Roadrailers: Half Train, Half Truck

[@Thom-TRA]

The end of an era: looks like Roadrailers are being pulled out of service for good summer of 2024 😢

[@IssacSellers]

Rip ns roadrailers

[@101southsideboy]

actually i thought they were already retired

[@zackman86]

NS shut down the roadrailers last week and switched to TOFC (trailer on flat car) with how they run these trains. Now they run from Kansas City to Toledo, OH and then truck it up to Detroit.

[@dionwilliams8161]

NS has 2 roadrailer trains left. 255/256 run between Detroit and Kansas City hauling auto parts

[@IssacSellers]

Rip roadrailer trains

[@HeatherLandon227]

I grew up by a CSX line, that only used the flat car method- so I always thought that was the only way truck trailers went on the rails lol.

[@starrwulfe]

I'm from St Louis, MO and saw these all the time passing on the rail line near the house I grew up in in U-City. Didn't know there's just this one left now; it was kind of common to see these!

[@jonathanbott87]

Used to see them in Danville, IL, presumably the same line. The key differences for the trailers are that they need the train's hydraulic lines installed along the underside and the chassis are more reinforced to handle the train pull and for the bogie mount. The front mount is the 5th wheel, but the back had a special attachment point.

[@arch9enius]

Kind of rules out a tail lift though .

[@GrownKetchup291]

A week before the 4th of July I saw a triple crown NS under the pedestrian bridge in downtown Lafayette

[@GrownKetchup291]

This year 4th of July

[@Thom-TRA]

Cool!

[@oubrioko]

Most RoadRailer bogies are at/past their planned end-of-life. While the side frames, wheelsets and bearings are standard, RoadRailer bogies have custom bolsters, air reservoir tanks, brake line rigging, as well as the all-important skid plate, that are not present on standard rail road trucks. *Norfolk Southern* will operate the eastbound and westbound Detroit-Kansas City RoadRailer trains until the end of their contract with Ford. The fronthaul is westbound carrying auto parts for Ford's huge Kansas City Assembly plant in Claycomo, Missouri, which builds the popular _F-series_ pickup truck as well as the _Transit_ delivery van. The eastbound is made up of sub-assemblies produced at the K.C. plant destined for a number of Ford's Michigan assembly plants, along with various brokered truckloads from K.C. based shippers destined for consignees in the Great Lakes area at a backhaul rate. All current RoadRailer equipment was built by semitrailer manufacturer *Wabash National* in Lafayette, Indiana. Auspicious that you happened upon this train in RoadRailer's hometown. Very nice video. Cheers

[@jibblesq]

Why does everyone claim Detroit when they're from the suburbs? It's in Melvindale. I worked in both they psi yard, and Melvindale for a number of years. When I wasn't inspecting outbound trains, I was repairing trailers and bogies.

[@oubrioko]

​@@jibblesq Many outside of Metro Detroit may have never heard of Melvindale, Michigan. *Triple Crown Services* (TCS) markets _service areas_ to shippers, not necessarily the precise RoadRailer terminal locations. Drayage drivers need to be aware of the specific location of the Voltz facility on Kimbrall in KC, and the Wabash TCS entrance to Oakwood Yard in Melvindale, but TCS _service areas_ are advertised to shipping customers as Detroit/southern Michigan, and Kansas City/Missouri and Kansas.

[@edtierney6076]

Roadrailer trains are a common overnight sight in Oak Lawn IL with Norfolk Southern. Its annoying though when you're caught by one at 1am and just want to go to bed lol.

[@dfwrider3830]

I believe there's one at amtraks 14th st yard. There's also a video online of them showing how they are attached to the back of passenger trains in that yard.

[@entized5671]

I mean the obvious reason to combine different modes of transport into one is ease of access. it already feels great to board a regional train at your local stop that operates express for some of the distance to make your journey both direct and fast. And now imagine being able to use what is essentially a train while not actually living close to a railway station…

[@albert3801]

That was very informative. In Australia, in the city of Adelaide, we have a bus/rail this thing where normal road buses travel on a guided busways like train tracks for part of the trip. It’s always fun riding the bus and the driver just lets go of the steering wheel with the bus travelling at 60 mph.

[@Thom-TRA]

I’ve always wanted to check out the O-Bahn in Adelaide.

[@NonstopEurotrip]

Wow that's fascinating! And lucy you happened t be in the right place at the right time! Oh and Superalbs' has just been on the Bus-Train in Japan, he said it was AMAZING fun! Great video Thom!

[@Thom-TRA]

I hope to ride them myself someday!

[@jamesrea329]

Long ago I saw a Road Railer train go around Tehachapi Loop! 👍

[@Thom-TRA]

Wow! I bet that was so cool to see

[@jamesrea329]

@@Thom-TRA It was - but at the time I assumed that I would be seeing more and more Road Railers, not that they would dwindle and disappear. In fact I think that was the only time I saw one in person. I would have gotten even more excited if I had realized it was a once in a lifetime event.

[@BHV0810]

I just saw these a couple weeks ago along the NS Lafayette District southeast of Champaign-Urbana, IL. Was so cool to see.

