Chapter 11 Trucking - Summer 1980

[Doug T B42X]

In the summer of 1980, I was working at the Bernardsville, (N.J.) car wash, and one day struck up a conversation with a guy who was driving what I think was a DM800, a green tandem dump with “Chapter 11 Trucking” on the door with artwork which featured the Monopoly man.  The driver, Robert Stelle, who owned the truck, gave me his card, and said he was looking for a driver.  I quit the car wash the next day and embarked on my short-lived trucking career.  The truck had a bad clutch, and he attempted to teach me how to shift without it.  Unfortunately, he did not pay me for learning, and I didn’t stay with it very long as I had to earn as much as I could before returning to school in September.  Mastering the 20 speed quad proved too much for me, something I’d later regret.  Years later, I was able to buy a 1958 B42X, which has the same cursed transmission.  As soon as the cracked exhaust manifold and head gasket are replaced, I shall attempt to go back in time and learn to shift the dreaded 20 speed quad.  I have spent my career in railroading, rather than trucking, and I am here to tell you that a 1951 Baldwin DS4-4-750 switcher is much easier to operate.

I wish I’d taken pictures of that truck, as well as the dump trucks of fellow drivers I met that summer.  I still remember one guy who had a black Autocar, relating how he’d driven the truck down to South Jersey to spend a day at the seashore.  If anyone is familiar with Chapter 11 Trucking or any trucks running in Somerset County around 1980-81 (in the summer of 1981 I worked at the Millington Quarry) I’d appreciate hearing about it.

[Maddog13407]

just and fyi a gas job baby quad TRQ77 doesn't shift anywhere near as smooth as a diesel ''bigboy'' TRQ72 box

[Doug T B42X]

That's good to know!

[Dave's Trucking]

On 1/6/2020 at 8:16 PM, Doug T B42X said:

In the summer of 1980, I was working at the Bernardsville, (N.J.) car wash, and one day struck up a conversation with a guy who was driving what I think was a DM800, a green tandem dump with “Chapter 11 Trucking” on the door with artwork which featured the Monopoly man.  The driver, Robert Stelle, who owned the truck, gave me his card, and said he was looking for a driver.  I quit the car wash the next day and embarked on my short-lived trucking career.  The truck had a bad clutch, and he attempted to teach me how to shift without it.  Unfortunately, he did not pay me for learning, and I didn’t stay with it very long as I had to earn as much as I could before returning to school in September.  Mastering the 20 speed quad proved too much for me, something I’d later regret.  Years later, I was able to buy a 1958 B42X, which has the same cursed transmission.  As soon as the cracked exhaust manifold and head gasket are replaced, I shall attempt to go back in time and learn to shift the dreaded 20 speed quad.  I have spent my career in railroading, rather than trucking, and I am here to tell you that a 1951 Baldwin DS4-4-750 switcher is much easier to operate.

 

I wish I’d taken pictures of that truck, as well as the dump trucks of fellow drivers I met that summer.  I still remember one guy who had a black Autocar, relating how he’d driven the truck down to South Jersey to spend a day at the seashore.  If anyone is familiar with Chapter 11 Trucking or any trucks running in Somerset County around 1980-81 (in the summer of 1981 I worked at the Millington Quarry) I’d appreciate hearing about it.

 

I remember chapter 11. i used to drive a red 68 Autocar when I met him and worked with him a few times. He was friends with John Santini who still drives an old DM800.

[Freightrain]

I had the opportunity to operate a 1949 Alco RS-3 for a couple hours.  That was as cool as it gets!!