Abstract: A box car includes end walls joined to opposing side walls that define the interior cargo area. Each end wall includes a corrugated side that faces the cargo area. The adjustable spacer is arranged within a cavity in the corrugated side in a stowed position so that it does not protrude into the cargo area. The side walls include tracks in which opposing guides that support the lateral beam are slideably received. The tracks do not protrude into the cargo area. The guides include multiple holes providing keyways that receive removable locks. Vertical side posts are arranged along the exterior of the side walls. Holes are arranged in the side walls in the area of the side posts. The locks are received in one of the holes in the guides and a hole in the side wall to lock the adjustable spacer in the desired position relative to the box car.

Abstract: A box car includes end walls joined to opposing side walls that define the interior cargo area. Each end wall includes a corrugated side that faces the cargo area. The adjustable spacer is arranged within a cavity in the corrugated side in a stowed position so that it does not protrude into the cargo area. The side walls include tracks in which opposing guides that support the lateral beam are slideably received. The tracks do not protrude into the cargo area. The guides include multiple holes providing keyways that receive removable locks. Vertical side posts are arranged along the exterior of the side walls. Holes are arranged in the side walls in the area of the side posts. The locks are received in one of the holes in the guides and a hole in the side wall to lock the adjustable spacer in the desired position relative to the box car.

Abstract: A center beam rail road car has a center sill that runs along the car from end to end. The center sill is dog-legged, having end portions mounted over rail car trucks, and a downwardly stepped central portion between the trucks. A central beam assembly stands upwardly of the center sill. A lading supporting deck structure extends laterally to either side of the center sill. The deck structure has a depressed medial portion between the trucks, and raised end portions over the trucks. The deck portions have lading bearing interfaces. The medial portion of the center sill has a top flange that is carried at a height that lies flush with, or below, the level of the lading bearing interface of the medial portion of the center sill. In one embodiment, a column member for carrying buff and draft loads is spaced upwardly from the medial portion of the center sill.

Abstract: A coil car has a pair of deep side sills and a trough structure mounted to, and suspended between, the deep side sills for carrying coils. The side sills extend between the rail car trucks and act as a pair of deep side beams for carrying vertical loads. The deep side sills are arranged to extend above and below the center sill of the coil car to give vertical stiffness to the coil car. The top chord members of the side sills are outwardly splayed relative to the bottom chord members of the side sills. Cross-bearers extend outwardly and away from the center sill to attach to the side sills. The trough structure has three parallel, longitudinally extending troughs—a central trough lying between two laterally outboard outer troughs. Each trough is shaped to cradle steel coils, or other similar loads, between its inwardly and downwardly sloping shoulder plates. The shoulder plates are lined with cushioning to buffer coils during loading or travel.

Abstract: An auto rack rail road freight car is provided for carrying low density, relatively high value, relatively fragile lading. The car employs wheels that are greater than 33 inches in diameter.

Abstract: An auto rack rail road freight car is provided for carrying low density, relatively high value, relatively fragile lading. The car has trucks that have multiple dampers in a four corner arrangement in the sideframes. The spring groups in the side frames are relatively soft, giving a low vertical bounce natural frequency. In an articulated embodiment, differentially placed ballast is mounted in a biased arrangement to load the coupler end trucks to encourage a dynamic response similar to the dynamic response of the internal trucks.

Abstract: A swing motion rail road freight car truck is provided that does not have lateral underslung cross bracing in the nature of a transom, a frame brace, or lateral rods. The truck has a truck bolster and a pair of side frames, the truck bolster being mounted transversely relative to the side frames. The side frames have spring seats for the groups of springs. The springs seats may be on rockers, or may be rigidly mounted in the side frames. Friction dampers are provided in inboard and outboard pairs.

