Abstract: A rail car having an end closure provided by a pair of sliding doors. Each side wall of the rail car has a main side wall portion which terminates adjacent one end of the rail car, and an upright ladder panel spaced from the main side wall portion to provide a vertical slot. The doors are guided for movement from a closed position across the end of the rail car to an open position in which the doors project through the slots. An upper ladder brace assembly mounted on the main side wall portion of each side wall is provided to support the upper end of the ladder panel. This upper ladder brace assembly has an elongated brace member which is rigidly connected to the upper ladder panel. The brace member is bowed outwardly to be entirely outside the path of the door so as not to interfere with the movement of the door to open position.