Abstract: A hatch cover assembly for a rail car includes a gasket including a sealing wedge extending downwardly from a lower surface of the gasket. The sealing wedge is configured to sealingly engage a lip of a hatch ring. The hatch cover further includes a gasket retainer having one or more channels. The gasket further includes one or more upwardly-extending annular ribs retained within the one or more channels of the gasket retainer.

Abstract: A flatbed deck with corner castings connects to the intermodal equipment trailer chassis. Twist locks are retractable in upper corner castings to provide an absolutely flat deck to facilitate loading and unloading. Lower corner castings are connected to corner twist locks of a trailer chassis. Cargo is loaded and a rigid three-dimensional lid is lowered onto the flatbed deck. The rigid lid has corner castings that cooperate with twist locks at corners of the new flatbed deck. Lid corner castings are recessed in the lid. The lid seals to the deck to prevent moisture ingress. Corner castings extend slightly downward from the corners of the lid. Two or more short individual lids are secured separately to the new decks. Partial loads are individually covered and protected by the short lids which are seated and sealed to the deck by securing lid corner castings.

Abstract: An example insulation enclosure includes an outer shell having an open end and a top end, and an inner shell arranged within the outer shell and including a plurality of sidewall members and a top member. Each sidewall member is independently moveable relative to one another and to the top member, and the plurality of sidewall members and the top member each include a support member and insulation material positioned on the support member. One or more compliant devices arranged between the outer shell and at least one of the plurality of sidewall members and the top member, the one or more compliant devices biasing the at least one of the plurality of sidewall members and the top member against adjacent outer surfaces of a mold disposable within the inner shell.

Abstract: Generally disclosed is an adhesively secured seal and related methods for sealing a hopper car hatch without the risk of contaminating the hopper car load with food-grade adhesive and without damaging the hopper car or requiring excessive cleaning when removed. The disclosed seal comprises a piece or sheet of plastic with self-contained food-grade adhesive. Preferably, the plastic is cut to fit the length of the hatch of a rail car and features food-grade adhesive along on its surface its edges. In another embodiment, the apparatus is rolled, like tape, wherein the apparatus is installed over a hatch opening so that the sides of the apparatus containing food-grade adhesive are contacted with the rim and sides of the hatch.

Abstract: A railway car hatch cover includes an exterior shell cover, a gasket, and a mounting ring. The exterior shell cover has an outer-side and an under-side. The gasket is a vented gasket or a non-vented gasket, and the gasket is mounted to the mounting ring. The mounting ring is secured to the under-side of the exterior shell cover. The mounting ring is removable, and the gasket is replaceable with a second gasket. The second gasket can be vented or non-vented. The mounting ring is reinstallable on the under-side of the exterior shell cover. The replaceable gasket allows a single hatch cover to function as a vented hatch cover or a non-vented hatch cover depending on the type of gasket installed.

Abstract: A railroad tanker car 10 with a fluid cargo tank 11 and a manway assembly 12 is disclosed. The manway assembly 12 includes a nozzle 17 having a nozzle sealing surface 24 and a cover 18 having a cover sealing surface 33. An attachment device 19 supplies a closing force to bias the cover 18 toward the nozzle 17. A fluid seal 51 prevents egress of fluids from and ingress of contaminants into the tank 11. The seal 51 includes a cover seal member 54, a nozzle seal member 55, and an expander 56 that forces the members 54 and 55 against their respective cover and nozzle sealing surfaces. The fluid seal 51 also includes a compression limiting carrier 52 with integral locating tabs 53 that locates the seal 51 and controls the compression of the elastomeric components of the seal 51.

Abstract: A railroad tanker car 10 with a fluid cargo tank 11 and a manway assembly 12 is disclosed. The manway assembly 12 includes a nozzle 17 having a nozzle sealing surface 24 and a cover 18 having a cover sealing surface 33. An attachment device 19 supplies a closing force to bias the cover 18 toward the nozzle 17. A fluid seal 51 prevents egress of fluids from and ingress of contaminants into the tank 11. The seal 51 includes a cover seal member 54, a nozzle seal member 55, and an expander 56 that forces the members 54 and 55 against their respective cover and nozzle sealing surfaces. The fluid seal 51 also includes a compression limiting carrier 52 with integral locating tabs 53 that locates the seal 51 and controls the compression of the elastomeric components of the seal 51.

Abstract: A railroad tanker car 10 with a fluid cargo tank 11 and a manway assembly 12 is disclosed. The manway assembly 12 includes a nozzle 17 having a nozzle sealing surface 24 and a cover 18 having a cover sealing surface 33. An attachment device 19 supplies a closing force to bias the cover 18 toward the nozzle 17. A fluid seal 51 prevents egress of fluids from and ingress of contaminants into the tank 11. The seal 51 includes a cover seal member 54, a nozzle seal member 55, and an expander 56 that forces the members 54 and 55 against their respective cover and nozzle sealing surfaces. The fluid seal 51 also includes a compression limiting carrier 52 with integral locating tabs 53 that locates the seal 51 and controls the compression of the elastomeric components of the seal 51.

Abstract: Systems and methods for powered rail car doors are disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes a first door assembly operable to at least partially cover an opening of a rail car. The system also includes an actuator. A first common linkage is coupled to the actuator and is operable to reciprocally move in a longitudinal direction relative to the actuator. In particular embodiments, a first secondary linkage is coupled to the first common linkage and is coupled to an exterior surface of the first door assembly, wherein the first secondary linkage cooperates with the first common linkage to move the first door assembly between an open position and a closed position over the top hatch of the rail car.

