counting axles

[aostling]

In most of the places I've lived in the USA the highway tractor-trailers are 18-wheelers, with 5 axles. But I've noticed 7- and 8-axle trucks on the road in Washington, Montana, and (perhaps) Wyoming. I assume it all involves state regulations, but since it is a national Interstate system I don't understand these variations.

And what about Australia? How many wheels are there on those infamous land trains?

[Evan]

I don't know about Australia but here they run 30 wheels on eight axles as the most common configuration. They may be hauling two or three bunks depending on the wood length. Maximum highway loads are 122,000 lbs IIRC.

On the forestry roads anything goes.

[Willy]

Although I usually run five to seven axles, I do occasionally run eight axle B-trains on the highway.
In British Columbia maximum weight for eight axles on highway is 139,700 lbs.
It's a real nightmare keeping up with all of the different jurisdictional weight and dimension regulations. What is legal as far as axle spacing in British Columbia and Washington is illegal in Ontario.
Oh well I guess we all have a cross to bare.

[Evan]

It's a real nightmare keeping up with all of the different jurisdictional weight and dimension regulations.

Where are you hauling? Here in Williams Lake the truckers also have to keep track of constantly varying load limits depending on road conditions, especially at breakup. The limits can vary from 10% overload permitted to only 100% or 75% load. Certain bridges will also have particular limits.

Also, if you don't pay attention it can be a very long haul to find out you have to turn around.

Sign on highway 20 leaving town to west.

[Willy]

Mostly locally now Evan (North Okangan Valley), on and off highway. Used to run all over the Pacific northwest, sometimes to Ontario. I remember Williams lake well, would run a trip to Terrace from here, come back and another one to Prince George, all before Friday was done. Would always stop in Williams Lk. coming and going.

Lots of trips to Vancouver and Seattle, didn't care much for the Vancouver run, 18 to 26 stops, sixty five feet of truck and trailer,all during business hours, I was fit to be tied on the way home.

Got tired of 18 to 28 hr. days, 5500 miles a week, and working on the truck while doing my laundry on Sunday.There's something to be said about sleeping in one's own bed. Life is good in the slow lane.

[J Tiers]

A lot of heavy hauling trucks have "helper" axles that let down for heavy loads. I have seen dump trucks with 5 axles, almost all tires front to rear, just a space st the driver's door. Some of them must scrub badly on any sort of turn, though.

Same for trailers. I have seen them with a couple extra helper axles as well.

[Evan]

Would always stop in Williams Lk. coming and going.

I bet you know my next door neighbour, Arv Thomason. He ran the weigh scales here for many years, retired now. They are very good friends of ours.

[Willy]

The name rings a bell Evan but I can't put a face on it.
That was many years ago, you know what they say about the mind being the first to go. I've only been up that way in a pickup for the last twenty years.

[AussieChris]

In Aus, the most common semi-trailer rig is 22 wheels (6 axles). One extra axle on the trailer compared to an 18 wheeler.

We now have a lot of B-doubles which have two trailers for a total of 9 axles. These are allowed almost everywhere.

The road trains with multiple of trailers are not allowed in the cities and mostly operate in the outback. The biggest ones run to and from the mines in Western Australia and the Northern Territory when there's no railway close by. Probably the most impressive one in regular use has two power units - a 600hp Kenworth prime mover and a 400hp Cummins mounted in the 3rd of it's 6 trailers. This thing has a payload of 270 tonnes and a gross of about 400 tonnes. Others have even more trailers but less weight.

The world record road train had 112 trailers behind a single prime mover and was set in Queensland last year. It was 1.5km long. But that was just for show and was only hauled 100m.

But to answer the question road trains with 4 hoppers with up to 86 wheels would be common in the mining sector and for the cattle industry 3 trailers (62 wheels) would be typical.

Chris.

[BigBoy1]

Australian Road Train

And what about Australia? How many wheels are there on those infamous land trains?

When I was in Australia, I remember counting one road train the had 27 axles with a total of 106 wheels.

Bill

[J Tiers]

Trailers in train are common in the States. Three is the maximum now.

The doubles used to be called "Missouri doubles", and the others were "Nevada triples", for reasons that escape me. But these days they drive all over.

It "gives you to think" when you are driving to work at "only" 7 mph over the limit, and one of these doubles or triples passes you at a smart pace.....

[wierdscience]

Here in Missasippy it's 120,000 on farm and mining produce(this includes timber)on five axles.Tri and quad axle setups on trucks or trailers don't give any real advantage here unless it's a lowboy equipment trailer so few people use them.

IIRC permits can be had for oversized and heavy loads up to 145,000lbs on five axles.

[Peter S]

The most axles I recall seeing on a short length of trailer was somewhere like Michigan (maybe Wisconsin). I remember trying to take a photo while driving my rental on the freeway - not a good idea really. They seemed to be fairly common there, also some abnormaly long drawbars if my memory is correct.

It interests me in Europe to see how few axles they require on the tractor unit - usually a single driving axle. Then two or three axles under the articulated trailer, often with single tyres. Very few (I don't think I have seen any) truck and trailer or B-trains in France or UK.

Here in NZ, axles seem to be on the increase. I am starting to see four axles on the tractor unit (ie one axle steering, three under the turntable), then three axles under each unit of the B-train. Thats 10 axles, 38 wheels.
Quite a lot of truck and trailer units with tandem steer. A good variety of truck and trailers, B-trains, single long semi trailers. Sorry not sure what the correct terminlogy is for these units (e.g. turntable = fifth wheel? Articulated trailer = semi-trailer?)

Here are a few photos I found on one of the NZ manufacturers websites:

http://www.roadmaster.co.nz/glidemasters.html

[Willy]

When I first started trucking thirty five years ago just about everything was five axles. Now six to nine axles are very common. I know all too well that 140,000 lbs. adds a whole lot more to my stress level than 80,000 lbs.
I pride myself on getting a load to it's destination on time and more importantly, safely. With todays traffic, everybody being in a hurry, lack of patience, and cell phones, I'm just about ready to pack it in.

But just like every other occupation that I can think of, everyone's margin of profit is shrinking, produce more and receive less per unit of input.

Since the concept of "just in time inventory" surfaced, our nations highways are now also our nations warehouses, hence the ever growing number of axles to carry the freight.

[aostling]

Here in NZ, axles seem to be on the increase. I am starting to see four axles on the tractor unit (ie one axle steering, three under the turntable), then three axles under each unit of the B-train. Thats 10 axles, 38 wheels.

Peter,

I had no idea of this proliferation. In the 1970s almost everything went long distance by NZ Railways. I don't recall seeing anything even as large as an 18-wheeler.

Last I heard, somebody from Wisconsin bought the Railways. Can this be true?