Abstract: A well car for carrying shipping containers has a pair of end structures supported by rail car trucks, a pair of first and second spaced apart side beams extending between the end structures and a well defined therebetween. A container support cross member is mounted between the side sills in a position to support an end of a shipping container load carried within the well. The container support cross member includes a monolithic beam member with a attachment fitting formed at an end thereof. The attachment fitting is connected to a side sill at a moment connection. The remaining end of the cross member is similarly configured and connected to the second side sill. Each end of the cross member has load bearing surface portions which may be used for supporting a corner of a shipping container. The moment connections permit a bending moment to be carried by the cross member between the first and second side sills. A retractable container stop is mounted to each end of the central container support cross member.

Abstract: There is provided an improvement for a railroad freight car for transporting containers. The car is of the type having spaced apart side structures, opposed end structures and a floor structure, all of which together define a well for receiving a plurality of containers. The well has a longitudinal direction substantially aligned with the direction of travel of the car and a transverse direction substantially normal thereto. The floor structure of the car has a container support within the well which provides a container support surface. The improvement comprises a container stop provided with the container support, the container stop having an extended position and a retracted position. The container stop is biased to the extended position by a biasing component. The extended position is defined by the container stop extending upwardly from the container support surface to present two stop surfaces within the well.

Abstract: A transition section for a railway hopper car carries structural loads from an endmost hopper of the hopper car into the hopper car end structure, whence the loads are transferred to and from other cars via the coupler, and into the rail car truck. The sidewall of the endmost hopper has an extension that mates smoothly with a curved flange extending from the hopper end structure, such that the transition varies smoothly in section.

Abstract: There is provided an improvement for a railroad freight car for transporting containers. The car is of the type having spaced apart side structures, opposed end structures and a floor structure, all of which together define a well for receiving a plurality of containers. The well has a longitudinal direction substantially aligned with the direction of travel of the car and a transverse direction substantially normal thereto. The floor structure of the car has a container support within the well which provides a container support surface. The improvement comprises a container stop provided with the container support, the container stop having an extended position and a retracted position. The container stop is biased to the extended position by a biasing component. The extended position is defined by the container stop extending upwardly from the container support surface to present two stop surfaces within the well.

Abstract: A sidewall mounted, pivotable container stop mechanism for use with railcars or other types of transportation vessels having a cargo hold. The mechanism includes an elongate stop member pivotable between a retracted position, wherein the stop member is stored externally of the cargo hold, and an extended position, wherein the stop member extends into the cargo hold through an opening in the cargo hold sidewall. In its extended position, the stop member is positioned adjacent to a container that is placed in the cargo hold thereby preventing displacement of the container during transit. The mechanism includes a latch mechanism for releasably locking the elongate stop member in the stored position. A mechanism is also provided for maintaining the elongate member in the extended position.

Abstract: A platform arrangement for an end structure of a railway well car having a well portion defined by spaced apart side structures, opposing end structures and a floor structure extending between the side structures. Each of the end structures has spaced apart sidewalls, with a horizontally disposed shear plate extending between and connecting to the sidewalls. Each of the end structures further includes (i) an upper bolster extending upwardly from the shear plate and connecting to the sidewalls; (ii) a bulkhead depending from an inboard end of the shear plate, which extends into the well portion and between the sidewalls to connect to them; and (iii) a stub centre sill positioned below the shear plate. The platform arrangement itself comprises (i) a first horizontal platform surface; (ii) a second horizontal platform surface; (iii) an outboard intermediate horizontal platform surface; (iv) an inboard intermediate horizontal platform surface: and (v) a foothold provided with the bulkhead.

Abstract: A railroad freight car for transporting intermodal cargo containers. The railroad freight car comprises a structural frame having spaced apart side structures, opposing end structures and a floor structure. The side structures each have a top member and a bottom member disposed in a spaced apart relationship and extending longitudinally between the opposing end structures. The floor structure is disposed to extend between the respective bottom members of each side structure. The end structures each provide an inboard bulkhead, such that the side structures, floor structure and bulkheads together define a well for receiving an intermodal cargo container. The end structure further provides a longitudinally disposed stub centre sill having an outboard end for receiving a coupling means for coupling the railroad freight car to another railroad car. The stub centre sill defines a draft centerline positioned above the railhead at a predetermined height A.