Abstract: A rail vehicle has a body with a hollow center section that accommodates the suspension and landing legs of a road semi-trailer thus enabling the combined vehicles to be transported on a rail system with a restrictive loading gauge. The rail vehicle utilizes a two axle suspension arranged around the road vehicle components to provide a rail vehicle of the shortest possible length. Part of the center section of the rail vehicle can be swung outward on a sliding bearing thus enabling a road trailer to be loaded or unloaded from the side by means of a conventional road tractor unit and obviating the need for expensive terminal equipment. The wagon frame joining the parts of the wagon carrying the rail suspension is prestressed to ensure that vertical bearing surfaces of the sliding bearing are maintained in contact thus improving the integrity of the wagon and ensuring operation.