Abstract: A railroad car hatch cover including a high strength and highly rigid laminate panel having an inner aluminum member, an outer aluminum member, and a solid plastic core. A cross-section of the laminate panel includes a center section with two generally parallel and generally vertical sides. Each generally vertical side of the panel is joined to center section of the panel along a longitudinally elongated curved corner having a radius of less than 1.5 inches. Moreover, compressible gasket structure is secured to an underside of the center section of the laminate panel in the vicinity of each corner for engaging and pressing against a top rim of railcar coaming to seal the hatch cover whereby inhibiting contaminants from passing between the closed clover and the coaming on the railcar. Additionally, the laminate panel is provided with longitudinally spaced structure, arranged inwardly from the opposed ends of and secured across the laminate panel, for adding further strength and rigidity to the hatch cover.

Abstract: A railroad tanker car 10 with a fluid cargo tank 11 and a manway assembly 12 is disclosed. The manway assembly 12 includes a nozzle 17 having a nozzle sealing surface 24 and a cover 18 having a cover sealing surface 33. An attachment device 19 supplies a closing force to bias the cover 18 toward the nozzle 17. A fluid seal 51 prevents egress of fluids from and ingress of contaminants into the tank 11. The seal 51 includes a cover seal member 54, a nozzle seal member 55, and an expander 56 that forces the members 54 and 55 against their respective cover and nozzle sealing surfaces. The fluid seal 51 also includes a compression limiting carrier 52 with integral locating tabs 53 that locates the seal 51 and controls the compression of the elastomeric components of the seal 51.

Abstract: A railroad car hatch cover including a high strength and highly rigid laminate panel having an inner aluminum member, an outer aluminum member, and a solid plastic core. A cross-section of the laminate panel includes a center section with two generally parallel and generally vertical sides. Each generally vertical side of the panel is joined to center section of the panel along a longitudinally elongated curved corner having a radius of less than 1.5 inches. Moreover, compressible gasket structure is secured to an underside of the center section of the laminate panel in the vicinity of each corner for engaging and pressing against a top rim of railcar coaming to seal the hatch cover whereby inhibiting contaminants from passing between the closed clover and the coaming on the railcar. Additionally, the laminate panel is provided with longitudinally spaced structure, arranged inwardly from the opposed ends of and secured across the laminate panel, for adding further strength and rigidity to the hatch cover.

Abstract: A hatch cover adapted to be positioned over and close a hatch opening on a railroad hopper car. The hatch cover includes a rigid panel sized to cover the hopper car hatch opening. The panel for the hatch cover includes an inner skin, an outer skin, and a core material sandwiched between and adhered to the inner and outer skins. Edge structure is secured to the panel for protecting edges of the panel.

Abstract: A hatch cover adapted to be positioned over and close a hatch opening on a railroad hopper car is disclosed. The hatch cover includes a rigid panel sized to cover the hopper car hatch opening. The panel for the hatch cover includes an inner skin, an outer skin, and a core material sandwiched between and adhered to the inner and outer skins. Edge structure is secured to the panel for protecting edges of the panel.

Abstract: A railroad car roof panel and skylight assembly. The assembly includes a rectangular metal roof panel. A pair of corrugations are formed in the roof panel with the corrugations extending longitudinally of the roof panel and spaced apart from one another transversely across the roof panel. A pair of light holes are formed in the roof panel between the corrugations. The light holes are positioned longitudinally of each other with each of the light holes having an inner edge. A translucent plastic window is located above each light hole. Each transparent window has a shape similar to but larger than the shape of its light hole and is positioned to overlie the inner edge of its light hole. The transparent plastic window may be planar or dome shaped. A ring shaped gasket formed of an elastomer such as EPDM has an annulus of rectangular transverse cross section with a thickness greater than that of the translucent window. The gasket also has an integrally outwardly extending brim which is thinner than the annulus.

Abstract: A gasket for a steel coil railroad car wherein the gasket is contained within a U-shaped channel in the coil cover. The gasket includes a base which has a mediate section which joins opposite flanges and a bulbous portion which defines a volume. The bulbous portion has a mediate flat section that joins opposite arcuate sections. The mediate section of the base is thicker than the arcuate sections and the flat section of the bulbous portion. The gasket is retained in the U-shaped channel in such a fashion that the base contacts the mediate portion of the U-shaped channel. The gasket is compressible upon the engagement of the gasket with the railroad car so as to form a seal between the coil cover and the railroad car.

Abstract: A baffle plate assembly for reducing the amount of corrosive liquid contained within a railroad car from contacting a pressure relief valve connected to the railroad car. The baffle plate assembly includes a baffle body having one end connected to an upper plate and the other end connected to a lower plate. The baffle body includes a plurality of slotted openings and radially extending downwardly sloped drainage openings. The lower plate includes a radially extending downwardly sloped drainage surface that further includes a plurality of channels for draining liquid out of the baffle body. The baffle plate assembly is connected to the railroad car adjacent to the pressure relief valve such that air and/or other gases pass through the baffle plate assembly and then the pressure relief valve. Air and/or other gases pass from within the railroad car through the plurality of slotted openings defined in the baffle body into an interior chamber of the baffle body.

Abstract: An extendable and retractable cover for use on gondola railroad cars, preferably provided as a kit for retrofitting existing cars, including elongated runners for attaching to the top of longitudinal walls of the gondola railroad cars, the runners including at east one slidable surface, for supporting and permitting transport over the surface of a plurality of tarp supports, which extend across the lateral opening between the sidewalls of the gondola railroad car. The supports are adapted and configured to slide over the runners while enclosing an edge of the runner so as to engage the runner and retain the vertical position and orientation of the supports during transposition across the surface of the runners.