Abstract: A center beam car has a main deck structure extending laterally from a main center sill, and a central vertically oriented central beam structure. The center beam so formed defines bunks upon in which to carry cargo. The upper region of the web-work structure includes a top chord mounted to run between two end bulkheads. The cargo can be secured to the deck with straps or webs. When the car is empty the straps or webs can be stored within boxes that are accessible at deck level by a person of average height. The storage boxes can be along the center line of the car, between the posts of the center beam, or they can be located adjacent to the side sills. Further, the boxes can be movable to a raised position, or to a lowered, stored position. A reeling mechanism is provided to facilitate winding of the straps or webs for storage.

Abstract: A coil car has a pair of deep side sills and a trough structure mounted to, and suspended between, the deep side sills for carrying coils. The side sills extend between the rail car trucks and act as a pair of deep side beams for carrying vertical loads. The deep side sills are arranged to extend above and below the center sill of the coil car to give vertical stiffness to the coil car. The top chord members of the side sills are outwardly splayed relative to the bottom chord members of the side sills. Cross-bearers extend outwardly and away from the center sill to attach to the side sills. The trough structure has three parallel, longitudinally extending troughs—a central trough lying between two laterally outboard outer troughs. Each trough is shaped to cradle steel coils, or other similar loads, between its inwardly and downwardly sloping shoulder plates. The shoulder plates are lined with cushioning to buffer coils during loading or travel.

Abstract: A center beam car has a main deck structure extending laterally from a main center sill, and a central vertically oriented central beam structure. The center beam so formed defines bunks upon in which to carry cargo. The upper region of the web-work structure includes a top chord mounted to run between two end bulkheads. The cargo can be secured to the deck with straps or webs. When the car is empty the straps or webs can be stored within boxes that are accessible at deck level by a person of average height. The storage boxes can be along the center line of the car, between the posts of the center beam, or they can be located adjacent to the side sills. Further, the boxes can be movable to a raised position, or to a lowered, stored position. A reeling mechanism is provided to facilitate winding of the straps or webs for storage.

Abstract: A coil car has a pair of deep side sills and a trough structure mounted to, and suspended between, the deep side sills for carrying coils. The side sills extend between the rail car trucks and act as a pair of deep side beams for carrying vertical loads. The deep side sills are arranged to extend above and below the center sill of the coil car to give vertical stiffness to the coil car. The top chord members of the side sills are outwardly splayed relative to the bottom chord members of the side sills. Cross-bearers extend outwardly and away from the center sill to attach to the side sills. The trough structure has three parallel, longitudinally extending troughs—a central trough lying between two laterally outboard outer troughs. Each trough is shaped to cradle steel coils, or other similar loads, between its inwardly and downwardly sloping shoulder plates. The shoulder plates are lined with cushioning to buffer coils during loading or travel.

Abstract: A rail road car has a deck for carrying wheeled vehicles. It has a bridge plate mounted to one end to permit wheeled vehicles to be conducted between the rail road car and an adjacently coupled rail road car. The bridge plate is movable between an extended, “drive-over” longitudinal orientation relative to the rail road car, and a side-ways, or cross-ways stowed orientation. The bridge plate can be moved to the stowed position by uncoupling the rail car, and pivoting the bridge plate to the cross-ways position. The cars can be re-coupled by placing the bridge plate in the length-wise orientation, and then advancing two cars together to form a coupling.

Abstract: A coil car has a pair of deep side beams and a trough structure mounted to, and suspended between, the deep side beams for carrying coils. The trough structure may have three parallel, longitudinally extending troughs—a central trough lying between two laterally outboard outer troughs. Each trough is shaped to cradle steel coils, or other similar loads, between its inwardly and downwardly sloping shoulder plates. The car has movable coil stops to discourage longitudinal shifting of loaded coils. Retractable rollers or sliders mounted to a movable coil stop facilitate the repositioning of the coil stop during loading, and the coil stop has a mid-span step and hand grabs to facilitate climbing over the coil stop by personnel walking along the trough structure.

Abstract: A rail road car has a deck for carrying wheeled vehicles. The vehicles can be circus loaded over sets of movable bridge plates extending between the rail road car and adjacently coupled rail road cars. A transition plate system is provided to span the space between the end of the deck and the bridge plate. The transition plate system includes a crank assembly that is operable to lift transition plates, permitting the bridge plates to be moved to a cross-wise position, or to an extended position. Raising the transition plates also facilitates coupling of cars by raising the transition plate out of the way of an incoming bridge plate toe of an adjacent car. The incoming toe is able to cause the opposite transition plate to be lowered.

