RGN and Lowboy Trucking
Removable gooseneck and lowboy trailers for heavy, tall and tracked equipment in all 48 states
Quick answer
What is RGN trucking?
RGN trucking moves heavy equipment on a removable gooseneck trailer: the front detaches, the deck drops to the ground, and the machine drives on over the front. The deck rides about 18 to 24 inches high, so machines up to roughly 11 ft 6 in tall stay under a 13 ft 6 in limit. Excavators, dozers, cranes and mining machines usually go by RGN.
Updated November 2026 by the Quickway Transports broker team (FMCSA MC# 1245224).
Removable gooseneck trailers for machines that drive on
An RGN (removable gooseneck) trailer detaches at the front: the gooseneck comes off, the deck drops to the ground, and an excavator, dozer or crawler crane drives straight on. With the deck riding about 18 to 24 in high once loaded, machines up to about 11 ft 6 in tall stay under a 13 ft 6 in limit. Common detachable models are rated from 35 to 80 tons.
We book RGN and lowboy trucking companies for construction, mining and industrial equipment in all 48 states, choose the axle setup the weight needs, and coordinate permits and escorts with the carrier. Quickway is a broker, so the carrier owns the trailer and its permit service files the permits.
FMCSA Licensed
Broker MC# 1245224
18 to 24 in decks
Loaded, common models
35 to 80 tons
Published ratings
Free Quotes
Commercial shippers
RGN vs lowboy: what is the difference
Every RGN is a lowboy, but not every lowboy has a removable gooseneck. The loading method and deck height are what separate them.
| RGN (removable gooseneck) | Fixed-neck lowboy | |
|---|---|---|
| How it loads | The gooseneck detaches and the machine drives on over the front | The gooseneck stays on; the machine climbs rear ramps or a beavertail |
| Loaded deck height | About 14 to 26 in on the models below | 18 in on fixed-neck double drops; 32 to 43 in on Eager Beaver's GLB models |
| Published ratings | 35 to 80 tons in a stated deck length | 25 to 55 tons on the models in the source data |
| Best suited to | Tracked machines, long or very heavy loads, the tallest equipment | Machines that can climb rear ramps, where no detaching is needed |
RGN trailer deck heights and ratings
Detachable gooseneck trailers from the main US builders. RGN ratings are concentrated: the tonnage the trailer carries within a stated length of deck, which matters for heavy machines on short tracks.
| Trailer model | Deck height | Freight height under 13 ft 6 in | Rated capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trail King TKHD-S | 14 in | about 12 ft 4 in | 55 tons (110,000 lbs) in 10 ft |
| XL Specialized Trailers XL 110 HDGS (15" Deck Height) | 15 in | about 12 ft 3 in | 55 tons (110,000 lbs) in 12 ft |
| Rogers Brothers CN55DS (CobraNeck Series) | 15 in | about 12 ft 3 in | 55 tons (110,000 lbs) |
| Fontaine Specialized Workhorse 55LCC | 18 in | about 12 ft | 55 tons (110,000 lbs) in 13 ft |
| Landoll 855-53 | 19.5 in | about 11 ft 10 in | 55 tons (110,000 lbs) |
| Talbert Manufacturing 55SA | 20 in | about 11 ft 10 in | 55 tons (110,000 lbs) in half the deck |
| Talbert Manufacturing 60SA | 22 in | about 11 ft 8 in | 60 tons (120,000 lbs) in half the deck |
| Fontaine Specialized Magnitude 55H MFLD | 22 in | about 11 ft 8 in | 55 tons (110,000 lbs) in 12 ft |
| Trail King TK110HDG (TKHDG-C) | 24 in | about 11 ft 6 in | 55 tons (110,000 lbs) in 12 ft |
| Eager Beaver Trailers 55 GSL-3 | 24 in | about 11 ft 6 in | 55 tons (110,000 lbs) in 12 ft |
| Fontaine Specialized Magnitude 80 MFLD | 24 in | about 11 ft 6 in | 80 tons (160,000 lbs) in 16 ft |
| XL Specialized Trailers XL 160 HDG | 26 in | about 11 ft 4 in | 80 tons (160,000 lbs) in 10 ft |
Manufacturer figures from each maker's spec sheet or product page, checked October 2026. Freight height is 13 ft 6 in minus the published deck height; tarps, blocking and deck deflection reduce it, and the carrier's actual trailer can differ.
What equipment needs lowboy hauling?
Excavators & Track Hoes
The most common RGN load. The machine tracks up the dropped front of the deck, and the bucket, thumb or counterweight comes off when it would push the load over width or weight.
Crawler Cranes
The base unit of a crawler crane rides on an RGN, with the crawlers, counterweights and boom sections on further trucks. Manitowoc lists 9 loads for an MLC165-1 with a long boom.
Large Crawler Dozers
Dozers from the Cat D8 class upward are too tall and heavy for a step deck. The blade often comes off to bring the width or weight down.
Mining & Earthmoving Equipment
Wheel loaders, motor graders and articulated trucks, which are often over 14 ft tall or 80,000 lbs gross, on multi-axle RGN setups.
Industrial Machinery
Presses, generators, compressors and process equipment whose weight or height rules out a flatbed or step deck.
Pipelayers & Specialty Machines
Pipelayers, draglines and other specialty machines that need a custom axle and deck setup, with the permits that setup requires.
RGN and Lowboy Questions
Trailer types, capacity, permits and preparing a machine.
What is an RGN trailer?
What is a lowboy trailer?
How much can an RGN carry?
Do RGN loads need permits?
How should I prepare a machine for RGN transport?
Sources
We last checked the figures above against these official sources in November 2026. Before each move, the carrier's permit service confirms the rules in force that day.
Get an RGN Trucking Quote
Free RGN transport quote
Send the machine's make, model, weight and transport dimensions with both addresses. We recommend the RGN axle setup, check the permits and book the carrier.
Keep reading
- Excavator Transport →RGN and lowboy moves for excavators, and which buckets, thumbs and counterweights come off before loading.
- Bulldozer Transport →Dozer moves from compact crawlers to mining-class machines like the Cat D11, with blade and ripper removal.
- Commercial Truck Transport →Semi trucks, dump trucks, buses and non-running units, including winch loading for dead units.
- Heavy Haul Trucking →Oversize and overweight loads on RGN, step-deck and flatbed trailers, with permits, pilot cars and route surveys arranged.
- Step-Deck Transport →Drop-deck trailers for freight up to about 10 ft tall that would be over height on a standard flatbed.
- Flatbed Transport →Steel, lumber, precast and equipment on flatbeds, plus wide loads that need oversize permits.