Abstract: A railway tank car including a protective structure for the top of its cargo tank and surrounding both a valve group mounting nozzle and a pressure-relief safety valve nozzle, to protect the associated valves against damage resulting from the car being overturned, particularly while the railcar is moving along a railway. The protective structure includes protective housings including upstanding walls of metal plate construction surrounding the nozzles yet not attached directly to the nozzles, so that the protective housings afford convenient access to the valves associated with the nozzles.

Abstract: A linkage interconnecting a brake rod with a brake lever in a brake system of a railroad freight car. A length of chain extends from an end of the brake rod, and a monolithic connecting link interconnects an opposite end of the length of chain with a brake lever, so that the brake lever can be moved by pulling the rod, and yet the brake lever is free to move toward the rod if the handbrake system is not in use to keep the brakes applied.

Abstract: A railroad freight car that may include multiple units, including a container well for carrying intermodal freight containers in the body of at least one unit and with the body including container supports, located in the corners of the container well, that include a cast metal base welded to a side sill of the car. A container support tower also welded to the side sill extends upward from the base and may also be of cast metal.

Abstract: A method for preparing and assembling parts of a skin for a curved structure, and apparatus for use in connection therewith. A gantry may be used to carry cutting torches and welder heads along predetermined paths to cut skin plates accurately into skin parts and to weld the skin parts together again after they have been fastened to internal frame elements.