An axle assembly comprising: a first shaft that is rotatable about a first axis ; a second shaft that is rotatable about a second axis ; a first set of gears that is rotatable about the first axis ; and a second set of gears that is rotatable about the second axis , wherein each member of the second set of gears meshes with a different member of the first set of gears ; a first shift collar that is rotatable about the first axis with the first shaft and moveable along the first axis with respect to the first shaft to selectively connect a member of the first set of gears to the first shaft ; and a second shift collar that is rotatable about the second axis with the second shaft and moveable along the second axis with respect to the second shaft to selectively connect a member of the second set of gears to the second shaft ; a shift rail that extends along a shift rail axis ; a barrel cam that is rotatable about a barrel cam axis that is disposed substantially parallel to the first axis and operatively connected to the first shift collar and the second shift collar , wherein rotation of the barrel cam about the barrel cam axis controls movement of the first shift collar along the first axis and controls movement of the second shift collar along the second axis , wherein a first shift fork operatively connects the first shift collar to the barrel cam , a second shift fork operatively connects the second shift collar to the barrel cam , the first shift fork and the second shift fork are slidable along the shift rail axis with respect to the shift rail , which is spaced apart from the barrel cam and extends substantially parallel to the barrel cam axis , and the shift rail axis is disposed closer to the first axis and the second axis than the barrel cam axis is disposed to the first axis and the second axis . a first shaft that is rotatable about a first axis ; a second shaft that is rotatable about a second axis ; a first set of gears that is rotatable about the first axis ; and a second set of gears that is rotatable about the second axis , wherein each member of the second set of gears meshes with a different member of the first set of gears ; a first shift collar that is rotatable about the first axis with the first shaft and moveable along the first axis with respect to the first shaft to selectively connect a member of the first set of gears to the first shaft ; and a second shift collar that is rotatable about the second axis with the second shaft and moveable along the second axis with respect to the second shaft to selectively connect a member of the second set of gears to the second shaft ; a shift rail that extends along a shift rail axis ; a barrel cam that is rotatable about a barrel cam axis that is disposed substantially parallel to the first axis and operatively connected to the first shift collar and the second shift collar , wherein rotation of the barrel cam about the barrel cam axis controls movement of the first shift collar along the first axis and controls movement of the second shift collar along the second axis , wherein a first shift fork operatively connects the first shift collar to the barrel cam , a second shift fork operatively connects the second shift collar to the barrel cam , the first shift fork and the second shift fork are slidable along the shift rail axis with respect to the shift rail , which is spaced apart from the barrel cam and extends substantially parallel to the barrel cam axis , and the shift rail axis is disposed closer to the first axis and the second axis than the barrel cam axis is disposed to the first axis and the second axis . <EOS>