Broken weld

[TangoWhiskey]

Kent's semi-related post reminded me of something I saw while driving to the doctor the other day. When I was on my way back from the doctor, the "incident" was still there, and I was prepared with my cell phone to snap a picture.

This trailer's center weld "gave way" and the entire trailer just "buckled". The driver was able to get the truck off the freeway to the shoulder. You can see in the background that they've brought in another truck and are using a backhoe to transfer the contents.

Now that's something you don't see everyday! I wonder if he could have caught it in any sort of "preflight".

P.S. I had my camera ready before I got on the freeway, and just got LUCKY to snap this shot exactly centered in the frame... I wasn't looking at the phone when I reached my arm out and pushed the OK button... my eyes were on the road in front of me!

 

[mikea]

Woah. How izzit that they welded the two sections together without I-beams running the length for strength? Even the guys hacking togther projects on "Junkyard Wars" do better.

 

[Skip Miller]

Overload?

-Skip

 

[CJones]

Looks like an 'end dump' trailer. We've used those for hauling pulverized limestone for Agricultural applications. If it IS an end-dump, then it is acutally hinged in the middle with a large hydraulic cylinder sitting over the fifth-wheel. The lift extends straight up, the trailer hinges in the middle, the rear axles roll forward and the contents dump out of the rear.

If it actually is hinged - hard to tell from the pic - then one of the pivot pins could have failed and snap-a-rooni. Either way, it doesn't look like a fun phone call to make to the boss.

-Chris