A vehicle lowering system having a cargo surface with an adjacent pivoting arm is connected to a vehicle at a pivot point. The pivoting arm moves between a raised and a lowered position by an actuator that is affixed to a frame and the pivoting arm. The frame has an upper portion and a lower portion that provides structure for the portion of the frame that is beyond the pivot point and actuator. The pivot arm has a spindle that holds and allows a wheel to rotate. The spindle has an axis that is always located above the cargo surface. The actuator is movable between an extended position and a retracted position. When the actuator moves between the extended and retracted position, the pivoting arm moves the vehicle between a raised and a lowered position.

A wheel suspension device for a vehicle includes a beam connectable to a frame of the vehicle and a wheel spindle for receiving a wheel, wherein the wheel spindle has an axis coinciding with the intended wheel rotation axis, and the beam has a pivot axis for pivoting the beam relative to the frame about the pivot axis. The wheel spindle is arranged on the beam for enabling the wheel to move up and down relative to the frame by pivot motion of the beam and the beam pivot axis and the wheel spindle axis are angled relative to each other.

In one or more arrangements, a system is presented for transportation of a railcar. The system also includes a trailer having a flatbed configured to move between a tilted position and a horizontal position. The flatbed has a track assembly that when the flatbed is tilted and the track assembly is aligned with a set of rail tracks, a railcar may be loaded by rolling the railcar from the rail tracks onto the track assembly of the flatbed. The system also includes an alignment device operably connected to the flatbed and configured to automatically align the track assembly of the flatbed with the set of rail tracks as the flatbed is tilted downward towards the track.

In one or more arrangements, a system is presented for transportation of a railcar. The system also includes a trailer having a flatbed configured to move between a tilted position and a horizontal position. The flatbed has a track assembly that when the flatbed is tilted and the track assembly is aligned with a set of rail tracks, a railcar may be loaded by rolling the railcar from the rail tracks onto the track assembly of the flatbed. The system also includes an alignment device operably connected to the flatbed and configured to automatically align the track assembly of the flatbed with the set of rail tracks as the flatbed is tilted downward towards the track.

A hydraulic lift system for a semi-trailer is provided. The hydraulic lift system includes a single, vertically-mounted, double acting, telescopic hydraulic cylinder located at the front of the semi-trailer. One portion of the hydraulic cylinder can be attached to bearings that are bolted to a vertical support structure attached to the longitudinal beams of the semi-trailer. The rod end of the hydraulic cylinder can be attached to the kingpin plate and draft arms of the semi-trailer. The hydraulic cylinder can be extended to lift the longitudinal beams of the semi-trailer to a position for the dumping of the contents of a container on the semi-trailer or for loading or unloading a container from the semi-trailer.

A hydraulic lift system for a semi-trailer is provided. The hydraulic lift system includes a single, vertically-mounted, double acting, telescopic hydraulic cylinder located at the front of the semi-trailer. One portion of the hydraulic cylinder can be attached to bearings that are bolted to a vertical support structure attached to the longitudinal beams of the semi-trailer. The rod end of the hydraulic cylinder can be attached to the kingpin plate and draft arms of the semi-trailer. The hydraulic cylinder can be extended to lift the longitudinal beams of the semi-trailer to a position for the dumping of the contents of a container on the semi-trailer or for loading or unloading a container from the semi-trailer.