Development of Container Truck in the World
1.1 Development of general hipping container truck trailer in the world
(1) The number of container flatbed trailers continues to grow. While manufacturing a flatbed trailer with 18.4m long chassis (capable of transporting three 20ft containers), it is also manufacturing a flatbed trailer with an extended chassis of 24.5m and 420ft or two 40ft containers. For example, a 90.7t flatbed trailer in the United States can carry four 20ft or two 40ft boxes, and a KO K-1-50000 flatbed trailer in Japan can carry three 20ft boxes. The large-tonnage container flatbed trailers manufactured in the former Soviet Union can transport 3 20ft containers, and a flatbed trailer with a length of 24.5m chassis is being developed.
(2) The structure of the truck body changes greatly. Some use powerful mid-beams to make side beams into light structures, others use short mid-beams without through mid-beams. Some are supported by powerful side beams. There is also the installation of movable beams.
(3) In order to ensure the completeness of transporting goods, the container flatbed trailers are equipped with buffer devices for longer journeys.
(4) In some hipping container truck trailers, the container fastening device is a little higher than the flat truck chassis when it is locked so as to facilitate forklift loading and unloading.
1.2 Double-deck container truck trailer
Vehicle boundaries are high in the United States. In the late 1970s, the organization of double-deck overlay transport (DST) began. DS T is usually grouped into 20 units, and each unit is composed of 5 articulated concave bottom trucks. The upper and lower floors can be loaded with 40, 45 or 48ft containers. The international intermodal freight train in the United States is mainly the DST mode of transport.
1.3 Piggyback Transportation
It was originally initiated by the French Railway and then applied by the American Railway, which has a large vehicle limit. Since the 1950s, there has been a rapid development. At present, American railways have about 67,000 piggyback trucks. Generally, a freight truck can carry one 48ft trailer, one 45ft trailer or three 28ft trailers. Portal overhead crane or clamping loader is used for loading and unloading. European railways such as France and Germany, which have smaller vehicle boundaries, adopt concave-bottom freight trucks when they begin to use piggyback carriers. Piggyback mode of transport has accounted for about 30% of the combined transport volume in Western Europe. Although there are some problems in the efficiency of this mode of transportation, it can be assembled and assigned directly to the cargo owner because of omitting the classification and replacement of the truck terminal. It has the advantages of easy start and quick loading and unloading.
1.4 Highway-Railway Dual-Purpose Vehicle
In the late 1970s, American railways developed 1.4Highway-Railway Dual-Purpose Vehicle M ARK IV, which can operate both railways and highways. This mode of transportation does not require trucks. Railway and highway transport can be directly connected, and large-scale loading machinery is not required at railway terminal. Later, MARK V truck with loadable and unloadable railway bogies was developed. In addition to the popularity of this mode of transportation in the United States, railways in Western European countries have also trial-produced some types of Highway-Railway Dual-Purpose Vehicle.
1.5 Joint container truck trailer
Since the 1980s, articulated concave flatbed trailers have been widely used by American railways to transport containers. It adopts double-layer stacking mode. Generally, five vehicles are a unit. Joint connectors are used to connect and share a bogie between the vehicles in the unit. Head and tail of trucks can transport 2 20ft or 1 40ft containers, middle of trucks can transport 40, 45 or 48 ft containers, and upper of trucks can transport 40, 45, 48 or 53ft containers. The total weight of trains (consisting of 28 units) is nearly 9000t, which has made container transportation in the United States enter the stage of heavy haul transportation. Railways in Western Europe, Australia and other countries have been developing this mode of transport.