Pacific Motor Trucking Trailer
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Number: #3305
Southern Pacific Railroad
Builder: Fruehauf Trailer Co., Los Angeles, California
Year Built: 1946
Details: 22' long roadway trailer
Location: Front of Museum where trucks historically loaded and unloaded
This Pacific Motor Trucking Co. (PMT) 22' long trailer was built by Fruehauf Trailer Co. in Los Angeles in 1946. PMT was Southern Pacific Railroad's (S.P.) trucking subsidiary company. In 1934, PMT began purchasing this type of trailer to carry freight on highways. The trailers were pulled by trucks to freight houses and other delivery locations. When S.P. initiated Trailer On Flat Car (aka TOFC or "Piggy Back") trains in August 1953 on the Coast Line route between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the company only had these small trailers to place on the TOFC flat cars. Loading ramps were located along the route. A TOFC ramp was in San Luis Obispo 100 yards north of the S.P. Freight House. After two years of the TOFC service, larger trailers were acquired and these original small PMT trailers were relegated to local pick up and delivery to residences and businesses. The PMT motto was "RAILROAD SERVICE TO YOUR DOOR".
Number: #3009
Southern Pacific Railroad
Builder: Trailmobile
Year Built: 1934
Details: 22' long roadway trailer
Location: Museum Emily Street Yard
Last Used: 1957 (based on DMV records)
This Pacific Motor Trucking Co. (PMT) 22' long trailer was built by Trailmobile in 1934. This trailer as our other (see above) was used for TOFC/Piggy Back service.
Southern Pacific Railroad Pacific Motor Trucking Trailer (#3009) in Daylight colors. This was acquired by SLORRM thanks to a donation by Brad LaRose. This is a 22-foot, round front-end trailer, with a towing dolly and a single axle in the rear with dual wheels. The trailer was made by Trailmobile in 1934 and last used (based on DMV registration) in 1957.
SP TOFC-Piggy Back Future Exhibit
The museum's SP Flat Car and two PMT trailers (above) are destined to become a one-of-a-kind exhibit demonstrating the very early form of road truck trailers that were carried on railroad flatcars, called Trailer On Flat Car (TOFC). Currently the museum has all three pieces for this exhibit and is now working on restoration of them all. The SP Flat Car is on display on the museum's rail display track next to the platform. One of the PMT trailers is located in front of the museum where historically PMT trailers (and other trucks) delivered and picked up freight from the Freighthouse (current site of the museum). The other PMT trailer is currently stored in the museum's Emily Street Yard. The flat car will be restored to circa 1953 appearance and eventually will have both of the restored 22' PMT trailers mounted on it.
For a more complete article on Southern Pacific Piggyback Service, click here.
Here is a model of how this flat car exhibit will look when fully completed:
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