucks and construction equipment.

For this project, the two companies will utilize their separate existing skills and technologies to develop commercially successful gas turbine units for these applications.

The Garrett Corporation is a major producer of gas turbines for the aerospace industry.

According to Cummins' president E. Don Tall, and Garrett president Harry Wetzel, "the two companies jointly have a unique competence to determine both the technical and economic feasibility of the gas turbine for heavy-duty truck applications".

Cummins will assemble, sell and service any gas turbine engines developed from the project. Garrett will manufacture and supply turbine power sections, and Cummins will manufacture the balance of the engine.

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Cummins Will Market Gas Turbines

April 12, 1973

Cummins Engine Co. has signed an agreement with MAN of Augsburg, West Germany to market MAN-produced gas turbines in North America for truck and industrial applications.

MAN is a European maker of heavy machinery, diesel engines, trucks, buses and aircraft turbine engines.

The new gas turbine will be marketing in North America under the Cummins name.

Cummins president Henry B. Schaht said that the company plans to field test engineering prototype turbines in late 1974 with commercial availability in 1977.