A method and apparatus for operating a vehicle to be driven on the road as well as railroad tracks includes an auxiliary drive suspended below a frame of the vehicle. The auxiliary drive includes a hydraulic roller assembly having a roller component for engaging a tire of a vehicle to be propelled. A hydraulic cylinder extends said roller component from a first, unengaged position to a second, engaged position. A hydraulic motor is operatively connected to a chain drive for driving said roller component so that said roller component rotates and imparts a corresponding rotary force to the tire of the vehicle. In operation, the vehicle is placed in neutral and the auxiliary drive is actuated. The auxiliary drive can be controlled at any location, thereby allowing the vehicle to be driven without a driver.
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