Abstract: A light weight draft arm is provided for use in a railway car. The draft arm includes a center plate with a significant amount of material removed and lateral support members inboard and outboard of the center plate transversing the side walls. Removal of the material around the center plate along with the addition of the lateral support members decreases the overall weight of the draft arm while still maintaining its strength. With the exception of the enhancements around the center plate, the draft arm is conventional.

Abstract: A lightweight and topless draft arm is disclosed for use in a railway car. The draft arm includes an open top surface with the metal layer removed, lateral support members and tiebars transversing the side walls for greater draft arm strength, and thinner side walls below the keyslots. Removal of the top surface of the draft arm eliminates the traditional double layer of material formed by the bottom of the car body and the top of the draft arm. Effectively, the bottom of the car body becomes the top of the draft arm resulting in a lighter weight railway car.

Abstract: A railroad hopper car for carrying loads of commodities comprises spaced trucks and a car body supported on the spaced trucks. The car body includes an underframe having a center sill, with discharge openings, the center sill in the area of the discharge openings toward the loaded commodities having surfaces sloped toward the discharge openings. The underframe has members connecting the car body to the spaced trucks. These members have shapes distinct from the shape of the center sill. The car body further includes transition members between the center sill and underframe members connecting the car body to the spaced trucks. The transition members along the center sill are sized and shaped to fit with the center sill, and the transition members along the underframe members are sized and shaped to fit with the underframe members. The transition members transition between the center sill and underframe members, allowing the center sill to have sloped surfaces while the underframe members have other shapes.