While an average pickup truck can tow a few tons, a semi-truck can manage almost 30 tons. In comparison, certain train cars can weigh over 150 tons. The notion of using a semi-truck to tow train cars seems impractical, similar to attempting to transport a manufactured home with a pickup truck. Yet, this unconventional method was employed by an Australian railroad in a challenging situation, and surprisingly, it worked better than expected—albeit with some unanticipated issues.
Unfortunately, the documentation surrounding this story is scarce, as many primary sources have disappeared from the internet. Only secondary accounts remain to piece together the narrative, which begins in 1995 with the creation of a 1996 Western Star Trucks 4900 semi.
The truck eventually made its way to Australia via Canada, specifically through Brandt Industries, which reportedly modified it into what they called a “road-transferable locomotive.” This unique vehicle can operate on roads and transport rail cars. It’s similar to a hi-rail vehicle like the Polaris, featuring drop-down train wheels akin to those used by the Los Angeles metro, but designed on a semi-truck scale. This combination definitely sounds like a child’s fantasy, but the specialized applicability of the vehicle is what sets it apart.
The truck, later nicknamed RTL1, reportedly arrived in Australia in January 1996 to begin testing for its buyer, V/Line Freight. This Australian freight railroad had ordered the truck with unique specifications, forgoing dually rear axles while equipping it with full Westinghouse train air brakes, in addition to a foot brake, as noted by Darren’s Gunzel Gallery and commentary from emdB67, who appears to have firsthand experience with the RTL1.
The RTL1 was put into operation in 1998, primarily used to move grain hoppers along a shortline in Victoria. Its design aimed to leverage road-rail versatility, allowing it to navigate between nearby shortlines that had inconveniently placed junctions. Essentially, it functioned as a lightweight utility locomotive, capable of reaching any required location. This versatility brought an additional advantage that led to the peak of its operations in the summer of 1998.
During this period, the RTL1 was reassigned to a dormant logging line struggling with infrastructure issues. It traversed a bridge over the River Avon, which had deteriorated to the point of being unsafe for standard trains. Nevertheless, the RTL1, being relatively light, was able to transport a few lightly loaded timber cars without exceeding limits. It operated for about three months, completing up to 15 trips daily. However, by January 2000, the bridge had been reinforced, allowing standard train traffic to resume, leaving the RTL1 without a purpose and effectively idled, its limitations now fully realized.
The RTL1 encountered significant tire wear, necessitating frequent tire replacements that restricted its operational hours. The single-tired drive axles struggled to gain sufficient traction on steel rails, hampering performance on even moderate gradients. Traditional locomotives with steel wheels do not face this problem, as the properties of steel combined with additional weight on smaller contact areas create excellent traction. Ultimately, the RTL1 did not prove to be as effective as V/Line Freight had hoped, which is why plans for additional models like RTL2 or RTL3 were never pursued.
However, this did not mark the end of the RTL1’s journey.
V/Line Freight would eventually be acquired by Freight Australia, and the RTL1 received a new livery. It then took on a role in track maintenance, where it is documented to have moved ballast cars, which are used to spread crushed stone that serves as the foundation for many railway lines. Further records indicate that it transported flatcars in 2015, but details on its activities seem to end there.
While its life may not sound particularly thrilling, nearly two decades of service across a continent is a noteworthy story for a vehicle of its kind. Especially for these train-truck hybrids, which can often meet sudden and tragic ends, reminiscent of characters from the dark fan film, Shed 17, from the Thomas the Tank Engine series. Yes, I confess to being aware of that, but I wouldn’t recommend watching it.
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