B-Train backing?

I know it's a truck and trailer and I posted it because it's the same as the pic in your sig. However the setup I feel is pointless is the A-Train which is somewhat similar because the rear trailer is pulled with a long hitch and pintle hook and is harder to back up when pulled with a straight truck and nearly impossible to back up with a semi, and can't be pulled as a normal trailer.


I see absolutely no advantage to pulling the first set (a-train) vs the b-train below. With the "A" broken apart you've got a 28' hopper and a worthless pup that you can't back up when hooked together, and with the "B" you've got 2-28' trailers that are easily maneuverable and 2 trucks can take them to 2 separate destinations if needed.

also what do you mean

Every trailer I've ever worked on, pulled or owned had it's own system and didn't rely on any other trailer/truck to operate correctly.

Not a B or A setup but possiably the biggest time vampire I've ever seen is the west coast "transfer dumps". Whoever the moron was that figured this was the best most efficient way to haul gravel should be shot.
If anyone doesn't know what I'm talking about click the link here and watch the video and imagine doing that BS several stops a day.

 

I never understood the transfer dumps either.

 

A pup (Trailer) for regular (A) or short doubles shoud work the same glad hands, pin hitch should be the same for both. The only difference would be if one needed a wet line. Ie Gravel Train.

 

most I've seen don't have a standard pin the dolly is part of the pup, just like the michigan gravel trains.

 

I guess what you call a "A" trian is just a different version of a truck and trailer. And a "B" train is a set of doubles. I'm sorry but I'm old school and we never use A or B when describing a set up. I do disagree with you thou that a set of doubles is easy to back or even a set of 28' pups. I've pulled triples and there's nothing easy about them. The whole concept of doubles or triples was to allow the freight to go to different places without unloading the trailer. Just drop and hook an empty or whatever. The reason for a truck and trailer was maneuverability. That's why you'll see alot of Truck and Trailers out west hauling gasoline. The trucks got bigger but the stations stayed the same. Backing a truck and trailer that pivots in the middle is very easy because it only pivots in two places. The longer the drawbar the easier it is. To get the same amount of gallons as we hauled on a semi you'd have to pull a pup then you couldn't back out if your life depended on it. That is in a station with 6" clearance on both sides.

I don't want to change trailers when I'm hauling gasoline. I want a trailer I know the ABS will work perfectly just like the truck. You don't see trucks changing trailes all that much in the gasoline business. We load for one drop so there's none of this drop and hook. For awhile there where trailers that didn't even have ABS on them and the last thing I would want is a truck with ABS and a trailer with none. I'm sure they're still out there and that's why I said I want a matched set.

 

The rationale behind a transfer is that, like a truck & trailer, it's easy to load to maximum weight and keep your axles legal, and you can back in to tight places or hook to a paving machine like a bobtail 10 wheeler.

You can also leave the trailer at home & work it as a 10 wheeler if that's where the work is at the moment.

 

confusing? I pulled the michigan graval trains for a year. a-trains were defined as a tractor,trailer and pup. b-trains were basically a dump with a pup and had incab air pintle hooks that made it just like backing a normal trailer. The a-train backing is a self taught skill that some make look easy.
I pull my tanker in these rinkydink stations everyday, sometimes with two inches of turning clearance. Its all about how you position your trailer when you pull in that will make or break your exit.

 

Hi guys here in Michigan we have michigan gravel Trains (A) doubles.
Which is tractor, lead trailer, pup trailer. We also have Short doubles Truck with pup trailer. There is (B) trains tractor, trailer with 5th wheel mounted on it then another 5th wheel trailer. These are mostly use for steel Hauling. Last we have doubles using a converter dolly. Tractor with 28' trailer a dolly and another 28' trailer. We can not have triples in michigan
Hope this helps you out

 

There's no need for triples in MI, when you can run an 8 axle trailer. hehe

 

"A" train (at least where I come from) is two trailers joined by a dolly and a drawbar. Like what Ooops and Fedup use. "B" train has a 5th wheel mounted on the back of the lead trailer (no drawbar).

In my day we called "A" trains Wiggle Wagons, Farmer Browns or Hay Wagons (cuz the back trailer handled like one), Suicide Sets or Flippers (cuz the back trailer wuz real easy to flip over especially when hauling hanging meat). The first thing I was taught about em was don't ever watch your mirrors cause you'll wreck yourself trying to "correct" for the wanderings of the rear trailer. Backing "A" trains can be done but it's like pushing a rope.

"B" trains are much more stable.

BTW, GasH..... a Truck Trailer is not a train.