Nostalgia & History > CGW Piggybacks

1. CGWZ 504062 piggyback trailer in Chicago Transfer Yards in Chicago, IL on May 2, 1963.  Marty Bernard photo

2. CGWZ 504203 Trailermobile, May 1964, Roger Puta Collection, photographer unknown.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/04/25 19:47 by MartyBernard.

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I always found the moveable carriage under those trailers interesting. I am guessing it was a way to better the center of gravity of the intended load.
Trailermobile? Perhaps Trailmobile a trailer manufacturer back then. When Trailmobile opened a trailer manufacturing plant in West Point, PA they installed a rail siding off the Reading's Stony Creek Branch. I'm not sure it was ever used. A friend worked there when he graduated from High School. First bucking rivets and later installing inverted nut fittings on air brakes.
Today there is Exclusive Senior Living Housing on the former trailer building site. Who would ever have thought. And ironically there is still a switch for a stub track up to the property line of that "Exclusive housing".
Gonut

Reminds me of the Athearn 40ft trailer they offerred (still offer?) in HO scale.   

Gonut1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I always found the moveable carriage under those
> trailers interesting. I am guessing it was a way
> to better the center of gravity of the intended
> load.
> Trailermobile? Perhaps Trailmobile a trailer
> manufacturer back then. When Trailmobile opened a
> trailer manufacturing plant in West Point, PA they
> installed a rail siding off the Reading's Stony
> Creek Branch. I'm not sure it was ever used. A
> friend worked there when he graduated from High
> School. First bucking rivets and later installing
> inverted nut fittings on air brakes.
> Today there is Exclusive Senior Living Housing on
> the former trailer building site. Who would ever
> have thought. And ironically there is still a
> switch for a stub track up to the property line of
> that "Exclusive housing".
> Gonut

I suspect the "moveable undercarriage" on the trailers was a way of getting them around tight corners rather than balancing the load.  Nice shots, thanks for posting.  

Nick Tharalson,
Marion, IA

I worked at a company that regularly got ductile iron pipe deliveries on tractor trailers with flatbed trailers with moveable carriages.

The only way the trucks could get in our out of the yard with the tight turns was to move the carriage. 

ntharalson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gonut1 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I always found the moveable carriage under
> those
> > trailers interesting. I am guessing it was a
> way
> > to better the center of gravity of the intended
> > load.
> > Trailermobile? Perhaps Trailmobile a trailer
> > manufacturer back then. When Trailmobile opened
> a
> > trailer manufacturing plant in West Point, PA
> they
> > installed a rail siding off the Reading's Stony
> > Creek Branch. I'm not sure it was ever used. A
> > friend worked there when he graduated from High
> > School. First bucking rivets and later
> installing
> > inverted nut fittings on air brakes.
> > Today there is Exclusive Senior Living Housing
> on
> > the former trailer building site. Who would
> ever
> > have thought. And ironically there is still a
> > switch for a stub track up to the property line
> of
> > that "Exclusive housing".
> > Gonut
>
> I suspect the "moveable undercarriage" on the
> trailers was a way of getting them around tight
> corners rather than balancing the load.  Nice
> shots, thanks for posting.  
>
> Nick Tharalson,
> Marion, IA

ntharalson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Gonut1 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I always found the moveable carriage under
> those
> > trailers interesting. I am guessing it was a
> way
> > to better the center of gravity of the intended
> > load.
> > Trailermobile? Perhaps Trailmobile a trailer
> > manufacturer back then. When Trailmobile opened
> a
> > trailer manufacturing plant in West Point, PA
> they
> > installed a rail siding off the Reading's Stony
> > Creek Branch. I'm not sure it was ever used. A
> > friend worked there when he graduated from High
> > School. First bucking rivets and later
> installing
> > inverted nut fittings on air brakes.
> > Today there is Exclusive Senior Living Housing
> on
> > the former trailer building site. Who would
> ever
> > have thought. And ironically there is still a
> > switch for a stub track up to the property line
> of
> > that "Exclusive housing".
> > Gonut
>
> I suspect the "moveable undercarriage" on the
> trailers was a way of getting them around tight
> corners rather than balancing the load.  Nice
> shots, thanks for posting.  
>
> Nick Tharalson,
> Marion, IA

The primary function is to ensure even axle loading. In today's world (back then weights limits varied state) Today you want 12.000 lbs on the front axle, 34,000 lbs on the (tandem) drive and 34,000 lbs on the (tandem) trailer axles to reach 80,000 lbs. The driver can slide the fifth wheel on the tractor in many cases as well as the trailer tandem to create the right balance.

Sliding the tandem for cornering purposes is another benefit. Also, sliding the tandem all the way back to the rearmost position is required by some shippers for loading purposes on a 53' trailer. Most states require that the driver slide them ahead for highway travel.

Great photos! Since Trailmobile was Chicago based, it's not surprising that the CGW would buy trailers from them! Interesting that they are both reefers with underslung refrigeration units!

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/05/25 10:15 by NYSWSD70M.