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Viking Freight System Kenworth linehaul tractor circa 1982
From the archives: described as "tractor-trailer rigs," these tractors were generally used on linehaul applications inside this company. For example, a driver would pick up a set of trailers in the San Francisco Bay Area and drive half way to Los Angeles. They would meet with a northbound driver. They would un-hitch the southbound trailers, hitch up the northbound trailers, and return home. In California, they pulled two, 27-foot trailers between cities. In Nevada, where different regulations applied, the tractors would pull a set of three trailers. These were called "doubles" and "triples" respectively.
This is a Viking Freight System Kenworth cabover tractor at door 51 of the West Bay loading dock in Santa Clara, California circa 1982.
The fleet appeared to be very well maintained. A few hundred feet out of frame to the left, there was always someone at the Santa Clara shop with a set of rolling stairs. They changed broken lenses and fixed burned-out trailer clearance lights. There was a tire shop and a shop that rebuilt Allison automatic transmissions for the entire system.
Viking was a less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier operating in seven western states. They had agreements with Old Dominion, Preston, Conway Express, and other companies to deliver freight beyond their seven-state area. They were eventually purchased by FedEx during the late 1980s.
I think these tractors had Spicer 9-speeds. Does anyone know? The standard engine for these Kenworth tractors was a 225 horsepower Caterpillar 3406. The only other detail that looks familiar is a pair of 25-inch Grover air horns. The Viking shop did experiments with a few tractors. They were modified to 425 horsepower in order to pull exceptionally heavy loads.
As always, your corrections and comments are welcomed.
Diesel fuel and oysters in season.
— Sign in Plymouth, North Carolina gas station
Please do not copy this image.
Journalism Grade Image.
Source: Kodacolor 100 negative scanned as a 5,500x3600 16-bit TIF file.
Viking Freight System Kenworth linehaul tractor circa 1982
From the archives: described as "tractor-trailer rigs," these tractors were generally used on linehaul applications inside this company. For example, a driver would pick up a set of trailers in the San Francisco Bay Area and drive half way to Los Angeles. They would meet with a northbound driver. They would un-hitch the southbound trailers, hitch up the northbound trailers, and return home. In California, they pulled two, 27-foot trailers between cities. In Nevada, where different regulations applied, the tractors would pull a set of three trailers. These were called "doubles" and "triples" respectively.
This is a Viking Freight System Kenworth cabover tractor at door 51 of the West Bay loading dock in Santa Clara, California circa 1982.
The fleet appeared to be very well maintained. A few hundred feet out of frame to the left, there was always someone at the Santa Clara shop with a set of rolling stairs. They changed broken lenses and fixed burned-out trailer clearance lights. There was a tire shop and a shop that rebuilt Allison automatic transmissions for the entire system.
Viking was a less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier operating in seven western states. They had agreements with Old Dominion, Preston, Conway Express, and other companies to deliver freight beyond their seven-state area. They were eventually purchased by FedEx during the late 1980s.
I think these tractors had Spicer 9-speeds. Does anyone know? The standard engine for these Kenworth tractors was a 225 horsepower Caterpillar 3406. The only other detail that looks familiar is a pair of 25-inch Grover air horns. The Viking shop did experiments with a few tractors. They were modified to 425 horsepower in order to pull exceptionally heavy loads.
As always, your corrections and comments are welcomed.
Diesel fuel and oysters in season.
— Sign in Plymouth, North Carolina gas station
Please do not copy this image.
Journalism Grade Image.
Source: Kodacolor 100 negative scanned as a 5,500x3600 16-bit TIF file.