What is an RGN Trailer?
Removable Gooseneck (RGN) trailers have the ability to move tall loads, but these trailers also give you the option to load large powered machinery onto the trailer. This is accomplished by driving the machinery on and off.
The “removable” refers to the front of the trailer which is detachable, therefore this allows the trailer to drop to the ground and create its own ramp.
RGN trailers can be designed to haul heavy loads, on the high weight end loads over 150,000 lbs can be transported by removable gooseneck trailers. RGNs can go from a 3 axle trailer to as many axles as are required to disperse the weight of the load. When more axles are used, the heavier the shipment can weigh. RGNs are used commonly in heavy haul projects involving items that are far heavier than routine freight. RGN heavy haul trailers are more specialized versus the more common flatbed trailer, which means this makes RGN trailers more expensive to use and to maintain.
What are the Capabilities of an RGN?
Removable goose neck trailers are a type of double-drop trailer that is generally 48′ long and is also very low to the ground, thus they are used to transport tall loads. It is referred by various names including: gooseneck, specialized, lowboy and detachable trailer. The RGN’s key feature is that it is able to unhook/break apart into 2 pieces allowing for the loading of certain types of powered wheeled or tracked equipment. The front of the trailer that connects to the tractor (or truck) can separate from the trailer. This leaves the trailer with an open end that is on the ground. In this configuration a powered vehicle can drive on, since the trailer has just created a ramp.
Between the front gooseneck and rear upper deck is a low deck area referred to as a “well”. The well is typically 29′ in length and is usually around 18″ to 24″ from the ground allowing for the transport of freight that is around 12′ in height. Since this is a specialized trailer and not so common, is why RGN trailers usually demand a premium hauling rate.
RGN vs Double Drop Step Deck
The RGN trailer is similar to a double drop step-deck trailer but with two key differences: one, the front of the trailer can be detached and two, there are more axles.
1-The front or the goosenck is detachable which allows for more loading versatility of heavy self powered machinery.
2-RGNs have 3 axles instead of two. The extra axle allows for loading of much heavier loads without the purchase of an overweight permit. It carries a higher rate to use, since they are not as common in the transport industry versus a standard double drop step-deck flatbed.
Removable Gooseneck Loads
Examples of common RGN loads:
- Generators
- Cranes – Overhead
- Trailers – Dollies
- Chipping & Mulching Equipment
- Backhoe Loaders
- Traffic Control Devices
- Compactors
- Trucks – Dump
- Telehandlers
- Dumpers
- Landscape Loaders
- Pile Hammers
- Skid-Steer Loaders
- Trucks – Service/Utility
- Waste & Recycling Equipment
RGN Freight by Machinery Manufacturer
RGNs are always moving heavy machinery from Houston, TX to Newark, NJ, some of the common heavy machinery manufacturers are:
- Deere
- Daewoo
- Volvo
- Ingersol-Rand
- Ferguson
- Grove
- Mantis
- Blaw-Knox
- Prentice
RGN Trailer Manufacturers List
RGN trailers are manufactured is numerous weight scaling capabilities and overall load size capacities. What all removable goose-neck trailers have in common is that the front of the trailer or the goose neck is removable. Two mechanisms are common in the removal of the gooseneck, the first is a manual mechanical mechanism, that the operator has to manually detach. The second is a hydraulic mechanical mechanism that the user operates via controls and detaches the gooseneck from the trailer. In both cases the trailer is detached and then the wheeled or tracked equipment can drive on and off.
In all cases the truck driver will always know the weight capacity, plus the length, height and width capacity of the trailer. Generally heavy haul trucking companies will thoroughly train their truck drivers on specialized lowboy type trailers. Since RGNs are a specialized type of trailer, the truck driver will know their equipment very well in terms of capability and operation.
In all cases the shipper does not have to be concerned about the weight or dimensional limitations of their freight. However, the shipper must provide accurate weight, plus accurate height, length and width measurements. For example the staff at Great Western Transportation will always book the correct trailer as long as the weight and dimensions are accurate. In all cases it is best practice to round numbers up to the nearest relative number. As an example if, the height is 13′ 11″ it is best to round up to 14′ or if the weight is 55,910 pounds it is best to round up to 56,000 pounds.
Below is a list of RGN trailer manufacturers, as in all industries some are more common brand names that one encounters all the time, and some manufacturers are less known, but none the less they still manufacture quality products!
- Birmingham
- Challenger
- Cozad
- Dynaweld
- Elwell Parker
- Etnyre
- Hyster
- International
- Kaylyn Siebert
- Liddell
- Load Max
- Murray Trailer
- Phelan
- Proline
- Rolls Rite
- Shop Built
- Specialized
- Trail-Eze
- Wallace
- XL Specialized Trailers
RGN Rate
Those who are familiar with flatbed trucking may have ballpark figures about flatbed trucking rates. In the case of RGN trailers these flatbed trailer ballpark figures will be much lower versus what an RGN trailer will book for. To start, there are far fewer RGN trailer as opposed to flatbed trailers, thus they are scarce, which means harder to find and book. They are more expensive to purchase and require constant maintenance and servicing. Plus, the fact they have a long usable lifespan adds to their high cost to acquire.
RGN Quote
When it comes to gathering quotes for freight that is heavy, or over dimensional, it can be quite time consuming. Quickly then comes the realization that it is not so easy to nail down a specific rate band. The first factor to remember when booking a RGN is that simply there is not that many RGN trailers on the road as there are standard flatbed trailers. What this equates to is that seasoned staff who are familiar with RGN trailers will have better success in booking an optimal rate for a RGN trailer.
The heavy haul specialists at Great Western Transportation are always happy to assist you with your company’s heavy haul projects. There is more to just getting a heavy haul quote, and when you let Great Western Transportation handle your heavy haul projects; you will get a piece of mind that all aspects of pick up, transport and delivery have been addressed. Including the most common question:
“Is there is a need for permits for my freight?”
Great Western Transportation is experienced in handling permitted and legal loads for: Los Angeles, CA, all US states and loads destined to Canada.
