A sample transport system is configured to move a sample carrier from one station to a next station in a sample processing system, the sample transport system comprising: a base beam configured to provide mounting locations for a movement mechanism and having angled slots; a translating member; two or more sample carrier retaining devices attached to the translating member at a fixed, equal spacing between adjacent sample carrier retaining devices, wherein each of the two or more sample carrier retaining devices comprises: a retainer portion to temporarily retain one or more sample carriers; an elongated member to position the retaining portion at a distance from the translating member; and a pin configured to move along an angled slot in the base beam, the pin is mounted at an off-center position relative to the center axis of the elongated member, such that when the pin is moved relative to the elongated member during the translation of the translating member, the pin causes the elongated member to rotate; and a movement mechanism connected to the translating member which is configured to move the translating member and the attached sample carrier retaining devices back and forth between a first position and a second position, wherein the translating member is configured to move and control all sample carrier retaining devices simultaneously to enable each respective retainer portion to contact and retain a sample carrier when the translating member reaches the first position and to release a sample carrier when the translating member reaches the second position, such that as the translating member moves back and forth between the first position and the second position, sample carriers are advanced successively from one station to a next station in the sample processing system; and wherein the movement mechanism is configured to move all sample carrier retaining devices vertically and horizontally between a first position and a second position and to rotate a subset of the sample carrier retaining devices to a proper orientation at the second position. a base beam configured to provide mounting locations for a movement mechanism and having angled slots; a translating member; two or more sample carrier retaining devices attached to the translating member at a fixed, equal spacing between adjacent sample carrier retaining devices, wherein each of the two or more sample carrier retaining devices comprises: a retainer portion to temporarily retain one or more sample carriers; an elongated member to position the retaining portion at a distance from the translating member; and a pin configured to move along an angled slot in the base beam, the pin is mounted at an off-center position relative to the center axis of the elongated member, such that when the pin is moved relative to the elongated member during the translation of the translating member, the pin causes the elongated member to rotate; and a retainer portion to temporarily retain one or more sample carriers; an elongated member to position the retaining portion at a distance from the translating member; and a pin configured to move along an angled slot in the base beam, the pin is mounted at an off-center position relative to the center axis of the elongated member, such that when the pin is moved relative to the elongated member during the translation of the translating member, the pin causes the elongated member to rotate; and a movement mechanism connected to the translating member which is configured to move the translating member and the attached sample carrier retaining devices back and forth between a first position and a second position, wherein the translating member is configured to move and control all sample carrier retaining devices simultaneously to enable each respective retainer portion to contact and retain a sample carrier when the translating member reaches the first position and to release a sample carrier when the translating member reaches the second position, such that as the translating member moves back and forth between the first position and the second position, sample carriers are advanced successively from one station to a next station in the sample processing system; and wherein the movement mechanism is configured to move all sample carrier retaining devices vertically and horizontally between a first position and a second position and to rotate a subset of the sample carrier retaining devices to a proper orientation at the second position.