What kind of truck to buy for intermodal hauling

Discussion in 'Intermodal Trucking Forum' started by TDevine729, Oct 4, 2014.

  1. TDevine729

    TDevine729 Bobtail Member

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    Mar 4, 2014
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    I'm trying to find a truck to get into intermodal hauling. What horsepower is recommended? What make and model do you use? Is a longer or shorter wheel base better for it. Are there any other things to consider that I dont even know I don't know?
     
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  3. damutt

    damutt Road Train Member

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    not an intermodal driver. but are you home every night? or are you OTR? id local a nice shortish WB prob a 9 spd trans. them are HEAVY(if loaded) stupid light(if empty).

    engine id go for a 13 or 15L engine. i would NOT use a MaxxForce(they hate idling)
     
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  4. ew2108

    ew2108 Road Train Member

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    midroof and a 15 liter atleast 455hp. Like damutt said the can get heavy so insure your truck is light enough but strong enough to pull up to 46k although thats not likely .
     
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  5. damutt

    damutt Road Train Member

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    all of the container chassis that i have seen are spring, so expect ###### ride.
     
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  6. 201

    201 Road Train Member

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    high plains colorado
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    Hi T, well, I wouldn't drive a truck today with anything less than 500 hp.(or a high 400 Cat, 475, 485) Railroad containers are extremely hard to pull, just by their design. Make sure you get something that turns sharp. While I'm a big Pete, KW fan, I drove a Freightliner Century for a while, that I could back in like a day cab anywhere. Some of the rail yards are really tight.
     
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  7. damutt

    damutt Road Train Member

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    yep aint that the truth.if you NEED a sleeper get one with a small one 36 inch
     
  8. catpwred

    catpwred Bobtail Member

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    On the shorter side wheelbase makes it nice when trying to drop the container back at the terminal if your going to be home every night get a day cab or even a small sleeper. Like semi said at least in the high 400 HP range. The freightliner models century, Columbia, are nice for there turn radius and the smaller volvos and prostars don't know first hand on the last 2 but freightliner yes I know first hand. Maybe something a little more areo to help on fuel since it'll be coming out of your pocket.
     
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  9. david123abc

    david123abc Heavy Load Member

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    Not sure about other places, but in GA most container drivers I see seem to be using whatever truck that was capable of starting up at the junkyard.
     
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  10. 201

    201 Road Train Member

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    Hi david, that's not entirely true. In Chicago, where I went, yes, there were lots of beaters, mostly for crosstown stuff, but I used my '72 Pete in my signature pic to pull RR cans, and I knew many guys that used their large cars after coming off OTR gigs. I had no business using that Pete below for intermodal. It had manual steering, and a 400 Cummins with no wind deflectors, and I struggled with it. That truck should have been boogying out I-80 somewhere, and not in the railyards. It was a lot of fun, but I really should have had a different truck for that, and eventually sold the truck (big mistake) and got out of O/O, rather than get a different truck.
     
  11. TDevine729

    TDevine729 Bobtail Member

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    My friend who does it now is home every night. He recommended getting a sleeper in case intermodal doesn't work out and you decide to go another direction with your truck. Or in case you get offered a good paying load that's more than an out and back. Or to nap in while being unloaded. I see a lot of 10 speeds would that work as well as a 9?
     
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