Abstract: A curved sided aerodynamic self clearing hopper car uses the curved sides, end skirts and top chord and side sills for improved strength and reduced aerodynamic drag.

Abstract: A railway well car for carrying containers of selected alternative lengths has a center crossbearer having a support for supporting the inner corners of two tandem containers, the support having side connections of sandwich construction with a flanged portion of a side sill, the sandwich construction being formed of inner and outer "L" shaped brackets disposed above and inside and below and outside a side sill of the car, respectively, and being fixed to the sill at respective upper and lower horizontal portions, the crossbearer being a tube formed of a lower channel closed by a top plate and the plate being at the level of the inner bracket, and the crossbearer extending from one side wall to a bracket on the opposite wall, and the inner bracket being wider than the outer bracket for improving distribution of loads to the side sills and the side walls.

Abstract: An adjustable guide for a railway well car has a fixed guide for centering containers of a wide standard width during loading, and a retractable guide associated with and placed below the fixed guide for centering and positioning of containers of a narrower standard width. The positioning of the guides one below the other provides a stepped guide arrangement for incrementally guiding the container as it enters the well of the car.

Abstract: A railway car train comprises five car units. Each car unit has two end structures with a depressed well portion supported therebetween. A pair of side structures extend between the end structures and adjacent the well portion. A floor structure extends between lower portions of the side structures to form the bottom of the well portion. The floor structure includes an end beam extending transversely between lower portions of the side structures at the end of the well portion. The end structure includes a stub center sill connected to a shear plate member. A deflection member is secured to the inward end of the shear plate member. The deflection member includes a vertical wall portion and a sloping wall portion for deflecting containers into the well portion as they are loaded. The deflection member is connected with the shear plate member to form a transverse girder.

Abstract: A railway car train includes five railway car units comprising two end units and three intermediate units. Each end unit is configured for coupler connection to conventional railway cars. The car units are connected to each other by articulated connections wherein the ends of adjacent car units are supported on a single truck. Mating male and female side bearing arm structures are provided on adjacent ends of car units. The end structures of the car units have reinforcement structures to support side bearing arms in either the male or female configuration so that a single design of end structure may be used for either a male or a female configuration. The end structures are provided with offset shear plates having an elevated center portion to allow clearance for large-wheeled trucks while keeping the side structures of the car low enough to provide clearance for unloading the car unit.

Abstract: An elastomeric pad placed in shear and having one portion or surface engaged with a portion of a railway car body and another portion or surface engaged by pivotal linkage means to a wheel housing dampens vibrations of a wheel and axle assembly which is resiliently mounted to the car body for rollingly supporting the car body. The pivotal linkage is elongated and connected to the wheel housing and the car body using spherical bearings to minimize wear. The linkage is attached at an angle of inclination to minimize strain on the elastomeric pad and linkage assembly caused by vertical travel of the railway car body due to varying weight loads.

Abstract: A device for securing a hatch cover has a locking strap pivotally attached at one end and adapted to overlap adjacent end portions of trough hatch covers. The locking strap has a free end engaged by a locking bar which pivots at right angles thereto. The locking bar is part of a unit or module which includes a shackle and a latch hook for holding the locking strap. The shackle is pivotally attached to the locking bar and is weighted with ballast to always be disposed in a vertical position for locking. The latch hook is also weighted and allowed a small amount of rotation to compensate for wear of the sealing gaskets to insure continuous locking engagement between the shackle and the latch.