Abstract: A center beam car has a main deck structure extending laterally from a main center sill, and a central vertically oriented central beam structure. The center beam so formed defines bunks upon in which to carry cargo. The upper region of the web-work structure includes a top chord mounted to run between two end bulkheads. The cargo can be secured to the deck with straps or webs. When the car is empty the straps or webs can be stored within boxes that are accessible at deck level by a person of average height. The storage boxes can be along the center line of the car, between the posts of the center beam, or they can be located adjacent to the side sills. Further, the boxes can be movable to a raised position, or to a lowered, stored position. A reeling mechanism is provided to facilitate winding of the straps or webs for storage.

Abstract: A coil car has three parallel, longitudinally extending troughs—a central trough lying between two laterally outboard outer troughs. Each trough is shaped to cradle steel coils, or other similar loads, between its inwardly and downwardly sloping shoulder plates. The shoulder plates are lined with cushioning to buffer coils during loading or travel. The troughs are lined to permit warm coils to be carried. The car has coil stops to discourage longitudinal shifting of loaded coils. The coil stops have rollers to facilitate repositioning during loading, and a mid-span step and hand grabs to facilitate climbing over the coil stop by personnel walking along the trough structure.

Abstract: A coil car has a pair of deep side sills and a trough structure mounted to, and suspended between, the deep side sills for carrying coils. The side sills extend between the rail car trucks and act as a pair of deep side beams for carrying vertical loads. The deep side sills are arranged to extend above and below the center sill of the coil car to give vertical stiffness to the coil car. The top chord members of the side sills are outwardly splayed relative to the bottom chord members of the side sills. Cross-bearers extend outwardly and away from the center sill to attach to the side sills. The trough structure has three parallel, longitudinally extending troughs—a central trough lying between two laterally outboard outer troughs. Each trough is shaped to cradle steel coils, or other similar loads, between its inwardly and downwardly sloping shoulder plates. The shoulder plates are lined with cushioning to buffer coils during loading or travel.

Abstract: A coil car has a pair of deep side sills and a trough structure mounted to, and suspended between, the deep side sills for carrying coils. The side sills extend between the rail car trucks and act as a pair of deep side beams for carrying vertical loads. The deep side sills are arranged to extend above and below the center sill of the coil car to give vertical stiffness to the coil car. The top chord members of the side sills are outwardly splayed relative to the bottom chord members of the side sills. Cross-bearers extend outwardly and away from the center sill to attach to the side sills. The trough structure has three parallel, longitudinally extending troughs—a central trough lying between two laterally outboard outer troughs. Each trough is shaped to cradle steel coils, or other similar loads, between its inwardly and downwardly sloping shoulder plates. The shoulder plates are lined with cushioning to buffer coils during loading or travel.

Abstract: A well car for carrying shipping containers has a pair of end structures supported by rail car trucks, a pair of first and second spaced apart side beams extending between the end structures and a well defined therebetween. A container support cross member is mounted between the side sills in a position to support an end of a shipping container load carried within the well. The container support cross member includes a monolithic beam member with a attachment fitting formed at an end thereof. The attachment fitting is connected to a side sill at a moment connection. The remaining end of the cross member is similarly configured and connected to the second side sill. Each end of the cross member has load bearing surface portions which may be used for supporting a corner of a shipping container. The moment connections permit a bending moment to be carried by the cross member between the first and second side sills. A retractable container stop is mounted to each end of the central container support cross member.

Abstract: A coil car has a pair of deep side sills and a trough structure mounted to, and suspended between, the deep side sills for carrying coils. The side sills extend between the rail car trucks and act as a pair of deep side beams for carrying vertical loads. The deep side sills are arranged to extend above and below the center sill of the coil car to give vertical stiffness to the coil car. The top chord members of the side sills are outwardly splayed relative to the bottom chord members of the side sills. Cross-bearers extend outwardly and away from the center sill to attach to the side sills. The trough structure has three parallel, longitudinally extending troughs—a central trough lying between two laterally outboard outer troughs. Each trough is shaped to cradle steel coils, or other similar loads, between its inwardly and downwardly sloping shoulder plates. The shoulder plates are lined with cushioning to buffer coils during loading or travel.

