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A rediscovered 1991 video shows a Pacific P510 logging truck in New Zealand using two turbocharged 14.6-liter Caterpillar diesel engines: one in the tractor and one in its lead trailer. The unusual setup was built for heavy logging work and reportedly produced about 900 horsepower combined. The truck is now being restored, but the trailer’s whereabouts are uncertain.
Archival footage of a Pacific P510 logging truck working in New Zealand has drawn attention to an unusual feature: its lead trailer carried a second 14.6-liter Caterpillar diesel engine to help haul heavy log loads. The two-engine rig, shown in video filmed in 1991, was built for Marathon Trucking to work in Kaingaroa State Forest, where steep, remote routes and multi-trailer loads demanded substantial power.
The footage was posted by Trucks on Video – CP Productions, which described it as a Pacific P510 with twin Caterpillar engines. The tractor used a turbocharged, mechanical Caterpillar 3406B, while the lead trailer had a turbocharged 3406A of the same 14.6-liter displacement. The source report estimates their combined output at about 900 horsepower; it does not provide a verified dynamometer figure.
Each engine drove a separate Allison automatic transmission. The report says both engines also had Caterpillar BrakeSaver systems, which use an oil turbine assembly to help slow the engine and vehicle. The trailer engine’s air intakes were moved above the truck’s subframe after dust caused problems, according to a commenter with firsthand knowledge of the rig.
The same commenter said the truck’s builders had difficulty finding differentials that could handle the loads and ultimately used Mercedes-Benz hub-reduction axles on the front trailer. The comment also describes spring-loaded bolsters designed to fold inward as loaders placed logs. These construction details come from a video comment, not independent technical records cited by the report.
Why the Trailer Had Its Own Engine
The arrangement shows how operators adapted heavy trucks to demanding work rather than relying only on a larger tractor. New Zealand logging rigs could pull three or four trailers, according to The Drive’s report, and adding an engine to the lead trailer supplied extra drive power without requiring room for another engine under the truck’s hood.
That approach also came with added mechanical complexity. The rig had two engines, two transmissions and separate controls, while dust protection and axle strength required attention. The video and the firsthand account offer a record of a specialized working vehicle whose design was shaped by load, terrain and practical limits, rather than by a standard road-haul configuration.
diesel engine for heavy logging trucks
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A Logging Rig Built for Kaingaroa
The truck was commissioned by the Magee family for use by Marathon Trucking, according to the report. It operated in Kaingaroa State Forest, a large plantation forest in New Zealand’s central North Island. The report describes the area as a major source of commercial timber and says the landscape was developed for forestry during the 1920s and 1930s.
Powered trailers have appeared in other forms. The Drive notes that Freightliner tested a diesel-powered connector called the Power Dolly in the 1960s, but it remained a prototype. More recent powered trailers tend to use electric drivetrains, a different approach from the P510’s diesel engine and mechanical driveline to the trailer axles.
““This thing was so effective going downhill, it was scary without touching the brakes.””
— The same commenter
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The Trailer’s Location Is Unknown
The available report and video description do not establish the truck’s current condition, restoration schedule or whether the powered lead trailer still exists. The firsthand commenter said they had been told it may have been cut up for scrap, but presented that as uncertain rather than confirmed. The combined horsepower figure is also an estimate in the report, not a verified test result. No detailed build records or current statements from the owner are cited.
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Restoration and Trailer Search
The reported next step is restoration of the Pacific P510 tractor. The commenter said Lance Magee had contacted them to ask whether they knew where the front trailer was. The truck’s restoration progress and any effort to locate or recreate the trailer have not been documented in the supplied material. Further updates from the owner, restorers or people involved in the original build could clarify whether the two-engine combination can be reunited.
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Key Questions
What was unusual about this Pacific P510?
Alongside its tractor-mounted engine, its lead trailer carried a second Caterpillar diesel that powered the trailer axles.
What engines did the rig use?
The tractor had a turbocharged 14.6-liter Caterpillar 3406B, and the lead trailer had a turbocharged 14.6-liter 3406A. The report estimates roughly 900 horsepower combined.
Where did the truck work?
The video shows it in Kaingaroa State Forest in New Zealand, working in a commercial logging operation for Marathon Trucking.
Is the truck being restored?
A commenter with firsthand knowledge said Lance Magee was restoring the truck. The supplied reporting does not include a current restoration update.
Does the powered trailer still exist?
That is not confirmed. The commenter said they had heard it might have been scrapped, but could not establish its whereabouts.
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