New SPoT Traverse Modules

Updated 22 October 2025

Construction team in front of the assembled modules The construction team in front of the assembled and completed modules (BL).

In April 2024 fabrication of the modules began, and this past austral summer a new set of six South Pole Traverse (SPoT) modules were assembled at McMurdo--two trains each consisting of a kitchen module; a generator module including shop space, food storage/freezer, and incinolet toilets; and a dormitory module, including sleeping accommodations for 14 people in two-person rooms (looking toward future crew expansion). The design was by Yardstick Studio, LLC, a Denver architectural firm, whose owner Rod Kazenske helped design--he traveled to McMurdo in 2024-25 to participate in and document the assembly. Fabrication/assembly was done by Hamellman Communications located in Pagosa Springs, presumably where the fabrication and assembly was done. I'll only include a few photos here...there is an extensive collection of them from Yardstick beginning on this page: Yardstick Studios photo gallery.

mounting sled layoutDesign concept for the new modules.

mounting sled layoutLayout of the support sleds. These are ISO3 sleds designed
to handle standard shipping containers.
assembling the steel framingAssembly of the structural steel frame.
completed framesSome of the completed frames.

installing sheathingStarting to install sheathing.




interior insulationSome of the interior insulation.

cladding installationThe wall cladding is aluminum interlocking diamond shingle,
and the roof is aluminum standing seam.

interior finish



Interior finish work.                         
exterior walkway and fuel tankExterior walkway, handrail, and fuel tank...and ?? air intakes?





generators installedNext--equipment installation.



one of the generatorsOne of the generators, packaged by Cummins.

galley furnishingsGalley cabinetry.

final walkthroughThe final walkthrough was held in November with USAP and NSF teams.

one of the bunkrooms

              One of the bunkrooms.

Then the modules were separated, packaged, and trucked off to Port Hueneme:
preparing for shipmentSeparating the module halves and preparing for shipment.



module on the roadOne of the module halves on the road. Material such as walkways, furnishings, and tools were packed in containers for shipment
on a later vessel arriving in February.

staged at Port HuenemeAll the module sections staged at Port Hueneme.

module nameplateOne of the module half shipping data plates.
final assemblyFinal assembly at McMurdo.



two fully assembled trainsBoth trains fully assembled.

the kitchen area
the kitchen area
Two views of the kitchen...these photos are from traverse veteran Timmy Mullin.

So I first learned of this project from a recent link on a Colorado Public Radio newsletter to this "Five Questions" page featuring architect Rodney Kazenske (home and "about" page). I then of course had to search for more information.... Again, the full Yardstick Studio photo gallery is here--highly recommended. All of the photos on this page except for the two just above are from that gallery except for several marked (BL) which are from the bucketlist.com 5 Questions page. I I contacted Rodney with a few questions, and he responded in October:

The generators are Cummins C60D6C, 60Hz, 60kW Gensets.

Regarding the drawbar pull requirements for a train, compared with the existing module train, he said that on about 22 October they pulled the SPoT 2 modules out to the Shear Zone and were able to maintain 7MPH - comparable to the old module string.

The living spaces are heated with electric fan forced air wall heaters.

video image Yes...there's even a YouTube video!

Labor Day greeting And...the Antarctic Support Contract Facebook page featured this image on Labor Day 2025!