A weird question ?
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2010
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From: Florida
A weird question ?
I was going down the highway twords melbourne fl and to the side of me was a rail road,and i saw a truck that had wheels like a train and was driveing down the rail with them. What are those? where do you get them just something i was wondering about ?
Kinda invisioned haveing track on my propery and huge trailers being towed by my truck to my barns and stuff. Just a fun idea like hidden rooms in you house if you ever think of things like that.
I thought since there is barely any resistance on a trac you truck could tow much more and you could operate at low speeds.
I'm board cant you tell
Kinda invisioned haveing track on my propery and huge trailers being towed by my truck to my barns and stuff. Just a fun idea like hidden rooms in you house if you ever think of things like that.
I thought since there is barely any resistance on a trac you truck could tow much more and you could operate at low speeds.
I'm board cant you tell
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,347
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From: Kville, ohio
they are Hi-Railers. they are pretty much only available to rail roads and contractors. but you can haul a$$. we have a big KW straight truck crusin the rail around here. CSX owns it. it has a big service bed on it its awsome.
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 4,086
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From: Malahat/Cowichan Valley
Well as usual, my interest was peaked.
Quote from Tim at Fleet Body Equipment for a standard install of their Rail Gear HR1500C1 kit is 20 grand.
Quote from Braden at AutoTruck for their standard kit is approx the same price but varies if used gear is installed.
++EDIT++ new quote for heavy trucks......."Going off of past installs, new gear on 33,000 gvwr trucks are around the $35,000 area, installed."
Holy crap! haha
Anyone want contact numbers for their install? hahaha
Quote from Tim at Fleet Body Equipment for a standard install of their Rail Gear HR1500C1 kit is 20 grand.
Quote from Braden at AutoTruck for their standard kit is approx the same price but varies if used gear is installed.
++EDIT++ new quote for heavy trucks......."Going off of past installs, new gear on 33,000 gvwr trucks are around the $35,000 area, installed."
Holy crap! haha
Anyone want contact numbers for their install? hahaha
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 419
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From: Timmins, Ontario, Canada
I had the same dream, especially as a kid, i dreamed of having one of those and flying along the rails. CN rail has all kinds of pickups and service trucks with those around here. We've got one at work too for our rail line, looks real cool.
I saw a set once at a junkyard, but my lack of rails kindof put that out of mind!
Steel on steel is super efficient, but the trucks I saw were propelled by the rubber tires on the rails, so I feel like it would take a long time in low range to get moving.
Hardest would be corners.. you'd need a big property or a lot of switches to have anything but a straight line!
I saw a set once at a junkyard, but my lack of rails kindof put that out of mind!
Steel on steel is super efficient, but the trucks I saw were propelled by the rubber tires on the rails, so I feel like it would take a long time in low range to get moving.
Hardest would be corners.. you'd need a big property or a lot of switches to have anything but a straight line!
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From: in the shadows
Bored maybe yes, and fishing makes for sushi 
, but anywho here be the real weird question - what do they do with the steering wheel when the truck is on the railroad tracks? If I understand the wiki stuff correct (and I most likely do not), the little steel wheels are there just to guide the truck and keep it from falling off the tracks, and it is still the rubber tires that actually move it - well, how do you keep the front wheels straight all the time?
, but anywho here be the real weird question - what do they do with the steering wheel when the truck is on the railroad tracks? If I understand the wiki stuff correct (and I most likely do not), the little steel wheels are there just to guide the truck and keep it from falling off the tracks, and it is still the rubber tires that actually move it - well, how do you keep the front wheels straight all the time?
