An intermodal transportation system is provided having interconnected railcars adapted for transporting interconnected freight trailers where the freight trailers remain connected while being transported on the railcars. Individual trailers are dropped off at a railyard by over-the-road tractors and are then transported onto the railcars using various means as makes sense due to weather, location, and other factors

Example portable trailer stands for supporting parked trailers are disclosed herein. Some example portable trailer stands disclosed herein comprise two telescopic posts supporting a generally horizontal beam. Some examples include spring-loaded retractable wheels for selectively installing and removing the trailer stand from underneath a trailer left parked on a driveway. After being positioned under the trailer, the posts extend to lift the beam solidly up against the underside of the trailer. To accommodate conditions where the driveway is not parallel to the trailer's underside, some example posts can be lengthened independently and have angular play that allows the beam to tilt. In some examples, the horizontal axle of the trailer stand wheels is perpendicular to the beam so that the trailer stand can be readily installed from either the front or side of the trailer. Some examples have a kingpin-receiving groove in the beam or have some other kingpin-receiving feature.

A trailer stand positionable by a shunt truck is disclosed. The trailer stand includes a leg assembly having a front pair of legs and a back pair of legs, the front pair of legs connected by a front cross support and the back pair of legs connected by a back cross support, a wheel assembly having a wheel assembly frame that has a first end and a second end, the first end connected to the back pair of legs, the second end retaining an axle, the axle rotatably retaining at least two wheels, a stepped assembly having a front end, a back end, a top, and a bottom, the front end connected to the front cross support, the back end connected to the back cross support, the top of the stepped assembly providing a plurality of landing areas for an end of the semi-trailer, and a lifting frame.

A method is provided for controlling a hydraulic hybrid vehicle, the hydraulic hybrid vehicle including: a first pair of wheels and a second pair of wheels; an internal combustion engine connected to the first pair of wheels for propelling the hydraulic hybrid vehicle; and a hydraulic propulsion system including a first hydraulic machine connected to the second pair of wheels, the method including the steps of; receiving a signal indicative of a driving condition, including vehicle speed, of the hydraulic hybrid vehicle; comparing the vehicle speed of the driving condition of the hydraulic hybrid vehicle with an upper predetermined threshold speed limit; determining if the vehicle speed of the driving condition is higher than the upper predetermined threshold speed limit; and when the vehicle speed is higher than the upper predetermined threshold speed determining, based on the driving condition, control parameters for operating the first hydraulic machine; and controlling the control parameters of the first hydraulic machine for operating the first hydraulic machine. The invention also relates to a control unit and a hydraulic hybrid vehicle.

A converter dolly is provided for use with a tractor-trailer wherein the converter dolly additionally comprises dolly fairings which are located in front of the wheels of the converter dolly. The dolly fairings are preferably made of fibreglass, and improve the aerodynamic efficiency of the converter dolly, and thus reduce fuel consumption.

The present disclosure is directed to a trailer stand for a semi-trailer comprising a frame having a front end, a back end, the front end having a pair of front legs and the back end having a pair of back legs; a wheel assembly having a wheel assembly frame, the wheel assembly frame comprising at least two wheels; a pair of stepped assemblies, each of the pair of stepped assemblies connected to the top of one of the pair of front legs and one of the pair of back legs, the pair of stepped assemblies providing a plurality of landing areas for an underside of the semi-trailer; and a lifting system connected to the wheel assembly and to the frame, the lifting system configured to raise and lower the frame relative to the wheel assembly.

A method of moving an autonomous mobile robot dolly is provided. The method includes positioning a base of a transport trailer under a frame of the autonomous mobile robot dolly. The base carries a lifting plate that is operatively connected to an actuator that is configured to raise the lifting plate. The lifting plate is raised using the actuator thereby raising the autonomous mobile robot dolly to a raised position. The transport trailer is moved from one location to a different location with the lifting plate and the autonomous mobile robot dolly in the raised position.

A trailer stand positionable by a shunt truck is disclosed. The trailer stand includes a leg assembly having a front pair of legs and a back pair of legs, the front pair of legs connected by a front cross support and the back pair of legs connected by a back cross support, a wheel assembly having a wheel assembly frame that has a first end and a second end, the first end connected to the back pair of legs, the second end retaining an axle, the axle rotatably retaining at least two wheels, a stepped assembly having a front end, a back end, a top, and a bottom, the front end connected to the front cross support, the back end connected to the back cross support, the top of the stepped assembly providing a plurality of landing areas for an end of the semi-trailer, and a lifting frame.

A propulsion arrangement for a self-powered dolly vehicle unit, the propulsion arrangement comprising a first electric machine, a second electric machine, a gearbox, and an open differential for driving first and second wheels of a driven axle, wherein the first and second electric machines are arranged in parallel and connected to the open differential via the gearbox at respective gear ratios.

A robotized tractor unit comprises a frame and a housing, an axle mounted on the frame, at least two main wheels mounted on either side of the axle, at least one electric engine arranged to drive the wheels to rotate through transmission, a braking system, a fifth wheel, a mechanism for damping and adjusting the position of the fifth wheel, a control system, wherein the mechanism for damping and adjusting the position of the fifth wheel comprises a first and a second support elements and a first and a second independently controlled pneumatic units. The design of the present invention provides for the reliable damping of the fifth wheel, the simplifying of its coupling to a semi-trailer, allowing for towing the semi-trailer at any design height, as well as ruling out a forward or rearward semi-trailer displacement force during lifting the fifth wheel, when the tractor unit is braked.