Abstract: A gondola car for hauling bulk cargo has a stub sill for receiving longitudinal loads. A shear plate is connected with the stub sill, and longitudinal side sills and connected as by welding to side portions of the shear plate. Side walls extend upwardly from the side sills. The shear plate has an opening therein adjacent the longitudinally inward end of the weld to the side sill for reducing stress in the end of the weld. Cover structure overlies the opening, and side wall support structure is connected with the cover structure and engages the side walls to support them.

Abstract: Air flow guide members at each end of the cargo carrying structure of an open top gondola type railway car, together with rounded transition or corner surfaces on the exterior of the car and aerodynamically shaped and oriented cross braces within the car serve to reduce aerodynamic drag on the car as it is moved. Additionally, to further enhance the energy efficiency of the car, the cargo carrying structure is formed predominantly of a light weight weldable metal, such as an aluminum alloy, and the side support members are placed on the interior wall of each side to provide a smooth, minimized air flow resistant side surface.

Abstract: The wheel and axle assembly of a single axle wheel truck for a railway car is prevented from exceeding acceptable lateral and longitudinal movement with respect to fixed body portions of the railway car by an axle stop arrangement positioned laterally outboard of the wheel truck springs. This axle stop arrangement controls the wheel set movement relative to the car body and, due to its laterally outboard positioning, engagement between the axle stop structure and the wheels is prevented.

Abstract: A railway car underframe includes a sill structure having at one end a cushion pocket disposed rearwardly of a draft structure which is readily adapted to support a drawbar assembly having at its rear end an impact head extending into the pocket and engaging a cushion. The cushion is spaced from one end of the pocket by a removable spacer assembly which is removed when a larger cushion is disposed in the pocket and a shank coupler assembly is utilized. The draft structure includes attaching means to which a bell mouth housing is removably secured when the coupler assembly replaces the drawbar assembly. The structure includes a member which is a combination having a draft lug function, for coupler application, and a draft keyslot function for drawbar application.

Abstract: The hatch of a lading container, such as the hopper of a covered hopper car, is sealed by a hatch cover having a locking arrangement which prevents the hatch cover from being blown open by pressure within the hopper when the locking arrangement is unlocked. An over-center locking arm has two spaced catches which co-act with two latches on a latching arrangement to selectively provide a sealed, a pressure blow-off, and a hatch open position. A rotative adjustment is provided to enable adjustment of the sealing pressure of the hatch cover on the hatch.

Abstract: A railway car underframe center sill includes a drawbar structure which includes a rigid housing structure adapted to fit into the cushion pocket of the sill supporting the cushion. The rigid housing is readily removable if desired and includes a rigid end plate having a truncated opening which contains a truncated hemispherical reaction member which pivots in any direction. The drawbar is supported on the center sill for movement in true rotation and is provided at its inner end with an impact head at all times in flush contact with the hemispherical reaction member. The end of the drawbar includes a drawbar key structure secured in place by means of the draft key. The housing structure is securely maintained in position against a stop by a wedge member which is self-adjusting downwardly as wear may occur and thus insures a contact rigid effective assembly.This assembly provides a slackless condition in the drawbar attachment between companion units of a railway freight car.

Abstract: A brake cylinder lever on a railway car is supported in a substantially vertical orientation by a roller mounted on an inclined ramp to bias the brake system toward a "brake off" or nondrag condition.

Abstract: In a railway hopper car with several bottom dump doors, the doors are operated by a main door operating member in the form of a thrust bar running the length of the car. The bar, when moved, rotates levers which rotate actuator shafts which move door operating linkage arrangements, opening and closing the dump doors. An adjustable positioning structure is provided on each lever to cause adjustment of the individual dump door positions. The adjustment is accomplished by tightening or loosening bolts in the adjustor, which is fixed on an actuator shaft running to the linkage arrangement. The adjustor and actuator shaft rotate on a bearing with respect to the lever, but are held in locked adjusted position by the adjustor bolts abutting on flanges welded to the lever.