[@josephriddle8634]

Thom, FYI Roadrailers are (were) built in Lafayette by the Wabash Trailer Corp.

[@SteveInNEPA1]

Great video, Thom, as always. Questions: 1. Have you ever been on a rail cart? 2. Have you ever done any rail biking? Just curious...

[@Thom-TRA]

I’ve done both!

[@SteveInNEPA1]

@Trains Are Awesome You're my hero.

[@Thom-TRA]

@@SteveInNEPA1 Rando-Rail Railbikes Nielles-les-Bléquin France kzbin.info/www/bejne/qqDOaJual6iKg5I

[@JohnGeorgeBauerBuis]

A company confusingly named RailRunner Intermodal makes a newer version of the Roadrailer that handles standard shipping containers. The Twin Cities and Western Railroad in Minnesota has used them, although I’m not sure if they are still in service.

[@PaulCashman]

That was quite a catch, since as you said, that's the last remaining roadrailer route in the U.S. I remember seeing them many years ago on Norfolk Southern's Atlanta District. I really wish I'd savored that opportunity more back then, since alas, their time is numbered. BTW, you probably already know this, but piggyback trailers are normally carried on "spine" cars, not conventional flat cars.

[@michaelb9629]

I knew about these trains for a while and I’ve seen videos of them going through Decatur, IL. That’s a city I still have to check out and hopefully I’ll get to see one of those unique freight trains or wherever I can see one passing by. A different thing I want to mention is that I finally got to ride the CTA 7000 series on the blue line. I know I tried for a couple years and I don’t live near Chicago any longer. That’s where I am currently visiting.

[@Thom-TRA]

I hope you enjoyed the 7000s! I like them

[@michaelb9629]

@@Thom-TRA Yes and I like them too because they’re cool! Thanks for replying about it even though that’s not what this video is about.

[@Survivor1547]

Nice I've seen these Hi Rail Tucks before in my CSX Area.

[@harim9980]

Very informative, Thom! Never knew that the US has a roadrailer, i know about Japan's DMV from a different video here on KZbin. As always, your videos are very interesting to watch and teach me a lot of cool things about trains!

[@Thom-TRA]

Thank you!

[@utahrailfan1946]

Tom Scott's video?

[@Trainsaregreat365]

brilliant video the Midwest is a railfans paradise

[@migi5374]

Cool capture & spotting something rare. Also the weight & braking distance increase again but, maintenance cost eliminated. Overall win. Still working for now. I didn't know about these.

[@thess344]

Nice presentation.

[@Thom-TRA]

Thank you!

[@gailyncookMilwRR]

Think of the extra traffic if all those trucks and intermodal containers went down Main St. of every city that Train passed thru.😱

[@ianweniger6620]

Not quite piggybacks or even intermodal! Cool.

[@joemotes]

Hi Thom, another interesting video, Thanks.

[@Thom-TRA]

You’re welcome!

[@londonwhaley8690]

Good morning I enjoyed the video👍👍

[@thesheq5023]

Something to note- road railers cant be shunted or humped like normal cars so they can’t be stored normally- they have to have a special track of some kind. So most railroads use the well cars because those can be used in hump yards more easily

[@nashorn9745]

In Europe there are what we call car trains these trains operate between places where there are no roads only train tracks. The process is verry simple you drive your car onto the train and shut it off then the train will drive you to the other terminal where you drive of the train again. Well known car trains are Le Shuttle between Folkstone and Calais, Sylt Shuttle between Niebüll and Westerland and the Autoverlad Lötschberg between Kandersteg and Goppenstein. this is a verry good way for a car centric American to get in contact with a train since you can stay in your car.

[@coreydbryant]

I work at Triple Crown, and my job is getting these road railer trailers to Detroit to take to Kansas City...

[@Thom-TRA]

What a cool job!

[@jibblesq]

You work for road and rail services. I used to as well. I worked in the ypsi yard from 2004 until it closed, then worked in the Melvindale yard until I fired myself.

[@kr46428]

Wow what a cool find! I've only heard of these things, but I've never seen one IRL before. I imagine these trailers must be built to a much stronger standard than a typical 53' truck trailer in order to not come apart with the force of the train behind it. That probably makes them a lot more expensive to build (more materials and specialized build). The bogies also probably make it harder to mix in other freight cars, so you'd have to have a very specific dedicated customer for these, and you'd probably end up running the trailers back empty too.

[@jibblesq]

They use what is called a coupler mate to marry the train to the engine, or whatever block of cars they might be trailing.

[@Train_Nerd]

Thank you for this very interesting video! Always fascinating to see trains that are unusual. Despite my personal opinion, that the best intermodal system is just a usual container and not such specialized solution. I'm excited to see more from US-railroads on your channel.

[@SD45-ET44AC]

Great,informative and concise. Well done!

[@Thom-TRA]

Thank you!

[@CameronLandels]

Thank you for the video Thom! Very informative and explained well! I didn't even know the U.K used Roadrailers. I read that they were introduced on the East Coast Mainline in the 1960's! 🙂

[@arch9enius]

News to me too. I thought he was referring to the Karrier Ro-Rail bus that operated to Stratford -on-Avon for a bit in the '30s. Like other straight bus to rail conversions, the least popular aspect was the ride .

