Abstract: A friction shoe is provided for use in a railway freight car truck. A freight car truck comprises two laterally spaced sideframes with a bolster extending transversely between said sideframes. The bolster has two ends each of which extends into an opening in each sideframe and is supported by a spring group in each sideframe opening. A friction shoe is provided in a sloped pocket between each bolster end and a vertical face of the sideframe. The friction shoes are themselves comprised of a sloped wall, a vertical rear wall extending from a lower part of the rear wall to a lower part of the sloped wall, and side support walls. The friction shoe provides damping for the bolster supported on each spring group. The friction shoe of the present invention also includes generally circular openings in the side support walls.

Abstract: A friction shoe is provided for use in a railway freight car truck. A freight car truck comprises two laterally spaced sideframes with a bolster extending transversely between said sideframes. The bolster has two ends each of which extends into an opening in each sideframe and is supported by a spring group in each sideframe opening. A friction shoe is provided in a sloped pocket between each bolster end and a vertical face of the sideframe. The friction shoes are themselves comprised of a sloped wall, a vertical rear wall extending from a lower part of the rear wall to a lower part of the sloped wall, and side support walls. The friction shoe provides damping for the bolster supported on each spring group. The friction shoe of the present invention also includes generally circular openings in the side support walls.

Abstract: A railway freight car truck is provided with an elastomeric suspension device between the bolster end and the sideframe bottom support. The elastomeric device is usually of a toroidal shape, and usually has a centrally located vertically extending opening. Positioning protrusions usually are provided from the bolster end and the sideframe bottom support that extend into the elastomeric device opening.

Abstract: A constant-contact load-bearing assembly for a railcar truck bolster and operable against a complementary body bolster bearing and biased to continuously contact the body-bolster bearing to transfer the lading and railcar weight forces, which assembly has an outer element of a first coefficient of friction, a second or inner element with a second and larger coefficient of friction and biasing apparatus to maintain the inner assembly pad element in contact with the body-bolster assembly at an empty-railcar condition to provide control of the railcar body at the empty or unloaded car status with the biasing apparatus compressible at a loaded railcar state to provide contact between the outer pad element and the body-bolster bearing pad for transfer of the railcar loads and forces over the range of operating loads between the empty-car state and the loaded to capacity state.

Abstract: The present invention provides a railway truck sideframe with a strengthened bottom member. The sideframe comprises an elongated top compression member, two diagonal tension members extending downwardly at acute angles from near the ends of the top compression member, and a bottom member joining the other ends of the diagonal tension members. The top surface of the bottom member is usually referred to as a spring seat as such top surface provides support for the spring group on which the railway truck bolster is supported. The bottom member and attached diagonal tension members are strengthened by the addition of internal support ribs within the generally hollow bottom member near the intersection with the diagonal tension member. An increased thickness in the intersection of the top surface of the bottom member and the diagonal tension member and/or column is also provided.

Abstract: A railway vehicle truck bolster friction shoe pocket includes a sloped rear wall and longitudinally spaced sidewalls depending from the rear wall to form a friction shoe pocket having open top and bottom ends for receiving a variable rate type of friction shoe. During rotation and translation of the bolster with respect to the truck sideframe, the outboard friction shoe pocket sidewall is repeatedly impacted by the outer and upper corner of the friction shoe. The impacting causes protuberances to form in the outboard sidewall, but only on the upper portion of the wall. The same sidewall is provided with a relieved section across the entire sidewall upper portion in order to eliminate the impact contact area between the upper portion of the friction shoe and the upper portion of the outboard sidewall. Eliminating the contact area eliminates the formation of protuberances and extends the life of the bolster.

Abstract: The present invention involves structurally changing an American Association of Railroads (AAR) standard 100 ton sideframe so that it is statically and dynamically capable of handling a 110 ton payload; this is accomplished by reducing two weak points on the sideframe. The first weak point is located in the sideframe upper compression member, near the vertical support column, and the second weak point is the upper portion of the area comprising the lower diagonal tension member core support hole. Stresses in the this area are reduced by gradually extending the zone where cross-sectional wall thicknesses normally experience an abrupt change. The gradual decrease in cross-sectional areas increases the static strength of the sideframe by increasing the elastic or ultimate loading limits. In the second area metallic mass is added, thereby increasing the section modulus of the sideframe near the core support hole.

Abstract: A steering arm assembly for a railway truck has compound fillets between the cross-beam or body portion and each sidearm to provide increased flexural strength to the assembly while maintaining the clearance between the steering arm and truck components.

Abstract: A light weight fatigue resistant cast steel bolster for a freight railcar truck without any opening in the bolster bottom wall having internal risers connected to the bottom wall at bend points and with a ratio of metal in the top and bottom walls that lessens the distance of the neutral axis above the bolster bottom wall as compared to comparable prior art bolsters.

Abstract: A method of repairing railway trucks in which the sloped surfaces of the truck bolster ends have become worn during service is provided that avoids the hetertofore required restoring of the sloped surfaces with weld material. An improved replacement friction shoe having tapered elastomeric pads which conform to the abutting service worn sloped surfaces of the bolster ends is installed to greatly reduce further wear on the bolster ends.