The first road trains consisted of traction motors that pulled multiple cars. The first defined route trains operated into South Australia's Flinders Ranges from Port Augusta in the 19th century. [3] They displaced crews of bulls to transport the mines to the harbor and replaced railways in return.

During the Crimean War, a traction motor was used to tow multiple open trucks. [4] In 1898, four-carriage steam traction motor trains were used for military maneuvers in England. [5]

In 1900, John Fowler & Co. Provided armored road trains for use by the British Armed Forces in the Second Boer War. [4] [6] Lord Kitchener stated that he had approximately 45 steam road trains at his disposal. 

A road train designed by Captain Charles Renard of the French Engineering Corps was displayed in the 1903 Paris Hall. Buying the rights after his death, Daimler tried to market it in the UK. [8] [9] Four of these vehicles were successfully delivered to Queensland, Australia, before the company stopped production at the start of World War I. 

In the 1930s / 40s, the Australian government operated an AEC Road Train to transport cargo and supplies to the Northern Territory and replaced Afghan camel trains that had been walking in deserts since the late 19th century. This truck pulled two or three 6 m (19 ft 8 in) Dyson four-axle self-tracking trailers. At 130 hp (97 kW) due to the truck's open cabin design and position of the engine radiator, the AEC grossly froze routinely by today's standards in winter and is not sufficiently strong by drivers and offsiders (a partner or assistant), and sweltered in the summer, 1.5 m (4 ft) 11 inches) behind the seats with cooling fan.