Abstract: There is provided an improvement for a railroad freight car for transporting containers. The car is of the type having spaced apart side structures, opposed end structures and a floor structure, all of which together define a well for receiving a plurality of containers. The well has a longitudinal direction substantially aligned with the direction of travel of the car and a transverse direction substantially normal thereto. The floor structure of the car has a container support within the well which provides a container support surface. The improvement comprises a container stop provided with the container support, the container stop having an extended position and a retracted position. The container stop is biased to the extended position by a biasing component. The extended position is defined by the container stop extending upwardly from the container support surface to present two stop surfaces within the well.

Abstract: A hopper car is described that is a thin shelled integrated structure having a roof and a pair of sidewalls. This structure is subject to longitudinal tensile and compressive loads, and to a partial internal vacuum during unloading. Local buckling phenomena and collapse due to the partial vacuum need to be resisted. The roof assembly has lateral stiffeners to maintain its profile, and a reinforced, roll formed longituding coaming.

Abstract: There is provided an improvement for a railroad freight car for transporting containers. The car is of the type having spaced apart side structures, opposed end structures and a floor structure, all of which together define a well for receiving a plurality of containers. The well has a longitudinal direction substantially aligned with the direction of travel of the car and a transverse direction substantially normal thereto. The floor structure of the car has a container support within the well which provides a container support surface. The improvement comprises a container stop provided with the container support, the container stop having an extended position and a retracted position. The container stop is biased to the extended position by a biasing component. The extended position is defined by the container stop extending upwardly from the container support surface to present two stop surfaces within the well.

Abstract: This invention relates to a container support pedestal for use in an all purpose intermodal flat rail car. More particularly, the invention relates to a container support pedestal which, between operative and stored positions, rotates approximately 45.degree. outwardly about a longitudinal axis of the rail car. The invention also relates to a support housing for the pedestal. In both the operative and stored positions, the pedestal substantially covers the slot in the platform of the rail car. In both positions, the pedestal is secured against longitudinal and transverse rotation. The invention also relates to a rail car with such a pedestal and housing.

Abstract: A sidewall mounted, pivotable container stop mechanism for use with railcars or other types of transportation vessels having a cargo hold. The mechanism includes an elongate stop member pivotable between a retracted position, wherein the stop member is stored externally of the cargo hold, and an extended position, wherein the stop member extends into the cargo hold through an opening in the cargo hold sidewall. In its extended position, the stop member is positioned adjacent to a container that is placed in the cargo hold thereby preventing displacement of the container during transit. The mechanism includes a latch mechanism for releasably locking the elongate stop member in the stored position. A mechanism is also provided for maintaining the elongate member in the extended position.

Abstract: A platform arrangement for an end structure of a railway well car having a well portion defined by spaced apart side structures, opposing end structures and a floor structure extending between the side structures. Each of the end structures has spaced apart sidewalls, with a horizontally disposed shear plate extending between and connecting to the sidewalls. Each of the end structures further includes (i) an upper bolster extending upwardly from the shear plate and connecting to the sidewalls; (ii) a bulkhead depending from an inboard end of the shear plate, which extends into the well portion and between the sidewalls to connect to them; and (iii) a stub centre sill positioned below the shear plate. The platform arrangement itself comprises (i) a first horizontal platform surface; (ii) a second horizontal platform surface; (iii) an outboard intermediate horizontal platform surface; (iv) an inboard intermediate horizontal platform surface: and (v) a foothold provided with the bulkhead.

Abstract: A railroad freight car for transporting intermodal cargo containers. The railroad freight car comprises a structural frame having spaced apart side structures, opposing end structures and a floor structure. The side structures each have a top member and a bottom member disposed in a spaced apart relationship and extending longitudinally between the opposing end structures. The floor structure is disposed to extend between the respective bottom members of each side structure. The end structures each provide an inboard bulkhead, such that the side structures, floor structure and bulkheads together define a well for receiving an intermodal cargo container. The end structure further provides a longitudinally disposed stub centre sill having an outboard end for receiving a coupling means for coupling the railroad freight car to another railroad car. The stub centre sill defines a draft centerline positioned above the railhead at a predetermined height A.