Famous Truck hits Halifax

You Tube star Sergei Dratchev and his famous Kenworth 305 touched down in Halifax today. The heavy hauler has built quite a following for his in depth You Tube posts. Nice truck too.

Based in Cambridge, ON Sergei has his own You Tube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBPUpF6S1LFdKi3ZIve60gA

Also at Fairview Cove today was another aircraft fuselage. Total Transport + Rigging hauled the trailer out of the terminal using a big Navistar.

Addendum

Also on site was this Liebherr. I'm not sure how this will be configured when it is ready to go on the road. Seems a bit high, but if the boom is lowered it will be too big an overhang at the end.

Not to be outdone, Atlantic Tiltload showed up a bit later to take over a couple oversize crates.

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Maritime-Ontario - back then - a round up

I have pretty much exhausted my Maritime-Ontario photo collection, so this is definitely the last installment -  - Part 7 of 5!
M-O had nearly every truck brand imaginable in its stable at one time or another, so here is a round up of those not previously shown, starting off with Ford. It was not until 1970 that Ford really entered the heavy truck  field, with the Louisville series, and then the LTL 9000 with the option of Cat of Cummins engines under a big fibreglass tilt hood aimed at long haul trucking.

 This basic LTL-900 and sleeper was heading out of Fredericton in the pre-bypass days of 1988.

MO # 570, reefer # 5570

Another basic Ford at the Dartmouth terminal.

MO # 524

There were also Fords with really big sleepers, styled somewhat after the KW Aerodyne.

Glenn Peddle O/O

MO # 678 and reefer trailer # 5678

Same style, different truck, this one on the mail haul.

MO # 571 trailer #3484

Ford also got into the streamliner race with the Aeromax L9000, which also had a set back front axle and a sleeper that may or may not fill up all the space behind the deflector. 

MO # 821, trailer # 3506

International made some sharp looking trucks, particularly the TransStar Eagle, with a wide cab and the unique stacked headlights. This un-numbered unit also has the big mid-rise sleeper that all brands eventually came up with. Trailer # 5560

I think the flat top sleepers were the sharpest however, and this one, with an old fashioned stake side trailer and tarp top, was particularly fine, thanks to the continuation of the stripes.

Dale Forsythe of Centreville, NB was the O/O.

MO # 655

One more Mack Superliner to round out the series. A plain jane mid-rise sleeper and simple colour scheme gives this un-numbered rig a very business-like look.

The bug deflector behind the golden bulldog says "Family Tradition".

Finale

A nice KW in the back frames this terrific looking rig. The full width cab, low rise  integral sleeper and tombstone rad made the best looking White ever made. Unfortunately this look was not for long. White and GMC were merged under Volvo ownership, and the diagonal bar (from Volvo) was the first outward sign. GMC was soon added to the badge, but this was still a White, at least in name.

Full width cabs and integral sleepers became the industry standard, but this was the first.

MO # 648 trailer # 5648

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Postscript: As mentioned before, the colour fade on print film has resulted in very washed out photos in this last secvtion. Regretably most of my truck pix or on print film. However I will delve back into the slides for the next series. 

My summer vacation - Part 1

A little late, but here is my report for my August vacation in Quebec.

As usual I was able to find some serious - but very old - snow clearing equipment.

A 4x4 Western Star, complete with 60s era Autocar cab, appears to be on its last legs, but may be fired up if needed this coming winter.

 A classic Sicard Snomaster with its huge blower motor - the real way to clear snow.

 

High speed plow, spreader body and a Cat powered classic Freightliner split window cab. Does the size of the fuel tank drop a hint about how many mpg this rig gets.

It wasn't all old stuff however. I did finally get to see some new Navistar International HX series trucks. These came about as a result of Caterpillar canceling its truck production (which were built by Navistar) and Navistar needing a vocational heavy duty.

I  found this pair at Simard Suspensions in Baie-St-Paul waiting for some modifications - doesn't look like they will go to steering axle.  

Set-back long wheelbase

Shorter wheelbase has a crooked stack.

I haven't seen any of these locally yet - they were just introduced in February - but they are supposed to replace the Paystar. There is a set-forward model too, and can be straight truck or tractor.

to be continued...

Watson Freightliner COEs are back

The Montreal specialist Transport Watson is known for its custom built Freightliner COEs, and last year we saw rigs numbered W5867, W5868 and W5870, making numerous trips to load Bombardier aircraft components that arrive in Halifax by ship.
Another one of that series W5866 appeared this evening and was accompanied by a newer and bigger version with fleet number W6883.

New rig W6883 on the left has the big chrome grille and fairings around the tanks and sleeper.

W5866 on the right is typical of the units seen here over the past year.

Step deck trailer will accommodate an aircraft component carried aboard the ship Atlantic Compass, seen in the background. The cab also has a larger sleeper.

Minutes after I took the first photos a big Rondeau International Eagle arrived effectively blocking the view. Hauling a step deck trailer too, it will likely be loading an aircraft component too.

There are two trucking companies with the name Rondeau: Transport Martin Rondeau, of St-Felix-de-Valois, QC and Transport Michel Rondeau of Lanoraie, QC. The truck carries the dealer's name on its exhaust guard: Gamache Truck Centre a large dealer with an International franchise, and a used truck business in Canada and the US.

As soon as the cargo is cleared from the Fairview Cove terminal the trucks will be loaded and on the road.

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