So explain 'conestoga'...

Correct answer.

I for one am surprised by all you guys that are saying roll-tites and conestogas are the same thing.

Conestogas, side kits, rack and tarps, covered wagons are all the same thing just like that pic above.

Roll-tites are the sliding types.

If you don't believe it, think back 20 years ago .....we were using the term "Conestoga" before the sliding systems were invented.

 

We were? In the midwest flatbeds with side kits were called "Covered Wagons" You didn't see any sliding systems back then

 

$45000 New & ^
http://tinyurl.com/lmfmao4

 

Rank I think it's a regional thing. In Ontario we call them roll tites. Obviously in the states they prefer the term Conestoga. All the years I hauled steel it was always rack and tarp or covered wagon never Conestoga. Same as a spread axle trailer. Up here we just refer to it as a tandem. In the Midwest it's always a spread. I always called my trailer a 6 axle. In mi guys would call it a 9 quad 9. At first I was like what? But then it made sense cause it told guys the axle spreads. See clear as mud! Lol

 

the answer to the OP
well like everything else on here
it is clear as mud now

 

Curtain side and conestoga are only basically the same thing in the aspect they are trailers. A curtainside is exactly that, curtains on the side of a van instead of aluminum walls. A curtain side cannot be loaded/unloaded by overhead crane, they cannot take anything over-length because they have van doors on the rear and depending on the integrity of the roof they may not be able to remove enough supports to load something close to trailer length without the roof collapsing. Depending on the design you probably aren't going to load anything over 96" wide due to the roof supports.

With a Conestoga/Quick Draw/Roll Tight (whatever you want to call a rolling tarp system) you can load from the sides, and overhead, you can take long items and let them stick out the back, you can load things up to 102" wide and in the case of our Quick Draw's you can go to 104" and even 105" wide on them and still roll them shut just fine.

We have several customers that require Conestoga's (rolling tarp systems) and will not accept a curtain-side or covered wagon or tarped open deck. They don't want the tarping system to touch the freight and they often load/unload by overhead crane.

 

Now that the definition of Conestoga has been explained, Im trying to figure out who benefits from the use of a 15k added on system. From my research it seems to be best used for irregular steel and coils, "normal" dimension machinery and those who have multiple drops. Are these the only folk who benefit or do other sectors of flat freight fall in here and I'm missing them?

 

Curtain side: Any legal load that needs to be tarped and can be side loaded
Roll tite: Any legal load that needs to be tarped and cannot be side loaded
Conestoga/rack and tarp: (I am still not calling a roll tite a conestoga LOL). Anyone who wants to retain the ability to haul OD loads on their flat by breaking down their side kit.

 

A major benefit of a curtain side is the ability to build lanes by mixing freight types. Running I-5 I haul a lot of lumber and building products south with beverage type loads going north. Shippers want a solid roof and locking doors for a lot of freight.

I have also argued that what you are really doing is buying a really expensive trailer that will cost a lot more to maintain and totally eff up your fuel mileage, all so you can haul a wider variety of cheap freight, but if I want to live where I do, it's a good alternative.

 

Rank,there are curtainsides that you can open up the roof.
I agree there might be few in the USA but it is very easy to construct.
I known off and have seen curtainsides that can do OS loads.
Some you can load a D10 on and close the curtains.
I have even seen curtainsides that were reefers.
The only limit is your empty weight and the size off your wallet.