Buckshot Bear Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 Do you have road trains in the US? They ain't much fun to overtake and they ain't much fun to pass one even going the other way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major E A Sterner #12916 Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 No, I believe the most trailers allowed are 2,Which is considered a Full Tractor Trailer rather that a Semi. But That all I have seen on the east coast, other parts of the country may have different rules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpo Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 The biggest I've seen is a tandem rig - two trailers. And not too awful many of them. Mostly one tractor pulling one trailer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Shapiro Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 Yeah, 2 is as many as I've seen out here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusty Devil Dale Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 I've seen logging rigs in Brittish Columbia pulling up to four loaded trailers. That's a real lot of tonage. They're a nightmare to meet on a dirt logging road, often travelling 60+ mph. They have absolute legal right of way, so when you see the posted signs, you'd best just forget your fishing excursion and turn back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 Tandem is the max allowable thank goodness. And prohibited in some states I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Hanger #3720LR Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 In the USA there are states that allow more than 2 trailers. That would be 3 trailers. Those states are: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota and Utah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WOLFY Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 some states (like Calif) don’t allow more than one trailer however i can’t think of anywhere in the CONUS that more than 2 are allowed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 In most cases, you will see a tractor pulling a single trailer. Most of the long haul trailers are 53 ft. Some special trailers are 56 ft, but you don't see them often. Local trailers might be anywhere from 27, 30, 40, or 48 ft. You will also see tractors pulling tandem doubles, both 27 ft. In some states, you will occasionally see triple 27s, but that's rare. On some eastern Turnpikes, tandem 40s are permitted. They can be on the Turnpike, but are seperated upon exiting it, with a second tractor taking one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabez Cowboy,SASS # 50129 Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 On the Public Roadways here in Canada 3 trailers is the max. Jabez Cowboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 My Oregon "Class A" Commercial Driver License had endorsements for Doubles/Triples, Tanker, and Hazardous Materials. LINK I dropped the CDL when I retired in 2017. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Joker Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 Like said you'll see 'turnpike doubles' a 53' and a 48' behind a sleeper cab on the Oklahoma turnpike 105 ft max length. Or a rocky mtn double with a 48' and a 28' pup 95 ft max From the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Admin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 In Oregon 3 trailers are legal. I don’t recall ever seeing signs like they use in Australia, but I darn near changed lanes into the 3rd trailer of a semi one very early morning when I very first moved there. I was not awake until just a split second before making contact. Many carriers do take them up on the 3 trailer option to get things from point A to point B. I new a guy that drove for UPS. He went from border to border with triples picking trailers up from one state line yard to drop off at another state line yard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rye Miles #13621 Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 6 hours ago, Cliff Hanger #3720LR said: In the USA there are states that allow more than 2 trailers. That would be 3 trailers. Those states are: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota and Utah Add Ohio to that list, I’ve seen them and I also just looked it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 I think the road trains are possible in Australia because they don’t have mountains to cross. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty Dan Dawkins Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 We just don’t have vast empty expanses, as does Australia, necessitating the need that haul freight in such a manner. General safety concerns revolving around limited sight and braking distances, coupled with the fact we have a pretty good rail system for freight, makes it unnecessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Father Kit Cool Gun Garth Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 Them Aussies like their Road Trains. They make movies about them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 7 hours ago, WOLFY said: some states (like Calif) don’t allow more than one trailer however i can’t think of anywhere in the CONUS that more than 2 are allowed Ca. allows 2 trailers. My CA, Class A CDL had the endorsement for doubles, tanker, Haz-mat and passenger along with manual transmission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dusty Devil Dale Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 I cannot imagine trying to back up with 5 long trailers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 5 hours ago, PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L said: My Oregon "Class A" Commercial Driver License had endorsements for Doubles/Triples, Tanker, and Hazardous Materials. LINK So does mine. I'm retired now, but still have the endorsements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Joker Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 I dropped hazmat when dhs got involved Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart Slade Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 20 minutes ago, Dusty Devil Dale said: I cannot imagine trying to back up with 5 long trailers! You don't back up with even 2 - not more than a couple of feet anyway. The connector tongues are designed to be pulled, not pushed. Get them even a little out of line they'll snap like a dried twig. Long combination vehicles are meant to go forward only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rip Snorter Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 I saw a story sometime ago about motorcyclists having a very unpleasant experience passing a cattle road train in Aus! Can't imagine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 Is 50 meters a mandated maximum? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 3 hours ago, Texas Joker said: Like said you'll see 'turnpike doubles' a 53' and a 48' behind a sleeper cab on the Oklahoma turnpike 105 ft max length. Or a rocky mtn double with a 48' and a 28' pup 95 ft max From the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Admin Of these I have driven triples, Turnpike doubles, Rocky Mountain doubles, singles in various sizes and types and pups. Triples = 3 x 28, TPD (usually) 2 x 48, RMD (usually 1 x 48 + 1 x 28) , pups are usually 28 but I owned a lift gate equipped 32 for a while. Never drove a “B” train but have seen several. “Semi” in general means there are wheels permanently attached to the rear while “full” indicates wheels on both ends of the trailer. A hay wagon (or radio flyer toy) would be a permanent “full” while in triples the trailer attached to the tractor would be semi in conjunction with 2 & 3 being full by virtue of the use of the converter gear. The general deciding factor as to what is used is the overall length limits (absent special permits for weight or length) set by government agencies which can vary by state or highway type. Interstate length limits can be overridden for safety reasons but in general are 115’5” for triples and 110’ for doubles (going from memory) Hope that helps. Regards Gateway Kid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irish ike, SASS #43615 Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 Nevada allows triples all over the State. The crazy thing is they drive at the same speed limit as everyone else. 75 mph out on the open road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 And they are a certifiable PITA on the 17 between Cordes Junction and Phoenix or on the 89 into Jerome from the west. Don't see many in my part of the state. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Foot Johnson Posted April 26, 2022 Share Posted April 26, 2022 I'm missing Hazmat and Class A bus. There are VERY few Class A bus endorsements in the US - I was a CDL examiner here for five years, and CDL auditor toward the end, and never heard of one in Montana. A lot of folks think articulated buses are Class A, but they're actually Class B, as they are not made to be hooked up and unhooked with the pull of a pin or lever, hence they are not combination vehicles. The only Class A bus I've ever seen in the US was in Zion National Park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Shoer 27979 Posted April 27, 2022 Share Posted April 27, 2022 20 hours ago, WOLFY said: some states (like Calif) don’t allow more than one trailer however i can’t think of anywhere in the CONUS that more than 2 are allowed Calif. Allows doubles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life Posted April 27, 2022 Share Posted April 27, 2022 7 hours ago, Three Foot Johnson said: I'm missing Hazmat and Class A bus. There are VERY few Class A bus endorsements in the US - I was a CDL examiner here for five years, and CDL auditor toward the end, and never heard of one in Montana. A lot of folks think articulated buses are Class A, but they're actually Class B, as they are not made to be hooked up and unhooked with the pull of a pin or lever, hence they are not combination vehicles. The only Class A bus I've ever seen in the US was in Zion National Park. Greetings to a fellow CDL examiner! After a long driving career I tried teaching/testing for about 9 years. Your configuration is an interesting one that I have not seen before. Here in Colorado the only class A buses I am aware of are on the downtown Denver Mall. Those units are set up like a train with the towed unit being attached by a reverse fifth wheel (fifth wheel on the "trailer" kingpin on the "tractor" unit. Both are upside down facing the ground. The hitch mechanism is under a platform that allows the passengers when in the "A" configuration to move from one unit to another through a tunnel of hooped fabric. Or if ridership is low leave the trailer unit at the yard and close the door to use just the bus unit. When I took my last refresher course summer of 2021, CDOT was considering calling them an articulated "B" vehicle (which I think is more correct) and dropping the "A" from the name as they do not meet the weight (80,000 #'s) or connection requirements (non-standard kingpin - 5th wheel). articulated buses Link to video BTW not licensed to test in Montana but got sent up to our Billings facility a few times to fill in teach for our school there. Beautiful country you live in. Regards Gateway Kid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Foot Johnson Posted April 27, 2022 Share Posted April 27, 2022 Since 1954, Helena has had a "tour train" consisting of a rubber tired tow vehicle made up to look like a locomotive, and 4 open air passenger cars behind it that takes tourists on a one hour tour around town. I've seen pictures of similar things operating in other states. This one is registered as a Class B bus. Nobody ever tested to operate it during the five years I was there, so I have no idea how that is done. Obviously, such a rig would be virtually impossible to back up or perform a 90 degree alley dock. As short coupled as it is, it would be quite an accomplishment to do it with just one car behind it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singin' Sue 71615 Posted April 27, 2022 Share Posted April 27, 2022 23 hours ago, Buckshot Bear said: Do you have road trains in the US? They ain't much fun to overtake and they ain't much fun to pass one even going the other way. Nope. But I know some of your train drivers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watab kid Posted April 27, 2022 Share Posted April 27, 2022 i recall from when i was young seeing something of that nature - not as long tho , but we have length restrictions , i still see UPS rigs with two trailers but not the real long ones , we still have military convoys moving here between wherever and camp ripley training center north of here then back , Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackwater 53393 Posted April 27, 2022 Share Posted April 27, 2022 Just trying a little logic here. The Australian road trains most likely don’t enter cities where they would have to make short turns. Do they have terminals or depots where the trains are uncoupled or unloaded outside the cities? Do they carry mixed cargo frequently and if so, do they employ separate tractors to make local deliveries or unload the train onto other trucks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Still hand Bill Posted April 27, 2022 Share Posted April 27, 2022 I have seen a few triples in the us. Usually at night and for mail or packages. They are short trailers, so not sure they hold a lot more than one big trailer, but may be easier to get one trailer to a specific distribution center without unloading a partial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.