[@arch9enius]

Just seen Jack Stackhouse 's video . Same setup as the first iteration of U.S. roadrailers, with the rail axle carried on back adding weight and something nasty looking for Ford Anglias and MG Spidgets to bash into.

[@LeonLahiere]

Wow, I had no idea these existed. I always learn something from your videos and really appreciate your passion.

[@Thom-TRA]

So glad you learned something new!

[@ck4426]

Another nicely researched and informative video!!! Thank you so much!!!!!

[@SteveH-TN]

Fantastic video and informative

[@Thom-TRA]

Thank you!

[@IamTheHolypumpkin]

I somehow feel like those road-raisers are just screaming to derailment. But I guess they are safe. If someone figures out how to combine a boat and a train in one vehicles than I will be very impressed. Imagine swimming trains that would be so weird and awesome at the same time 😂.

[@Thom-TRA]

I’d ride a swimming train for sure

[@stephenkeever6029]

@@Thom-TRA Duck Train with a quacking horn?!

[@qiespecially3218]

Nice video! The question here is, does the military use road railers?

[@RABSTRAINS]

Awesome Video!

[@Thom-TRA]

Thanks!

[@cncpgreatlakesdiv4896]

awesome thx for the post.😊😊👍👍❤❤

[@theconceptualist8626]

Unfortunately from what I’ve heard, NS will discontinue the road railer sometime next month. If I’m correct, you’ve caught one of the last ones.

[@Thom-TRA]

Wow then I was really lucky!

[@jm-bv1wh]

Very interesting - thanks for posting.

[@harrisonofcolorado8886]

I think road railers should be used more.

[@dionwilliams8161]

I agree. Containers can easily be broken into

[@jibblesq]

​@@dionwilliams8161they are just as easy to get into.

[@troubleshooter1975]

Wonderful video! I even hesitate to offer this small critique: In your animations, you have the landing gear as located close to the rear wheels, instead of up front near the fifth wheel king pin. It doesn't take away from the quality of good information you include. I don't want to criticize, just want to point it out. The animations were quite instructive otherwise, and I'm sure people will understand it just fine. (And I expect it would be time prohibitive to fix it...) Kudos for including them.

[@Thom-TRA]

Thanks for the tips!

[@kevanhubbard9673]

Those truck carrying trains are fairly common in Switzerland and ajoining nations as Switzerland has laws to restrict heavy goods vehicles on their roads plus due to the mountains it's easier thanks to rail tunnels.I think with the Swiss,or is it Swizz (like Brasil or Brazil!?), the driver cab goes on the train and a single passenger carriage is dragged for the truck drivers.

[@jfmezei]

I saw these when I was much younger between Montréal and Toronto Canada (CN). It didn't last long. I beleive there are speed restrictions on those and lots of security issues because of brakes and all the brake lines, as well as maximu, train length. WIth piggyback, they can carry may more trailers on a single train. The flatcars also include the railway car identificaion tags (visual or RFID) needed through yards and trackside readers. And piggypack can take any type of trailer. And please don't mention double stacked containers they are the main reason north american railroads are stuck in the 1950s, refusing to electrify.

[@Thom-TRA]

It’s absolutely nonsense that double stack would prevent electrification. Railroads all over the world manage to go both.

[@jfmezei]

@@Thom-TRA Only India has a specialized line that requires special pantographs to reach high enough for non standard overhead catenary. And whete there re bridges/tunnels, there is usually not enough clearance for double stacked containers + overhead catenary.

[@Thom-TRA]

@@jfmezei the Betuweroute in the Netherlands was built to double stack standards

[@jfmezei]

@@Thom-TRA From Wikipedia on Betuweroute: Tunnels, viaducts and other parts of the railway are engineered to be 4.0 m wide and 6.15 m high in order to allow double stacked container trains under overhead wires,[7] although no such trains will be in use on this route for years to come. The overhead wires were installed at standard height, to accommodate locomotives with standard pantographs. This and viaducts on the connecting lines prevent use of double-stacked containers

[@Thom-TRA]

@@jfmezei so what’s your point, it feels like you’re proving the freight railroads right

[@nixcails]

Interesting concept 🤔 I wonder why the Alpine Rolling Motorway trains don't take up this concept. (Apart from maybe loading gauge issues) since the articulated trailers are driven onto flat trucks to pass through mountain tunnels and passes. (In the case of Tunnel sous la Manche Channel Tunnel the entire wagon cab and trailer is driven onto the train but they have a huge loading gauge) I never realised that Great Britain had road railers in the past apart from the LMS-Karrier experiment in the 1930's which was considered for saving rural branch lines en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/LMS_Karrier_Ro-Railer

[@thetoxicgamer2551]

They are only made by one company which you don't hear about the company is called Wabash

[@101southsideboy]

one draw back they had was their top speed Due to their design they were restricted as to how fast they could go compared a standard intermodal rail cars

[@history_leisure]

Guess my idea for calling a Chicago-Savannah might face some push back

[@zetorek83]

bulldog rail security