Abstract: Open top gondola railcars and closure assemblies for cleanout openings of those railcars are disclosed. In some embodiments, the closure assembly includes a closure member sized to be received in a cleanout opening and to span a substantial portion of the cleanout opening to define at least one gap between a closure perimeter and a floor perimeter. The closure assembly additionally includes a sealing member fixedly attached to, or formed with, the closure member. The sealing member spans between the floor perimeter and the closure perimeter to cover the at least one gap. The closure assembly further includes a tethering member having opposed first and second end portions. The first end portion is fixedly attached to the closure member and the second end portion is attached to one of the floor or a cross bearer of the open top gondola railcar.

Abstract: A covered hopper railroad freight car having a car body whose opposite longitudinal sides include substantially flat, parallel, generally vertical upper side wall portions free from outwardly protruding structural strength members.

Abstract: Subassemblies for railroad tank cars are herein disclosed. In some embodiments, the subassembly includes a center sill including a generally horizontal top member and a pair of upright side plates spaced apart laterally from each other and a head brace having a lower margin welded to the top member of the center sill and an upper margin welded to the head of the tank. Each of the side plates having a top surface and an opposed bottom surface, the top surface being planar within a longitudinal central portion and at least a substantial part of a first longitudinal end portion. The bottom surface is planar and parallel to the top surface within the longitudinal central portion and a second longitudinal end portion. At least a substantial part of the bottom surface within the first longitudinal end portion has a shape that includes or approximates one or more radiuses of curvature.

Abstract: Open top gondola railcars and closure assemblies for cleanout openings of those railcars are disclosed. In some embodiments, the closure assembly includes a closure member sized to be received in a cleanout opening and to span a substantial portion of the cleanout opening to define at least one gap between a closure perimeter and a floor perimeter. The closure assembly additionally includes a sealing member fixedly attached to, or formed with, the closure member. The sealing member spans between the floor perimeter and the closure perimeter to cover the at least one gap. The closure assembly further includes a tethering member having opposed first and second end portions. The first end portion is fixedly attached to the closure member and the second end portion is attached to one of the floor or a cross bearer of the open top gondola railcar.

Abstract: Subassemblies for railroad tank cars are herein disclosed. In some embodiments, the subassembly includes a center sill including a generally horizontal top member and a pair of upright side plates spaced apart laterally from each other and a head brace having a lower margin welded to the top member of the center sill and an upper margin welded to the head of the tank. Each of the side plates having a top surface and an opposed bottom surface, the top surface being planar within a longitudinal central portion and at least a substantial part of a first longitudinal end portion. The bottom surface is planar and parallel to the top surface within the longitudinal central portion and a second longitudinal end portion. At least a substantial part of the bottom surface within the first longitudinal end portion has a shape that includes or approximates one or more radiuses of curvature.

Abstract: A covered hopper railroad freight car having a car body whose opposite longitudinal sides include generally flat, parallel, substantially vertical upper side wall portions free from outwardly protruding structural strength members. A top chord of each of the side walls of the car is defined by a pair of parallel bend lines extending longitudinally along the upper margin of each side wall, and a roof is welded to the top chords of the side walls.

Abstract: A covered hopper railroad freight car having a car body whose opposite longitudinal sides include substantially flat, parallel, generally vertical upper side wall portions free from outwardly protruding structural strength members.

Abstract: A covered hopper railroad freight car having a car body whose opposite longitudinal sides include generally flat, parallel, substantially vertical upper side wall portions free from outwardly protruding structural strength members. A top chord of each of the side walls of the car is defined by a pair of parallel bend lines extending longitudinally along the upper margin of each side wall, and a roof is welded to the top chords of the side walls.

Abstract: Articulated connectors are attached to and extend from center sills of adjacent car units of a multi-unit railroad freight car, connecting the car units to each other and to a shared truck. The center sill of each of the car units includes a top member that is of increased thickness at the outer end of the center sill. A weld extending along a shoulder that extends around the main body of s portion of the articulated connector attaches the articulated connector portion to the outer end of the center sill with ample strength to carry draft and buff train loads as well as the weight of the car unit and its lading, without the need for weld joints inside the center sill.

Abstract: Articulated connectors are attached to and extend from center sills of adjacent car units of a multi-unit railroad freight car, connecting the car units to each other and to a shared truck. The center sill of each of the car units includes a top member that is of increased thickness at the outer end of the center sill. A weld extending along a shoulder that extends around the main body of s portion of the articulated connector attaches the articulated connector portion to the outer end of the center sill with ample strength to carry draft and buff train loads as well as the weight of the car unit and its lading, without the need for weld joints inside the center sill.

