Abstract: A rail car truck includes a pair of longitudinally spaced wheelsets, a pair of laterally spaced side frames extending between and supported by the wheelsets and a bolster which extends between the side frames to support a vehicle body. There is a brace connected between the side frames to control relative longitudinal movement therebetween. The brace includes a center clamp assembly located generally intermediate the side frames and generally mid-way between the wheelsets. Each side frame mounts a pair of longitudinally spaced end blocks. There are four struts, each being inclined to the longitudinal axis of the truck and each extending from and being connected to an end block and to the clamp assembly.

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 three-piece rail car truck has a pair of side frames, a pair of wheelsets and a roller bearing adapter seated on each end of each wheelset. Each side frame has pedestal jaws formed and adapted to seat upon each roller bearing adapter. The improvement comprises a stabilizer bar connected between each roller bearing adapter and adjacent portions of a side frame, with the stabilizer bars resisting unsquaring relative movement between the wheelsets and side frames.

Abstract: A rail car truck damping system includes a bolster with a bolster pocket having an interior slanted wall, a side frame having a column wear resistant surface facing said pocket and a friction wedge positioned within the pocket. The wedge has a body with an area of contact facing the bolster pocket slanted wall which is formed by a pair of spaced planar generally parallel surfaces with a recess therebetween. The bolster pocket slanted wall has an elongated outward extension aligned with the wedge recess and extending therein, with the extension functioning to resist lateral movement of the wedge within the bolster pocket. The wedge body has an area of contact facing the side frame column wear resistant surface which is formed by a pair of spaced planar generally parallel surfaces with a recess therebetween.

Abstract: A bridge plate assembly for use in moving vehicles between rail cars for loading and unloading has sufficient length to span the space between adjacent rail cars and has sufficient width to accommodate vehicles of varying wheelbase. The plate assembly includes two relatively movable telescoping load bearing members, each of which includes a plurality of spaced tubular members and a support member at each end of each plate member joining the tubular members together.

Abstract: A process for austempering ductile iron includes austenitizing a ductile iron casting of low alloy content followed by quenching the workpiece for a controlled period of time in a quench medium such as water, an aqueous polymer solution or a medium speed quench oil. The workpiece is then austempered in an air tempering furnace, resulting in a ausferrite microstructure essentially free of pearlite and martensite, and with mechanical properties meeting ASTM designation A897-90 "Standard Specification for Austempered Ductile Iron Castings." The process eliminates the need for a molten salt bath for quenching and tempering.

Abstract: A three piece rail car truck has a pair of side frames, a pair of wheelsets and a roller bearing adapter seated on each end of each wheelset. Each side frame has pedestal jaws formed and adapted to seat upon each roller bearing adapter. The improvement comprises a stabilizer bar connected between each roller bearing adapter and an adjacent portion of a side frame, with the stabilizer bars resisting unsquaring relative movement between the wheelsets and side frames.

Abstract: A bridge plate assembly for use in moving vehicles between rail cars for loading and unloading has sufficient length to span the space between adjacent rail cars and has sufficient width to accommodate vehicles of varying wheelbase. The plate assembly includes two relatively movable telescoping load bearing members, each of which includes a plurality of spaced tubular members and a support member at each end of each plate member joining the tubular members together.

Abstract: A friction wedge for use in damping relative movement between the bolster and the side frame of a railroad car truck includes a body formed and adapted to be positioned in a pocket of one of the bolster and side frame. The body has spaced body portions integrally joined by an intermediate connecting portion. Each of the spaced body portions has a friction surface formed and adapted during normal use to be in frictional contact with a wear resistant surface on the other of the bolster and side frame. The spaced friction surfaces on the wedge body are effective to increase the resistance to bolster/side frame warp movement over and above the resistance provided by a continuous friction surface which is equal in width to the distance between the outside of each of the spaced friction surfaces.

Abstract: A novel friction wedge for use in a bolster pocket of a truck of a railroad car, comprises a metal body portion having a vertical wall and one or more pad members supported on the surface of a pad-support body. The metal body portion has a vertical wall the exterior surface of which body bears against a guide column of the side frame. The pad-support body, which is part of the metal body portion, is provided with an inclined surface upon which is secured a polymer pad with a central planar inclined surface which bears against the correspondingly inclined surface of the pocket. The pad member is required to be formed from specified reaction injection molded (RIM) polymers which it is found to be free of microscopic voids >20 .mu.m and therefore, fully dense, unlike prior art polymer pads for friction wedges.

Abstract: A rail car truck has a pair of side frames, a pair of wheelsets and roller bearing adapters seated on each end of each wheelset and supporting the pedestal of the side frames. Each roller bearing adapter has an upward transverse projection and each side frame pedestal has a downward facing concave depression, with the cooperating projections and depressions resisting unsquaring relative movement between the wheelsets and side frames.

