Abstract: A transverse railroad coil car coil restraint apparatus or system which includes a plurality of coil restraints attachable to each trough in a transverse railroad coil car to reduce the sideways shifting of coils positioned in the troughs. In certain embodiments, the coil restraints are attached in each trough and extend across the transverse coil car. In other embodiments, the coil restraints are attached in each trough along the length of the trough. In certain embodiments, when a coil is positioned in the trough, the coil compresses certain of the coil restraints and does not compress other of the coil restraints which prevents the sideways shifting of the coil during movement of the transverse coil car. In other embodiments, when a coil is positioned in the trough, the coil compresses certain of the compression members and does not compress other of the compression members which prevents the sideways shifting of the coil during movement of the transverse coil car.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel chock for a vehicle restraint system for an auto-rack railroad car which secures a vehicle in the auto-rack railroad car. The vehicle wheel chock is configured to be positioned on a grating adjacent to a tire of the vehicle.

Abstract: A low elevational profile of each of a pair of first and second wheel chocks for restraining a current “low-drag” motor vehicle in a carrier, such as a railway car, is derived from each wheel chock having an internally webbed, elongated stepped-box body terminated with a relatively short rectangular box having its inner wall integrally formed with the stepped-box body. The body of the first chock is essentially a mirror-image of the second chock body. The low profile of a wheel chock allows each to be positioned under a vehicle the rocker panel of which has its lower edge only 148 mm (5.82 inches) above the surface upon which the vehicle's tire rests, so that the installed chock height is reduced to 47.6 mm (1.87?) under the components of the vehicle's body. The assembly may include a pair of “active” chocks; or, one active chock and one anchor chock.

Abstract: A low elevational profile of each of a pair of first and second wheel chocks for restraining a current “low-drag” motor vehicle in a carrier, such as a railway car, is derived from each wheel chock having an internally webbed, elongated stepped-box body terminated with a relatively short rectangular box having its inner wall integrally formed with the stepped-box body. The body of the first chock is essentially a mirror-image of the second chock body. The low profile of a wheel chock allows each to be positioned under a vehicle the rocker panel of which has its lower edge only 148 mm (5.82 inches) above the surface upon which the vehicle's tire rests, so that the installed chock height is reduced to 47.6 mm (1.87?) under the components of the vehicle's body. The assembly may include a pair of “active” chocks; or, one active chock and one anchor chock.

Abstract: An improved auto-rack railroad car door pivot bolt assembly for an auto-rack railroad car including a roof having a roof stiffener and a door having a hood. The auto-rack railroad car door pivot bolt assembly ties the hood of the door of the auto-rack railroad car to the roof stiffener on the roof of the auto-rack railroad car to reduce relative movement of the hood and the roof stiffener to each other and prevents wear of the shoulder bolt, the hood, and the roof stiffener.

Abstract: A low profile mounting assembly for use between a rail car side frame pedestal and the rail car roller bearing includes a shear pad and a bearing adapter. In one embodiment, the shear pad has relatively thin plates joined by an elastomeric layer. In another embodiment, the shear pad includes a projection extending downwardly from a plate to be received and retained by a recess defined in a top surface of the adapter. In another embodiment, a central cavity formed in a lower plate of the shear pad cooperates with the adapter top surface to distribute forces on the roller bearing. In another embodiment, an elastomeric projection of a shear pad plate bears against ridges on the adapter top surface to prevent disengagement.

Abstract: An auto-rack railroad car vehicle positioning and damage prevention system which reduces or eliminates damage to the front and rear ends of the vehicles which can occur while the vehicles are being loaded in an auto-rack car. In one embodiment, the auto-rack car vehicle positioning and damage prevention system includes a plurality of vehicle positioning devices mountable in the auto-rack car to enable a loader to determine the distance between the vehicle the loader is driving and the vehicle positioned in front of the vehicle the loader is driving, and to enable the loader to see the position of the tires relative to a grating in the auto-rack car on which the tire is positioned.

