Abstract: A railroad gondola car comprising a subframe assembly including a side sill channel member, a floor sheet, a side assembly including a side sheet and a plurality of side posts secured to the side sheet, the side posts comprising channel or hat shaped members opening toward the side sheet, a longitudinally extending angle member secured to the side sheet on the opposite side of the side sheet from the side posts and adjacent the lower edge of the side sheet, a structural reaction plate secured to the side posts within the channel or hat shaped cross section thereof and extending outwardly of the channel preferably a distance at least as great as the thickness of the side sheet, and being secured to the angle member, the side posts extending below the side sheet and being secured to the side sill channel member, and the angle member being secured to the subframe assembly or floor sheet.

Abstract: A curved roof construction for a hopper type rail car wherein a plurality of roof support webs extend transversely between opposed car side walls at spaced intervals to each other. These webs provide support for a plurality of large roof panels which are disposed in generally end to end relationships and define the roof surface. The support webs have outwardly curved or bowed conformations between opposed ends thereof so that the roof panels will be similarly bowed. The roof panels are installed so as to define an elongated roof hatch opening generally centrally between and longitudinally of the car side walls. A roof coaming is associated with the roof panels in an adjacent surrounding relationship with the hatch opening. Elongated side plates fixedly secured to the car side walls adjacent to the top edges thereof provide mounting surfaces for the outer side edges of associated ones of the roof panels.