Dual-mode rail-highway semi-trailer with separable bogie

Abstract

A dual-mode semi-trailer having over-the-road or highway running gear with rubber tired wheels in which a demountable flanged rail wheel bogie is employed, the body being supported upon said highway running gear during over-the-road travel by air-springs and being supported upon said rail wheel bogie during travel over railroad tracks, a mechanism being provided to selectively raise and lower said highway running gear for selective use in the railroad mode or highway mode of travel, another mechanism also being provided to attach or detach said rail wheel bogie from said body for operation in the rail or highway mode of travel, the semi-trailers bodies being coupleable end-to-end to form a train of multiple semi-trailers in the railroad mode of travel. The highway running gear may be of the single axle or tandem axle type, in each case each axle carrying sets of tires of conventional size allowing loads as high as legally permitted to be carried over the road in the highway mode of travel, the highway running gear being slidably mounted to the vehicle body allowing adjustable fore-aft positioning to further enhance permissable highway load capacity due to improved weight distribution, the rail wheel bogie being preferably of the dual-axle type.