Abstract: Running gear (1) of a railway vehicle, which is suspended on the undercarriage (2) of the railway vehicel by blade support springs (3) and suspension attachment (8), with the additional arrangement of an additional blade spring as absorption spring (12); the absorption spring (12) is essentially more flexible than the rigid blade support spring (3), and the absorption spring (12), is tensed into the spring band (7) of the blade support spring (3). Blade support spring (3) and absorption spring (12) are kinematically connected in parallel.

Abstract: A stand alone, double stack railroad well car for carrying stacked containers includes a platform suspended at each end upon swing hangers from a multiple axle truck or suspension system, utilizing leaf springs. Adjacent axles are connected by bridge beams which are pivotally connected to the leaf springs. Shear pads connected between the bridge beams and axles permit limited angular displacement of the axles relative to each other. An axle guard is provided for limiting lateral movement of the car relative to the trucks. An axle guard frame assembly is rotatably connected to the under side of the car body or platform at each end. It includes vertical axle guards which engage the axle bearing adapter housings to limit lateral movement. The rotatable connection of the axle guard frame assembly underside of the carbody to the platform permits limited rotational or pivotal movement of the axle guard frame as the suspension system negotiates a curve in the track.

Abstract: A railroad car for carrying containers has a car body mounted on trucks. The car body includes two side sills connected to two end frames. The side sills and end frames define an open well which is adapted for receiving a container. The floor of the well is defined by a container support frame assembly which is hung from the side sills by four hanger straps. The container support frame assembly includes two transverse support beams. The hanger straps are pivotally connected by transverse pins to the side sills and the transverse support beams such that the hanger straps are stressed primarily in tension only and they transfer tensile loads but not bending loads to the side sills.

Abstract: A railroad car coupler arrangement which limits the lateral movement of square butt couplers to prevent excess longitudinal misalignment, particularly on railroad cars having single axle trucks. The coupler includes a head and shank which fit into a coupler pocket. An end wall of the shank engages a follower plate which is in contact with a draft gear cushioning device. The shank end wall has a vertically-extending recess and the follower plate has a cooperating, vertically-extending projection which interfits with the recess to limit lateral movement of the coupler shank relative to the coupler pocket transversely of the longitudinal centerline of the car.

Abstract: A stand alone double stack railroad well car for carrying stacked containers is disclosed. The car includes a platform suspended at each end upon swing hangers from a multiple axle truck or suspension system, utilizing leaf springs. Adjacent axles are connected by bridging beams which are pivotally connected to the leaf springs. Shear pads connected between the bridging beams and axles permit limited angular displacement of the axles relative to each other. Axle guards are provided for limiting lateral movement of the car relative to the trucks. An axle guard frame assembly is rotatably connected to the underside of the car body or platform at each end. It includes vertical axle guards which engage the axle bearing adapter housings to limit lateral movement. The rotatable connection of the axle guard frame assembly on the underside of the carbody permits limited rotational or pivotal movement of the axle guard frame as the suspension system negotiates a curve in the track.

Abstract: A railroad car coupler arrangement particularly suited to cars with single axle trucks including means defining a coupler pocket, a coupler head with a coupler shank and a butt end, a draft gear cushioning device in the pocket with a follower plate captured against transverse movement. The butt end and follower plate include interengaged means to restrain the butt end against transverse movement.

Abstract: The present invention encompasses a truck mounted brake system for double axle wheel trucks with pneumatic means operable through multiple levers to move the brake beams relative to each other. The lever system includes a double acting slack adjuster responsive to load changes to vary the braking force. Different load weights on the bolster causes it to assume different vertical positions relative to the side frames and the slack adjuster to vary in length so that uniform pressure to the pneumatic means produces higher brake pressure to the wheels of fully loaded cars and lower brake pressures to partially loaded and unloaded cars.

Abstract: A railroad flatcar including an elongated center sill having undercarriage frames secured thereto at opposite ends thereof is disclosed. A single axle wheel truck is fixed to each undercarriage frame and suspends the car. Axle guard plate is provided to limit movement of the car laterally of the wheel trucks and to provide a restoring force to the car.

Abstract: A railroad car having universal coupling capability through provision of a coupling arrangement which permits connection to a standard coupler or a drawbar is disclosed. The coupling arrangement includes facing sill side frames which define key slots and spaced stops to accommodate force transfer of traction and buff loads from either a coupler or a drawbar.

Abstract: An all purpose railroad car for transporting trailers and containers, having an elongated frame adapted to be supported by wheel trucks, combined hitch and container bolster means adjacent one end of the car frame for selectively receiving and releasably retaining a trailer king pin and one end of a container, and means spaced from the combined hitch and container bolster means for selectively receiving and supporting the wheels of a trailer and the other end of a container. The car may be a light-weight skeletal frame including an elongated center sill, wheel trucks at opposite ends of the center sill supporting said center sill, each wheel truck including a single axle. Cushioning means may be provided between the combined hitch and container bolster means and the frame operable to oppose longitudinal movement of the lading relative to the frame.

