A road train, sometimes called a ground train, is a truck and trailer configuration that can carry large loads over rough terrain. They are used in rural and sometimes remote areas in Australia, the United States, and Europe. Road trains are designed to carry freight and usually consist of a prime mover pulling two or more trailers or semi-trailers.
The legacy of these unique transportation assets goes back to the days when a single power source (usually animals) hauled multiple cars. They were first described in South Australia in the mid-19th century and hauled cargoes such as minerals to trading ports. Later they were replaced by railways.
Over time, the technology evolved into a vehicle powered by a single mover: an engine-powered truck that carries two or three trailers over large areas. The terrain they passed over was rough and rough and would not normally accept overland shipments. No railways were built on such land, and other suitable and well-maintained transport routes did not exist.
