Trains without tracks

[NoRoute]

Are there any trains which run on road surfaces, not tracks?

The ancestors of rail vehicles were the early plate-ways and tram-ways, the technology evolving and branching into the recognised trams systems and the railways. But the trams once electrified then went a step further, keeping the electric propulsion but removing the rails to create trolley-buses, typically single vehicles.

But has anything similar ever happened with railways, has there ever been anything recognisable as a train with multiple connected vehicles, capable of moving as one long vehicle along a route, which ran on a road surface rather than on rails?

 

[Gloster]

Wasn’t there a case a few years ago in the US where they moved a loco by running it directly on the street, not on rails or a trailer. It was going to be used as a generator or similar. I know it sounds bizarre, but I am sure that saw it somewhere (not, I think, on April 1). I think they regretted it afterwards due to the damage it caused to the tarmac.

 

[181]

There are these and these.

Although they didn't run on roads, the 'trains' of parcels trolleys that used to be seen driving around major railway stations were a bit like what you're asking about. (This is the best picture I could find in a quick search, but more modern ones were in use until comparatively recently)

 

[Bletchleyite]

"Road trains", large multiple articulated lorries, are common in Australia.

There are also fairground/beach road trains.

 

[edwin_m]

Wasn’t there a case a few years ago in the US where they moved a loco by running it directly on the street, not on rails or a trailer. It was going to be used as a generator or similar. I know it sounds bizarre, but I am sure that saw it somewhere (not, I think, on April 1). I think they regretted it afterwards due to the damage it caused to the tarmac.

It was in Canada, but I don't recall where.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Are there any trains which run on road surfaces, not tracks?

Might one include the 'Dotto' train, which runs in Eastbourne along the seafront, during the summer months (in a normal year)?

 

[Gloster]

It was in Canada, but I don't recall where.

It was at Boucherville, a suburb of Montreal, following an ice-storm in 1998. The loco was Canadian National Alco Montreal Widebody 3502. It seems that 3508 was also intended to be used and went (possibly only a short way) down the road, but appears not to have been used for some reason.

 

[trainmania100]

Dotto trains immediately come to mind, and of course the pizza bloke with the car painted into BR intercity livery.
Then if you take a trip to a farm that's family friendly, they usually do tractor or quad bike rides with one or more passenger vehicles attached to the rear.

 

[John Webb]

The National Railway Museum in York has a 'Road Train' that runs from near the city centre round to the NRM. Here's a view of the 'loco' filling up at a York garage in 2014:

 

[Bletchleyite]

I don't know what that one is, but they are very often based on Land Rover Defenders as it's fairly easy to remove the body and put a new locomotive-like one on, as they are, like most buses, not an integral design, rather they are a powered ladder-frame chassis with a weak aluminium body which can easily be unbolted and removed.

 

[zwk500]

I presume the rubber-tyred lines of the Paris metro/RER don't count here?

 

[randyrippley]

I don't know what that one is, but they are very often based on Land Rover Defenders as it's fairly easy to remove the body and put a new locomotive-like one on, as they are, like most buses, not an integral design, rather they are a powered ladder-frame chassis with a weak aluminium body which can easily be unbolted and removed.

ALL the ones I've seen have been from a specialist Italian manufacturer

 

[ANDREW_D_WEBB]

Well before the invention of railways a lot of global trade was moved on camel trains.

 

[Zamracene749]

Bus- or train without tracks?


Train-or bus on tracks?

Definitely trains and not a rail in sight

 

[SWTCommuter]

The land trains on Weston-super-Mare seafront appear to be tractor based

Trains of BRUTE trolleys (or similar) towed by electric tractors used to be a common sight on stations

 

[Gloster]

BRUTEs were the type that looked like blue metal cages with one side open and reaching up to head height. They were introduced in 1964 and lasted until 1999, although there are quite possibly still a few hiding in odd corners with a pile of junk in them.

 

[mmh]

I don't know what that one is, but they are very often based on Land Rover Defenders as it's fairly easy to remove the body and put a new locomotive-like one on, as they are, like most buses, not an integral design, rather they are a powered ladder-frame chassis with a weak aluminium body which can easily be unbolted and removed.

They aren't. Think of how high the engine is mounted in a land rover.

 

[Bletchleyite]

They aren't. Think of how high the engine is mounted in a land rover.

They definitely are.

The engine is mounted just above the chassis, perfect to hide inside a fake boiler.

 

[SargeNpton]

Perhaps not what the OP was thinking of. Tram that runs on road wheels in Clermont-Ferrand, with the central rail used for guidance and current return.

 

[edwin_m]

That's the Translohr, which I mentioned upthread. The one I rode in Paris was horribly cramped inside, due to having to find space for rubber wheels. Not sure if this one might be wider.

Given that you've got to build the concrete slaband the OLE, and there's only one supplier, I'm not convinced it's much cheaper than a tram either. It can go round tighter corners I think.

 

[Factotum]

View attachment 106269
Perhaps not what the OP was thinking of. Tram that runs on road wheels in Clermont-Ferrand, with the central rail used for guidance and current return.

In old money that is a trolley bus

 

[Ediswan]

In old money that is a trolley bus

My understanding is that trolley buses had two overhead conductors and no rails.

 

[Sm5]

Then this one…, that predates most of them…

https://www.imcdb.org/i141060.jpg

https://pics.imcdb.org/0is265/cap040qc4.3346.jpg

 

[dgl]

They definitely are.

The engine is mounted just above the chassis, perfect to hide inside a fake boiler.

There are many different models with many different engines, Inc. VM, Perkins, Iveco and FBT engines, so won't be based on a land rover, even more so given the main company that makes them is Italian.

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www.dottotrains.com

 

[SargeNpton]

Then this one…, that predates most of them…

https://www.imcdb.org/i141060.jpg

https://pics.imcdb.org/0is265/cap040qc4.3346.jpg

Titfield Thunderbolt?

 

[Sm5]

Titfield Thunderbolt?

Yes, but it was more like the back of a lorry than a real loco off down the road.

 

[nlogax]

It was at Boucherville, a suburb of Montreal, following an ice-storm in 1998. The loco was Canadian National Alco Montreal Widebody 3502. It seems that 3508 was also intended to be used and went (possibly only a short way) down the road, but appears not to have been used for some reason.

Some great video of the event here. And yes, quite the damage to the tarmac.

 

[Pigeon]

Three variants with some track but not the full deal:
http://www.douglas-self.com/MUSEUM/LOCOLOCO/patiala/patiala.htm
http://www.douglas-self.com/MUSEUM/LOCOLOCO/lisbontramway/lisbontramway.htm
http://www.douglas-self.com/MUSEUM/LOCOLOCO/roadrail/roadrail.htm

Lays its own tracks:
http://www.douglas-self.com/MUSEUM/LOCOLOCO/logging/logging.htm