Abstract: A bridge plate assembly for use in moving vehicles between rail cars for loading and unloading is of sufficient width to accommodate vehicles of varying wheelbase and includes relatively movable telescopic bridge panel members. One of the panel members has top and bottom face layers bonded to an intermediate low density core. The other panel member is in the form of a hollow shroud which in part encloses the first identified panel member. The relatively movable panel members are biased toward maximum extension and there is a stop for limiting the extension of the panel members.

Abstract: A process for making steel wear plates for use as railroad car truck side frame/bolster damping components utilizes the sequential steps of heating, pressing, quenching and then tempering. The heating process includes bringing the wear plate to a temperature of approximately 1750.degree. F. so that the plate is essentially 100 percent austenite. Generally uniform pressure is applied to the plate while heated to bring the plate to a desired flatness. Quenching fluid is thereafter applied to the flattened plate, while maintaining pressure thereon, to bring the plate to a predetermined brinnell hardness, a predetermined temperature, and a metallurgical characteristic of at least 90 percent martensite. The plate is thereafter tempered at a temperature of from 910.degree.-940.degree. F. for a period of time sufficient to bring the plate to a brinnell hardness less than the hardness after quenching.

Abstract: A bridge plate assembly for use in moving vehicles between rail cars for unloading and loading has a sufficient length to span the space between adjacent rail cars and has sufficient width to accommodate vehicles of varying wheelbase. The plate assembly includes two load bearing plate members, positioned one on top of another, with one end of each plate member being formed and adapted to be attached to the end of a rail car. Each plate member has top and bottom face layers bonded to an intermediate low density core.

Abstract: A friction wedge for use in damping relative movement between the bolster and the side frame of a railroad car truck includes a body formed and adapted to be positioned in a pocket of one of the bolster and side frame. The body has spaced body portions integrally joined by an intermediate connecting portion. Each of the spaced body portions has a friction surface formed and adapted during normal use to be in frictional contact with a wear resistant surface on the other of the bolster and side frame. The spaced friction surfaces on the wedge body are effective to increase the resistance to bolster/side frame warp movement over and above the resistance provided by a continuous friction surface which is equal in width to the distance between the outside of each of the spaced friction surfaces.

Abstract: A novel combination of a rail car supported on a within the center bowl of its truck bolster comprises a unitary wear liner closely fitted within the center bowl so as to require no exterior protection from grit and debris carried in the environment outside that of the center plate assembly held in the bowl. The unitary wear liner is required to be formed from specified reaction injection molded (RIM) polymers which when molded, are found to be free of microscopic voids >20 .mu.m and therefore, fully dense. This property of being fully dense unexpectedly allows the liner to have specified physical properties which permit a railroad car truck equipped with the liners to operate with exceptional reliability, safety and for a long period of time.

Abstract: A railroad car truck includes a pair of side frames and a bolster which is supported by springs on the side frame. There are diagonal cross braces attached to the side frames with each cross brace being attached to one side frame on one side of the bolster and being attached to the other side frame on the opposite side of the bolster. There are mounting brackets fixed to the side frame and there is an end block attached with elastomeric mounting elements to each mounting bracket. The end blocks mount the cross braces. Each end block has a profile such as not to materially interfere with the scan area of a hot box detector mounted adjacent one of the railroad track rails.

Abstract: A wheel chock for restraining a motor vehicle in a transportable carrier such as a railway car, which is adapted to be selectively connected to a rail fastened to the floor of the carrier and which is made of a flexible copolymer material capable of withstanding the loads incurred by chock restrained vehicles, and further which is user friendly in that it can be maintained in a wheel-restraining position together with a wheel harness and removed from that position without the use of any tools. The wheel chock includes a torque tube for winding up a wheel harness strap to tighten the wheel harness on a vehicle wheel, a strap take-up device for quickly removing the slack in the strap, and a foot-operated actuating lever for rotating the torque tube and operating a pawl and ratchet mechanism controlling rotation of the torque tube.

Abstract: A friction casting for use in a railroad car truck between a side frame column and a bolster pocket slanted wall has a slanted wall to face and be in contact with the bolster pocket slanted wall and a vertical face in contact with the side frame column. The friction casting has a hollow interior, except for a support rib which is perpendicular to the slanted wall of the casting and supports the slanted wall of the casting generally at the zone of contact with the bolster pocket slanted wall. The support rib transfers the load from the slanted face of the friction casting to the vertical face of the friction casting generally at the center of pressure thereof.

Abstract: A friction wedge for use in a railroad car truck bolster pocket which has a slanted rear wall and adjoining side walls perpendicular thereto, one surface thereof adapted to bear against a portion of a car truck side frame and a slanted surface and adjoining sides adapted to bear against the slanted rear wall and adjoining side walls of the bolster pocket. The friction wedge includes a metal body and a polymer cover providing the slanted surface and adjoining sides, with the polymer cover being formed in a plurality of sections movable relative to each other and the metal body such that, during use, the polymer sections may move into contact with the pocket rear wall and adjoining side walls.