Abstract: A railroad car brake system operable by an air bag which includes double acting brakes operable on the wheels. Links suspend the brakes and the live and dead levers connected by an adjustable connecting link mechanism are operable by the air bag. Slack as a result of wear in the brakes is automatically taken up.

Abstract: A railroad car having universal coupling capability through provision of a coupling arrangement which permits connection to a standard coupler or a drawbar. The coupling arrangement includes facing sill side frames which define key slots and spaced stops to accommodate force transfer of traction and buff loads from either a coupler or a drawbar.

Abstract: An articulated railroad car including a plurality of platforms each supported by a single axle wheel truck at each end. The platforms are connected to rigid drawbars which allow relative motion therebetween in both horizontal and vertical directions. The drawbars and the platforms have cooperable surfaces which engage when the car is being pushed and tend to align the platforms and drawbars to prevent jackknifing and derailment.

Abstract: A single axle railroad wheel truck is disclosed having two wheels joined by a single axle. A frame supported on the wheels and axle defines four spaced apart hanger flanges. A pair of cross members parallel to the axle for supporting a railroad car body are supported on pairs of hanger members directly connected between a pair of said hanger flanges and each one of the cross members. Springs are disposed upon the cross members for supporting a car body thereon.

Abstract: Disclosed is a mounting connection for connecting side stakes of open top type rail cars such as gondolas and hoppers to the underframe of the rail car. The side stakes, which reinforce and support the side walls of the open top rail cars, are mounted to the underframe of the rail car by a tie strap rigidly connected to the underframe. The tie strap is pivotably mounted to the side stake by a transverse pin which allows the side stake to flex or pivot very slightly with respect to the underframe when forces are applied to the upper end of the side stake such as during loading thereby eliminating secondary bending moments and fracture at the junction of the underframe and the side stake.

Abstract: Disclosed is a corner connection for open top type rail cars such as gondolas, hoppers, etc. The top side chords of the rail cars have plates mounted to the upper and lower surfaces thereof which extend beyond the end of the top side chords. Circular openings are formed through the extending ends of the plates which align with a circular opening through the end of the top end chord when the end chord is positioned between the plates. A pin is positioned through the opening in the plates and the opening in the end chord so that a flexible corner connection is formed between the side chord and the end chord that will absorb stresses such as those occurring during loading, humping, or load shifts, without fixed end moments or failure at the upper corner connection of the rail car.

Abstract: Disclosed is an articulated rail car for transporting two large wheeled vehicular truck trailers in "piggyback" fashion. The articulated rail car comprises two separate car bodies each supported by single axle railroad wheel truck assemblies mounted at each end of each body. A semi-permanent coupling joins the two car bodies so that the car can articulate around curves and bends in the railroad track. Utilization of the single axle trucks permits the rail car to maintain the normal number of axles (four) for rail cars even though the car is articulated in the center. The car bodies comprise a central spine extending upwardly along the length of the car for providing vertical strength. A tire support surface extends outwardly from each side of the central spine below the level of the central spine so that the vertical height of the wheel vehicular trailers transported by the articulated rail car is reduced allowing easier passage under structures and through tunnels.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for permitting automatic and manual machining of critical wear surfaces of railroad truck side frames. A fixture is rotatably mounted on a base. The railroad truck side frame is mounted on the fixture with the fixture and side frame in a first or vertical position. The side frame is first leveled vertically on the fixture with respect to leveling plates and then aligned horizontally before it is rigidly clamped to the fixture. Pivotably mounted gauges are then used to determine the exact location of the pedestal roof areas of the side frame with respect to the fixture, and this positional information from the gauges is manually transferred to adjustable stop dogs that engage limit switches that control the movement of a machining head. The fixture is then rotated 90.degree. and locked in that position.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for machining the bolster bowl surface, the bolster pocket surfaces, the fulcrum pin hole surface and the bolster gib surfaces of railroad truck bolsters. The apparatus includes a base, a fixture mounted for rotation on the base and clamps on the fixture for clamping the bolster rigidly to the fixture. A locating template is utilized to properly position the bolster on the fixture, and once properly positioned and clamped, the fixture can be rotated and locked in a plurality of different positions to permit machining of the various surfaces. To machine the bolster pocket surfaces, the fulcrum pin hole surface, and the bolster gibs, a first machining (milling) head is provided that is movable along three perpendicular axes.

Abstract: A railroad car brake system operable by an air bag which includes double acting brakes operable on the wheels. Links suspend the brakes and the live and dead levers connected by an adjustable connecting link mechanism are operable by the air bag. Slack as a result of wear in the brakes is automatically taken up.