Abstract: A pivot plate assembly for supporting vehicles over the articulation between pivotably interconnected railway car units, and allowing rolling transport of vehicles from one railway car unit to the next. Platforms are pivotably attached to respective railway car units adjacent their interconnected ends. A vehicle has its front end portion secured to one of the pivotal platforms and its rear end portion secured to the other platform while the platforms are oriented collinearly with respect to one another. The vehicle thereby maintains the pivotal platforms collinear with one another as the railway car units pivot with respect to one another. Accordingly, the pivotal platforms remain substantially stationary with respect to the vehicle supported thereon throughout pivotal movement of the railway car units to stably support the vehicle straddling the articulation between pivotably interconnected railway car units during transport.

Abstract: Transportation equipment having at least one deck for supporting and transporting four-wheel vehicles such as automobiles and trucks; at least one track secured to the deck; the track having a pair of substantially upwardly extending spaced apart surfaces; chock blocks for a vehicle transported on the deck to secure the vehicle against longitudinal movement; each chock block having a horizontal first member which nests with the track and is quickly removable from such nesting arrangement by upward displacement; each chock block having a second member substantially horizontally positioned and permanently laterally joined to the first member; the second member having a sufficient length to extend along, and terminate beyond, the tread face of a tire of a vehicle located along side the track; and the chock block having a lock for removably securing the first member to the track, when in nesting position therewith, to prevent the chock block from horizontal movement along the track and upward movement from the tr

Abstract: Transportation equipment having at least one deck for supporting and transporting four-wheel vehicles such as automobiles and trucks; at least one track secured to the deck; the track having a pair of substantially upwardly extending spaced apart surfaces; chock blocks for a vehicle transported on the deck to secure the vehicle against longitudinal movement; each chock block having a horizontal first member which nests with the track and is quickly removable from such nesting arrangement by upward displacement; each chock block having a second member substantially horizontally positioned and permanently laterally joined to the first member; the second member having a sufficient length to extend along, and terminate beyond, the tread face of a tire of a vehicle located along side the track; and the chock block having a lock for removably securing the first member to the track, when in nesting position therewith, to prevent the chock block from horizontal movement along the track and upward movement from the tr

Abstract: A railroad car having at least one deck for supporting and transporting four-wheel vehicles such as automobiles and trucks, having a pair of spaced apart first and second parallel tracks, secured to the deck longitudinally of the railroad car, having clearance for the wheels on one side of the vehicle to roll between the tracks; a pair of movable chock block apparatus for each vehicle transported on the deck to secure the vehicle against longitudinal movement; each chock block apparatus including a bar with a first end and a second end; a carriage permanently secured to the first track so it cannot be removed from the first track but so it can be moved along the longitudinal axis of the first track without rotation about a vertical axis; the bar first end being connected to the carriage so the bar first end can rotate about a substantially vertical axis at least about 90.degree.

Abstract: A railroad car having at least one deck for supporting and transporting four-wheel vehicles such as automobiles and trucks; a pair of spaced apart first and second parallel tracks, secured to the deck longitudinally of the railroad car, having clearance for the two wheels on one side of the vehicle to roll between the tracks; a pair of movable chock blocks for each vehicle transported on the deck to secure the vehicle against longitudinal movement; each chock block including a bar with a first end and a second end; the bar first end being permanently secured to the first track so that it is not readily removable from the first track but so that the bar first end can be moved along the longitudinal axis of the track and the bar also can be rotated from about lateral to about parallel to the track; the bar first end having a latch for releasably securing the bar first end in a fixed position along the first track; and the bar second end having a device for releasably securing the bar second end in a fixed posit

Abstract: A railroad car having at least one deck for supporting and transporting four-wheel vehicles such as automobiles and trucks including a track secured to the deck longitudinally of the railroad car; a pair of movable chock blocks for each vehicle transported on the deck to secure the vehicle against longitudinal movement; each chock block including a bar with a first end and a second end; and pins on the bar first end for removably and releasably engaging holes in the track when the bar is substantially lateral to the track and spaced above the deck to prevent the bar first end from moving lateral to and longitudinally along the track and from being displaced out of lateral position to the track by pivoting, relative to the track, about a vertical axis, said means permitting ready release of the bar first end from the track so that the bar first end can be moved along the track.

Abstract: An end closure for a rail car which comprises a pair of sliding doors. Locking mechanisms provided for securing the doors in closed position extending across the end of the rail car as well as in open and in intermediate positions. Each door moves from closed to open position through an opening in the side wall of the rail car to an open space on the outer side of the side wall within the allowed rail car clearance.