WesWorld

July 20, 1937 - Washington, DC

The US Government has released a statement: "The US government seconds the German government's call for a ceasefire in the conflict between Peru and Colombia and it's allies. This conflict threatens to draw in more countries, as it has already drawn in Chile, and the possibility of a wide-spread war cannot be discounted. The US government calls upon both sides to accept the proposed cease-fire and end the conflict in a peaceful manner."

July 25, 1937 - San Diego, CA

The USN's Scouting Group 1, composed of BC Lexington, CV Ranger, CA Pensacola, CL Columbia, CL Memphis, CL Dallas, and 8 Wickes Class DDs, has shipped anchors and stood out to sea in the early dawn hours. The group's course was to the southwest.


July 26, 1937 - Honolulu, territory of Hawaii

The USN's Scouting Group 1, composed of BC Saratoga, CV Constellation, CA Salt Lake City, CL Cincinnati, CL Rochester, CL Detroit, and 8 Wickes Class DDs, has shipped anchors and stood out to sea in the afternoon. The group's course was to the south.

And so the beast awakes

Yes, and the world will never be the same again!

August 9, 1937 - Washington, DC

The War Department has published a solicitation for a new weapon for the US Army. This weapon is to be an intermediate weapon in between the Garand and the M1911 pistol, for use by soldiers whose primary role is not combat but who might find themselves in combat and in need of a weapon with more range than a pistol. Requirements: a bullet weight of no less than 100 grains, a muzzle velocity of no less than 1900 feet per second, a semi-automatic action, and a weight of no more than 5.5 pounds empty. Small size and handiness are extremely desirable, as the weapon is expected to be carried at all times by personnel whose duties do not involve the use of the weapon.

[Ie, the War Department has put out a solicitation for a weapon similar to the M1 Carbine. Here in WW, it might not be the same weapon, but the same requirement now exists.]


September 19, 1937 - Washington, DC

A new company, the Great Alaskan Railroad Company, has been formed to build a rail line from Libby, Montana to Fairbanks, Alaska. The new company is a joint venture of the Great Northern and Northern Pacific railways. Surveying work, on the American sides of the border, is expected to begin immediately, with surveying on the Canadian side of the border to begin as soon as feasible. Some note of the difficulties in winter operations in the northern latitudes has already been taken, as there are enquiries outstanding with EMD, Baldwin, ALCO, and Fairbanks-Morse on freight-capable diesel locomotives.

Maybe ALCO can avoid the engine problems that so helped to sink it in OTL here.
PAs are sweet rides...

Of course, I'd say go electric and GG1s.

Buy some Little Joes.

the ELB "Jules Verne"™ model is in service throughout Canada;


However, there is no information availible regarding foreign sales :o

You can tell how advanced the Canadians are, they have photoshop already...

Uh, no, the Great Alaskan Railway is not going to be electrified anytime soon.

Quoted

Originally posted by Swamphen
Maybe ALCO can avoid the engine problems that so helped to sink it in OTL here.
PAs are sweet rides...

ALCO and Baldwin will have one advantage they did not have historically: no War Production Board telling them they HAVE to produce steam engines when they wanted to produce diesels.

November 10, 1937 - Cordova, AK

The Copper River and Northwestern Railroad has decided that, for the moment, it will not build a new rail line to connect Katalla and the Bering River coal fields with Cordova. "At this time, it appears more cost-effective to invest in additonal tugs and barges to bring the fuel for the new smelters, and our locomotives, to Cordova."


December 18, 1937 - Detroit, MI

The Ford Motor Company has begun work on a new aircraft engine to supplement or replace the Allison V-1710 and the Continental I-1430 in US fighter aircraft.

The Ford V-1650 certainly seems like an awesome design. Actually getting that into a workable engine is unlikely without massive investment.

Not sure I agree with that, considering that the historical Ford V-1650 became (after losing 4 cylinders) the GAA tank engine without any great difficulty. That engine would need supercharging/turbocharging to become a good aircraft engine, but that was always intended. A few GAAs got their 4 cylinders back and became the GAC, which was used on the T29 prototypes.

To make a 1500hp V12 with twin compact turbosupercharger isn't easy. Only Rolls-Royce achieved something similar during the period with the eventual Crecy.