Olympic Torch:
     ATHLETES ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES WHO HAVE PUT IN LONG HOURS PREPARING
FOR THE OLYMPICS.  A TEAM OF ENGINEERS AT GEORGIA TECH HAS SPENT THE LAST YEAR
GETTING READY FOR AN EVENT THAT'S AS IMPORTANT AS THE SPORTS--THE OLYMPIC
TORCH RELAY.  CARRYING A BIT OF FLAME TRANSPORTED FROM GREECE, THE TORCH HAS
BEEN RACED AROUND THE COUNTRY FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS--SAM SHELTON WAS IN
CHARGE OF BUILDING THE TORCH. 

     Shelton: "it was an interesting merger of both the arts and technology"

     SHELTON AND HIS TEAM WERE GIVEN AN ARTISTIC DESIGN THAT THEY HAD TO TURN
INTO A VERY FUSSY KIND OF TORCH.

     Shelton: "number one it had to be light in weight, you didn't want to encumber
the runner any more than you had to. . . some of the other chraracteristics, were of
course that it needed to be an art object, it had the look that the olympic committee
had created, the flame itself needed to be robust in such a manner so that the wind
does not extinguish it, the rain does not extinguish it."

     THE FINAL TORCH IS A MERE 3 AND A HALF POUNDS, BURNS FOR 45 MINUTES, AND
MOST IMPRESSIVELY, STANDS UP WELL TO WATER.  SHELTON AND HIS TEAM TRIED MANY
FUELS  BEFORE SETTLING ON PROPYLENE THAT WILL KEEP BURNING DESPITE RAIN DROPS.

     Shelton: "What actually happens is the fuel  and the air actually will bubble up
through the water and the flame will stay ignited on top of the water." 

     THE TORCH WILL ARRIVE IN ATLANTA ON JULY 19TH AFTER BEING CARRIED
THROUGH MORE THAN 3,000 CITIES.  THAT HARD DEADLINE FOR BUILDING THE TORCH WAS
ONE OF THE TOUGHEST PARTS OF THE JOB SAYS SHELTON.  WAS HE EVER WORRIED THEY
WOULDN'T MAKE IT ON TIME?

     Shelton: "oh absolutely, but thanks to the Olympic spirit by many many
manufactureres and many parts suppliers we made all the deadlines.. . and it really has
been an Olympian effort."