Abstract: In one aspect, a method of monitoring a mobile railway asset is provided including detecting a strain of a component of a mobile railway asset and gathering data associated with a vibration of the mobile railway asset. The method includes comparing the strain of the component and the data associated with the vibration of the mobile railway asset. The method includes determining a load state of the mobile railway asset based at least in part on the comparison of the strain of the component and the data associated with the vibration of the mobile railway asset.

Abstract: System and methods for detecting an operational status of a valve or passageway on a railway asset. The methods may comprise: resiliently biasing a magnet in a direction away from a wireless sensor node coupled to the passageway; determining that the passageway is in an open position when the wireless sensor node is neutrally polarized (the data collection device being neutrally polarized when the magnet is distant therefrom); causing the magnet to move in a direction towards the wireless sensor node responsive to a cover of the passageway being closed; and determining that the passageway is in a closed position when the wireless sensor node is magnetically polarized (the wireless sensor node being magnetically polarized when the magnet is proximate thereto).

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 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.

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 1 Fw W . E = - P 2 · ( cos ⁢   ⁢ ( θ ) + ⁣ μ 2 ⁢ w · sin ⁡ ( θ ) ) ( μ 1 ⁢ w · cos ⁢   ⁢ ( θ ) + μ 1 ⁢ w · μ 2 ⁢ w · sin ⁡ ( θ ) + μ 2 ⁢ w · cos ⁢   ⁢ ( θ ) - sin ⁡ ( θ ) ) · 2 ⁣ · a · w w [ b · ( a · w w ) ] V c . W .

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 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 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 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 wheel chock for a motor vehicle container made of composite material which is adapted to be selectively connected to a pair of rails fastened to the container floor, and which is made of a flexible copolymer material capable of withstanding the loads incurred by vehicles restrained by the chocks, and which is constructed to be easily connected to and disconnected from the rails and be supported above the container floor to prevent damage to the floor.