Semi with LOOOOOOOONG tank on tralier

aczlan · May 3, 2011

Anyone seen anything like this?
Looks sort of like a large propane storage tank... We saw it a few weeks back at a rest area on I-81 South in PA.
There were also a pair of trailers with rings that looked like parts to a vertical storage tank.
Sorry for the fuzzy pictures, the camera was using long exposures to compensate for the low light

Aaron Z

moored4 · May 3, 2011

Did you ask what it was and how long? I live near a port that the wind towers come into. they are pertty long but I think your load has got them beat!

aczlan · May 3, 2011

moored4 said:
Did you ask what it was and how long? I live near a port that the wind towers come into. they are pertty long but I think your load has got them beat!

I think this was a 3 truck convoy, but the drivers were all gone. The trailers with rings on them were missing trucks, so I suspect that they had all left in those trucks (and/or in the escort vehicle(s). If there had been anyone around I would have asked.

Aaron Z

jinman · May 3, 2011

aczlan said:
I think this was a 3 truck convoy, but the drivers were all gone. The trailers with rings on them were missing trucks, so I suspect that they had all left in those trucks (and/or in the escort vehicle(s). If there had been anyone around I would have asked.

Aaron Z

That fact sounds incredible. You'd think that something bound to attract attention like that would sure have somebody there to keep an eye on it.

As to what it is, it seems the length of the tank would indicate some sort of heat exchanger. It just doesn't make sense to build a huge storage tank somewhere and haul it like that. It has to be something that couldn't be built on-site. I have no idea what the 11-ton tanks might be. If I had to guess, I'd say some type of boiler vessels.

nwltruck · May 3, 2011

Most likely a pressure vessel. For co2 or nh3 something contained at high pressure. They can't be manufactured on site do to the welding process. Some of these things can hold over 400 psi, they need good welds.

aczlan · May 3, 2011

jinman said:
That fact sounds incredible. You'd think that something bound to attract attention like that would sure have somebody there to keep an eye on it.

If there was someone there, they werent in sight and didnt come out to see what I was doing. But then, I was staying at least 3 feet away and not touching anything.

As to what it is, it seems the length of the tank would indicate some sort of heat exchanger. It just doesn't make sense to build a huge storage tank somewhere and haul it like that. It has to be something that couldn't be built on-site. I have no idea what the 11-ton tanks might be. If I had to guess, I'd say some type of boiler vessels.

I think it has to be a pressure storage tank of some kind. It had 3 6-8" ports on the top and one access plate, but the rest were smaller.
On the bottom, the only port I saw was plugged (looked like a drain).

Aaron Z

aczlan · May 3, 2011

The company hauling it was based out of Quebec (based on the plates on the tractor/trailers and the logos on the tractor).

Aaron Z

tawilson · May 3, 2011

Aaron,
Not sure where you are in upstate but there is a similar looking tank parked at Longways Truck Stop north of Watertown. It's been there at least a week. I wish I had looked it over better and taken a pic. If it's still there next time to Watertown I will.