Abstract: A handbrake operating linkage for a railroad tank car, in which a hand wheel used to provide tension in the linkage is located on a lateral side of the car body, near an end of the car and at a height permitting a person standing on the ground alongside the tank car to set the handbrake. The hand wheel is located on the car at an end of the car opposite the end at which an airbrake cylinder-and-piston assembly is located, and the linkage extends from an airbrake cylinder lever to the hand wheel by way of a direction-reversing lever and a bell crank, avoiding a requirement for parts of the linkage to pass through direction-changing sheave wheels.

Abstract: A handbrake operating linkage for a railroad tank car, in which a hand wheel used to provide tension in the linkage is located on a lateral side of the car body, near an end of the car and at a height permitting a person standing on the ground alongside the tank car to set the handbrake. The hand wheel is located on the car at an end of the car opposite the end at which an airbrake cylinder-and-piston assembly is located, and the linkage extends from an airbrake cylinder lever to the hand wheel by way of a direction-reversing lever and a bell crank, avoiding a requirement for parts of the linkage to pass through direction-changing sheave wheels.

Abstract: An operating mechanism for a bottom valve for a cargo tank of a railroad tank car, in which a valve operating lever is normally disconnected from a valve operating shaft and a valve operating shaft assembly includes a weak-link connector to prevent inadvertent opening of the bottom valve in case of derailment of the tank car.

Abstract: A railway tank car including a protective structure for the top of the tank and surrounding a manway or valve mounting nozzle to protect it against damage resulting from the car being overturned even while moving longitudinally. The protective structure may include longitudinally extending generally parallel side plates and a skid structure including longitudinally extending sloping, end portions and providing access to a manway or valve mounting assembly on the top of a nozzle. Openings may be provided in a side wall of the protective structure to give access to valve operating mechanisms extending laterally from valves. A lid for an access opening to a set of valves may include an extension that prevents a valve handle from being moved to open the valve while the lid is closed.

Abstract: An operating mechanism for a bottom valve for a cargo tank of a railroad tank car, in which a valve operating lever is normally disconnected from a valve operating shaft and a valve operating shaft assembly includes a weak-link connector to prevent inadvertent opening of the bottom valve in case of derailment of the tank car.

Abstract: A railway tank car including a protective structure for the top of the tank and surrounding a manway or valve mounting nozzle to protect it against damage resulting from the car being overturned even while moving longitudinally. The protective structure may include longitudinally extending generally parallel side plates and a skid structure including longitudinally extending sloping, end portions and providing access to a manway or valve mounting assembly on the top of a nozzle. Openings may be provided in a side wall of the protective structure to give access to valve operating mechanisms extending laterally from valves. A lid for an access opening to a set of valves may include an extension that prevents a valve handle from being moved to open the valve while the lid is closed.

Abstract: A railroad freight car with a lengthened container well, including an extended and reinforced well car unit side sill, and a method for lengthening a container well of a railroad freight car intended for carrying an intermodal cargo container. A side sill extension member is welded into position, between a body bolster at each end of the container well unit and a nearest container support assembly, and a container-well bottom assembly is lengthened at each end of the container well. A longitudinally-extending doubler plate may be welded to the longitudinally central portion of the side sill, to ensure sufficient rail clearance at mid-length of the car.

Abstract: A railroad freight car with a lengthened container well, including an extended and reinforced well car unit side sill, and a method for lengthening a container well of a railroad freight car intended for carrying an intermodal cargo container. A side sill extension member is welded into position, between a body bolster at each end of the container well unit and a nearest container support assembly, and a container-well bottom assembly is lengthened at each end of the container well. A longitudinally-extending doubler plate may be welded to the longitudinally central portion of the side sill, to ensure sufficient rail clearance at mid-length of the car.

Abstract: A lightweight hopper car that includes one or more reinforcing members at specified locations, so that the hopper car has both a carrying capacity and a structural strength comparable to those of existing, heavier hopper cars. Specifically, the present application discloses that the hopper car may be reinforced at one or more locations including (i) at selective intersections between the center sill and slope sheets of cargo wells; (ii) between side slope sheets of adjacent cargo wells; (iii) at the junction between the side sheets and end slope sheets of the hopper car; and (iv) along the end combing seal between opposed carlines, if the hopper car is covered. In addition, the present application discloses a novel means of reinforcing side sheets of a rail car, including hopper cars, against the warping that commonly occurs when welding the side sheets at the car is fabricated.

Abstract: A head brace and a method for attaching a stub sill to a tank of a railroad tank car by the use of such a head brace. A stub sill includes side plates having ears that extend upward to support the tank near where the head of the tank is attached, and a head brace is welded to the side plates and to the head of the tank in a weld joint that can be continuous along the head brace from the ears of the side plate to the center of the head brace. Doublers may be provided on the sill where the head brace is welded to the side plates.