Abstract: A simplified and reliable apparatus for positioning rail cars at a loading or unloading station is disclosed. A rail car movement carriage traverses carriage guide rails anchored to cross-ties between the rail car rails. The carriage includes an onboard hydraulic system in which a single power cylinder activates crossed pivotally connected rail car axle engaging arms in a precision mode. The carriage also mounts a transverse support arm on one end of which is carried a limit switch and limit switch actuator which responds to contact with the flanges of rail car wheels during reverse travel of the carriage to count wheels and thereby establish a proper starting point for the forward movement of the carriage and activation of the car axle engaging arms. The other end of the carriage mounted cross arm is attached to a foldable feed tray which receives and stabilizes an electrical cable supplying power to a motor and valve of the hydraulic system on the carriage.

Abstract: Loaded rail cars in succession are positioned at an unloading station adjacent to plural connected car lifting and inverting jaw devices which revolve around a common horizontal pivot axis extending lengthwise of the car and across the jaw devices. First power operators connected between the relatively movable jaws of the devices produce the required relative movements of the jaws of the devices in unison to effect gripping of each loaded car in preparation for raising, inverting and emptying its contents into a receiver, and subsequently releasing each car following its return empty to an upright position at the unloading station. Second power operators connected between a stationary base and the jaw devices serve to rotate the jaw devices around the common horizontal pivot axis with each car toward and from the car emptying and upright positions. The rotating jaw devices may be counterweighted to reduce the power required to move them around their common pivot axis.