Abstract: A system for assembling a railway car body includes an openable-and-closeable rotating cage for receiving and aligning car components, and rotator mechanism coupled to the rotating cage for selectively rotating the rotating cage and components therein. The openable-and-closeable rotating cage may include a plurality of ring members, each ring member including a first portion, second portion, and third portion with the first portion pivotably coupled to the second portion, and the second portion pivotably coupled to the third portion, a plurality of cross members coupled to the plurality of rings, a first end assembly mechanism at a first end of the rotating cage, the first end assembly for holding and aligning an end assembly component, a second end assembly mechanism at a second end of the rotating cage, the second end assembly for holding an aligning an end assembly component, and a locking mechanism for selectively locking one or more of the plurality of ring members in a closed position.

Abstract: A system for manufacturing an aluminum alloy and steel railway car includes an aluminum alloy-body-manufacturing subsystem for producing an aluminum alloy railway car body, a steel-underframe-manufacturing subsystem for producing a steel car underframe, and an underframe-and-body combination subsystem for mating and attaching an aluminum alloy railway car body from the aluminum alloy-body-manufacturing subsystem and a steel underframe from the steel-underframe-manufacturing subsystem. The aluminum alloy-body-manufacturing subsystem of the system may include an openable-and-closeable rotating cage for receiving and aligning car body components and a rotator mechanism coupled to the rotating cage for selectively rotating the rotating cage and components therein.

Abstract: A system for manufacturing an aluminum alloy roof for a railway car includes a welding station, a welding unit moveably coupled to the welding station, the welding unit for applying a weld, a roof retainer for selectively holding roof components thereto and for removably coupling to a portion of the welding station, and a rotator unit coupled to the roof retainer for selectively rotating the roof retainer to allow the welding unit to weld the roof components with an orientation substantially perpendicular with respect to gravity. A method of manufacturing a railcar roof includes placing roof carlines and roof sheets on a roof retainer, aligning and clamping the roof carlines and roof sheets to the roof retainer, rotating the roof retainer with respect to a welding to unit, and welding desired weld locations between the roof sheets and roof carlines during rotation of the roof retainer with a desired orientation.