Rolling Highway

The "Rolling Highway" (Rollende Landstrasse) is an intermodal transport technology that creates a drive-on, drive-off roadway for trucks on railcars. This system uses low-floor cars with small-diameter wheels to achieve a lower deck height, allowing for sufficient vertical clearance for highway vehicles. Platforms bridge the gaps between these close-coupled railcars, forming an uninterrupted roadway. Special train-end cars have hinged headstocks that swing aside, allowing locomotives to couple while maintaining the roadway. Truck drivers travel in a separate passenger car attached to the train. This technology was developed in Europe, particularly in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, to facilitate the transit of trucks through these countries while reducing environmental impact and safeguarding their environments.1