1987 AUTOCAR CS9564 Michigan 11-Axle 'SHORT DOUBLE' Dump Truck 8x10 Color Photo

Description

This is an excellent quality 8” x 10” newly reproduced full color photo of a 1987 AUTOCAR Model CS9564 11-Axle “SHORT DOUBLE” owned and operated by GENTNER TRUCKING of Saline, MI. The Quad-Axle Dump Truck with a 20’ ALFAB box is pulling a 24’ FRUEHAUF 6-Axle 12-Wheel Semi-Trailer Full-Trailer … a combination referred to in Michigan as a “Short Double”
”SAMPLE” will not appear on your photo, it is only on the scanned image.
DESCRIPTION: The original photo was taken by me in June 1996, on the day I was driving this combination. Gentner was still running some 14 pre-1987 Autocars powered with Cummins 400 and Caterpillar 425-hp diesel engines. This particular Autocar had a 425-Cat with a 15-speed Roadranger. In this photo I was tailgating a 50-ton load of gravel at a new subdivision near Ann Arbor, MI. Normally we first dumped the trailer in a pile, unhooked, and then dumped the lead, rehooked and pulled off the job in about 10-11 minutes. But on this job we could set our tailgate chains, tailgate spread the trailer load, then tailgate spread the lead load over the trailer tongue, while leaving the trailer box slightly raised to assure the dump boxes didn’t collide.
MICHIGAN SHORT DOUBLES: Michigan law allows an unlimited gross weight, determined by the axle configuration with a maximum of 11-axles. This combination could legally gross 148,000 lbs. With a tare weight of about 52,000 lbs., the legal payload was about 48-tons/96,000-lbs. We generally tried to haul legal loads or slightly above. This combination of 11-axles ran on 42 tires. The ‘dolly’ on the full-trailer could be locked with an air-controlled pin from the cab, to allow backing up … steering the full-trailer exactly like you would a conventional semi-trailer. We could back these combinations up at full speed, even negotiate 90º turns at a slower speed. These Autocar would run 65-70 mph on the interstates, taking about 2 miles to get up to speed. With brakes on all axles, they stopped very quickly.
GENTNER TRUCKING: The company was started by Bill Gentner with a single dump truck and loader, in the 1960s. This well managed and maintained fleet grew over the years to 14 pre-1987 classic Autocars, 27 post-1988 Peterbilt Model 357 11-axle combinations of trucks and tractors, and one tandem dump, when I began driving for them in the Spring of 1955. At that timer they were located south of Techumseh, MI in an old gravel pit. They soon moved to a large beautiful shop & office on US-12 west of Saline, MI. Their well-maintained shop on a large parcel of land consisted of 8-pull in bays, backed by a long drive-thru lube bay capable of holding 2 complete trains. With room to park all 41 units side-by-side at the end of the day … it was quite a sight. This was a ‘class’ operation in every respect. The night shift maintenance crew consisted of 8 excellent mechanics and a tire man. As they grew, Bill was joined by his 3-sons and a brother, all handling different parts of the operation. They generally bought 2-3 new Peterbilt 357’s each spring, and I believe operated about 48 units when I retired in 1998. I always considered Gentner to be one of the 3-4 top gravel train operators in Michigan. While I do not know the details, the company ran into problems in the construction recession of the early 2000s, and filed bankruptcy.
CONDITION: This outstanding color glossy photo is a newly reproduced photo from a vintage photo in my personal lifetime collection. This photo has been printed on excellent quality HP PREMIUM GLOSSY PHOTO PAPER using original HP 64 Inks producing a professional quality photo that resists fading over 100 years ... the best money can buy. This 8x10 photo has a white border on all 4-sides.
For your information, the description and documentation of this photo will be loosely taped to the back side of this photo. I try to ad some “added value” to my photos by researching each one, adding some history and information that you may not know. If I get something incorrect, please let me know … thanks!
SHIPPING & HANDLING:  This item will be shipped via USPS FIRST CLASS MAIL - PACKAGE RATE (non-machinable) within the USA, including FREE USPS Tracking from USPS from my door to your mailbox. Your item will be mailed FLAT, carefully packed in a large 9x12 double envelope with a cardboard stiffener in the inner envelope ... the cardboard stiffener assures you it will arrive in excellent condition.
I can usually mail your photo within 24 hours of your payment thru eBay, and sometimes on the same day. You will get an email confirmation from eBay that postage has been purchased, with a tracking number from USPS to track your photo from my post office right to your mailbox.
PURCHASE 2 OR MORE ITEMS FROM MY SITE, AND SHIPPING WILL BE FREE.  I believe you must put your multiple items into your SHOPPING CART to receive my FREE SHIPPING and pay with a single payment.
If it does not work for you, please contact me and I can manually issue you an eBAY INVOICE with the Free Shipping.
I will be adding a number of vintage truck and construction equipment photos/ads, listing an additional item or two almost daily, including many of Gentner’s ‘Gravel Trains’, ‘Short-Doubles’ and ‘Flowboys’.
I still have several file boxes and shelves full of items to sell.  Please check my auctions and store frequently to see what new items I have added.
Please check the comments in my “Feedbacks” to verify that I pack very well, ship promptly, describe my items fairly, and that my customers like the quality of my items.
Rest assured, you get what is represented.  It may be ‘old school’, but I treat my customers like I would like to be treated myself.  Trucking and construction have been my life, and now in retirement I do this with a labor of love and enjoyment.
.... any questions at all, please feel free to contact me.   I try to be prompt with my email responses.
Thank you for your interest in this item!