Auto enthusiasts have been harping for years on why classic cars are better than their current descendents, but now we have certifiable proof. You won’t find anything other than age-old diesels at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) in Green Bank, West Virginia, the site of the world’s largest fully-steerable radio telescope.
The reason being – the many electronic devices in modern gas-powered cars (spark plugs, engine control units, and even door chimes) can cause radio interference that can harm or disrupt the telescope. Old diesels use glow plugs and mechanical fuel injection, which make them safe to use in close proximity.
The motorpool includes diesel buses, Chevy Suburbans, Checker Marathons, and a few old pickup trucks. The observatory owns newer maintenance vehicles as well, but only the blue-painted vehicles are allowed close to the facility. Forget the Secret Service, the NRAO has the coolest government vehicles around.