Abstract: A railroad car coupler centering device including in one embodiment a spreader beam mountable to the striker at one end of a railroad car, a right side centering spring rotatably connected to the spreader beam by a hinge, and a left side centering spring rotatably connected to the spreader beam by a hinge. The first or right side centering spring is moveable to and between a coupler engaged position and a coupler disengaged position. In the coupler engaged position, the right side centering spring is positioned to engage the right side of the coupler and to bias the coupler to a central position. In the coupler disengaged position, the right side centering spring allows the coupler to move from the center position to the right. Similarly, the left side centering spring is moveable to and between a coupler engaged position and a coupler disengaged position.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel chock strap retainer that provides that different straps of different dimensions will remain securely affixed to a torque tube of a wheel chock when the chock strap retainer is inserted into the torque tube.

Abstract: A transverse railroad coil car coil restraint apparatus or system which includes a plurality of coil restraints attachable to each trough in a transverse railroad coil car to reduce the sideways shifting of coils positioned in the troughs. In certain embodiments, the coil restraints are attached in each trough and extend across the transverse coil car. In other embodiments, the coil restraints are attached in each trough along the length of the trough. In certain embodiments, when a coil is positioned in the trough, the coil compresses certain of the coil restraints and does not compress other of the coil restraints which prevents the sideways shifting of the coil during movement of the transverse coil car. In other embodiments, when a coil is positioned in the trough, the coil compresses certain of the compression members and does not compress other of the compression members which prevents the sideways shifting of the coil during movement of the transverse coil car.

Abstract: An improved auto-rack railroad car door pivot bolt assembly for an auto-rack railroad car including a roof having a roof stiffener and a door having a hood. The auto-rack railroad car door pivot bolt assembly ties the hood of the door of the auto-rack railroad car to the roof stiffener on the roof of the auto-rack railroad car to reduce relative movement of the hood and the roof stiffener to each other and prevents wear of the shoulder bolt, the hood, and the roof stiffener.

Abstract: A transverse railroad coil car coil restraint apparatus or system which includes a plurality of coil restraints attachable to each trough in a transverse railroad coil car to reduce the sideways shifting of coils positioned in the troughs. In certain embodiments, the coil restraints are attached in each trough and extend across the transverse coil car. In other embodiments, the coil restraints are attached in each trough along the length of the trough. In certain embodiments, when a coil is positioned in the trough, the coil compresses certain of the coil restraints and does not compress other of the coil restraints which prevents the sideways shifting of the coil during movement of the transverse coil car. In other embodiments, when a coil is positioned in the trough, the coil compresses certain of the compression members and does not compress other of the compression members which prevents the sideways shifting of the coil during movement of the transverse coil car.

Abstract: A vehicle wheel chock for a vehicle restraint system for an auto-rack railroad car which secures a vehicle in the auto-rack railroad car. The vehicle wheel chock is configured to be positioned on a grating adjacent to a tire of the vehicle.

Abstract: A damping system for a rail car truck utilizes friction wedges supported on side springs to damp relative movement between the rail car truck bolster and the side frames supporting it. Each friction wedge has a generally triangular shape with an angle &thgr; defined between a vertical friction surface which bears against a side frame and a sloping friction surface which moves relative to the bolster. The angle &thgr; and the force P of each side spring are defined by Fw W .

Abstract: A shear pad assembly for use between a rail car side frame pedestal and the rail car roller bearing adapter includes an upper plate formed and adapted to seat the side frame pedestal and a lower plate, spaced from the upper plate, and formed and adapted to seat on the roller bearing adapter. There is an elastomer positioned in the space between the upper plate and the lower plate, with the elastomer having a generally uniform thickness throughout a substantial portion of the space between the plates. There are a pair of spaced metal shims, each extending parallel to a side frame, being adjacent an edge of the elastomer, and being located generally intermediate the upper and lower plates.

Abstract: A rail car truck has a pair of side frames, connected by a bolster, with the side frames each having pedestals at the opposite ends thereof which are designed to seat upon roller bearing adapters which are supported on the rail car truck wheel sets. Shear pads are positioned between each of the side frame pedestals and the corresponding roller bearing adapter. The shear pads include notches designed to interlock with projections on each side frame pedestal and notches designed to interlock with projections on each roller bearing adapter, whereby the shear pad is interlocked to both the side frame pedestal and the roller bearing adapter, preventing relative movement between the shear pad and the side frame pedestal and between the shear pad and roller bearing adapter in a direction parallel with the longitudinal dimension of the side frame.