GM Semis

[Bob B.]

Southern Pacific Taylor Yard, Los Angeles. Wanna hear a story?

That was called 'circus loading'. Special flatcars made for 'piggy back' trailer on flatcar intermodal service. S.P. used a system called the Clejan Dolly. The flatcar had tracks on it and the semitrailer had special rollers that rode on the tracks and were also used to lock the trailer on the flatcar. A tractor could back down multiple flatcars to pick up the trailers, and the tractors were also guided by the rails on the flatcars. So, backing in a straight line down the flatcars was not as difficult as it seemed. Now, Southern Pacific thought this system was really great, because only trailers owned by their own trucking subsidiary Pacific Motor Trucking had Clejan equipment. So, it you wanted to use S.P.'s intermodal service, you had to use Pacific Motor Trucking too! Worked well to S.P.'s favor for many years, but eventually other railroads used different equipment so they could carry anyone's trailers. Fun while it lasted.

S.P. had a lot of GMC's over the years. All 3 GM plants in California were served by the Southern Pacific, and S.P. also used a lot of G.M. EMD diesel locomotives. Must have gotten great deals on all that stuff!