Backing up doubles

Don't you hate it when you get burned by a "sure bet?"

 

Awesome!! The more you do it and practice it'll be like second nature. I love doubles..you can get them in tighter places than you can a van and turn them around because they bend in the middle.

 

Was it a straight back or did he actually manuver the train around a corner.

 

They are VERY common in Canada. Especially in the west (BC, AB, SK, MB and Northern ON). Typical setup is five axles, three on bridge two on pup. Southern Ontario you see a lot more quad axle straight trailers with any number of lift/self-steer axles (most I saw my one time down there was a quad with three self-steers) but B-trains with 7 axles exist (my company has a couple sets for Michigan).

I know we sometimes do B-trains of steel down into ND with permits to some customers. Not very common though.

Gross weights in Canada for B-trains is why everyone runs them. A 475-500 hp truck with an 18-speed can pull 90-95,000 lbs net rather than the mere 60-63,000 lbs on a tri-axle straight trailer. Plus, you get 60 feet of deck space rather than 53 or 48.

 

USA PNW are 8-9 axles @ 105500 GVW/net around 72k pulling 2 35s. We run Canadian built trailers and trucks. 550-700 hp w/ 18sp. +40mph on 6%. Have passed a few 18 wheels on a pull loaded. Oh my.

 

Guy backs up a pair of 53 footers a very impressive distance.

Videos of people backing triples is where it gets fun

 

Are you guys talking B-Trains; A-Trains or 53 ft doubles? Fifty four years trucking and I never could get an A- Train to do what I wanted it to do. B-Trains are tricky but lots of drivers can eventually learn to maneuver them with considerable ease to keep them lined up. Straight 53 ft doubles should be easy after a few practice runs.

In 1960, I shunted trailers for four months at the Trans America yard in LA (we were called Yard Dogs back then) and learned to back B-Trains with ease. A-Trains were always my nightmare. There wasn't such a thing as 53' doubles in those days.