Abstract: An improved railway car body structure is described. One of the features of the box car is that the longitudinal side walls are formed by a plurality of spaced apart vertical side posts which are hat-shaped in cross-section and define a bottom wall portion, opposed side walls and opposed end flanges extending in a common plane. Horizontal structural stiffeners are secured between the vertical side posts. The stiffeners define a recessed wall portion aligned with a recessed formation formed in the opposed end flanges of the vertical side posts. Ferrous sheet members are secured to the side wall and also to the end frames by welds disposed in the recess wall portion of the stiffeners and recessed formation of the vertical posts to form flush, unobstructed, inner side and end walls of the railway car. A new roof structure is also described and incorporates improved skylight designs.

Abstract: A composite box structure is formed from individually manufactured components such as a pair of endwalls, a pair of sidewalls, a floor and a roof. One or more components preferably include a core encapsulated in multiple layers of fiber reinforced plastic. The core may be formed from various materials which provide improved resistance to heat transfer between the interior and the exterior of the composite box structure. The composite box structure may include one or more components manufactured at least in part from steel alloys, aluminum alloys, wood and/or other materials associated with conventional railway boxcars. An opening is provided in each sidewall to allow access to the interior of the composite box structure. An opening may be formed in one of the endwalls of the composite box structure to allow installation of a temperature control system. An airflow management system may also be incorporated into selected interior portions of the roof, sidewalls, endwalls, and floor.

Abstract: A composite box structure having a core encapsulated in multiple layers of fiber reinforced plastic is provided. The core may be formed from various materials which provide improved resistance to heat transfer between the interior and the exterior of the composite box structure. The composite box structure includes a pair of end walls, a pair of side walls, a floor and a roof with fiber reinforced plastic interior and exterior surfaces. An opening is formed in each side wall to allow access to the interior of the composite box structure. An opening may also be formed in one end of the composite box structure to allow installing a temperature control system therein. An airflow management system may be incorporated into selected interior portions of the roof, side walls, end walls and floor. The composite box structure may be mounted on a railway car underframe to provide a temperature controlled composite boxcar.

Abstract: A composite box structure having a core encapsulated in multiple layers of fiber reinforced plastic is provided. The core may be formed from various materials which provide improved resistance to heat transfer between the interior and the exterior of the composite box structure. The composite box structure includes a pair of end walls, a pair of side walls, a floor and a roof with fiber reinforced plastic interior and exterior surfaces. An opening is formed in each side wall to allow access to the interior of the composite box structure. A flexible hinge or joint may be integrally molded between each end wall and the respective side walls and between each end wall and the floor. The composite box structure may be mounted on a railway car underframe to provide an insulated composite railway boxcar.

Abstract: A railway car underframe is provided for mounting a composite box structure thereon to form an insulated railway boxcar. The composite box structure includes side walls, end walls and a floor molded as an integral unit with fiber reinforced plastic interior and exterior surfaces. The composite box structure includes a first fiber reinforced composite unit and a second fiber reinforced composite unit. The first fiber reinforce composite unit provides the end walls, side walls and floor for the railway boxcar. The second fiber reinforce unit may be permanently attached to the side walls and end walls to provide a roof for the boxcar. The railway car underframe has a center sill, side sills and end sills with a generally rectangular configuration and coplanar surfaces for adhesively bonding the composite box structure with the railway car underframe. Mechanical fasteners are also provided to couple the composite box structure with the railway car underframe.

Abstract: A composite roof having a core encapsulated in multiple layers of fiber reinforced plastic is provided. The composite roof may be mounted on a conventional railway car during initial manufacture or used to replace a damaged steel roof on a conventional railway car. The layers of fiber reinforced plastic provide non-corrosive and non-leaking exterior and interior surfaces for the composite roof. The core may be formed from various materials which provide improved resistance to heat transfer between the interior and the exterior of an associated railway car. The composite roof may be mounted on an enclosed structure having a pair of end walls, a pair of side walls and a floor. An opening may be formed in each side wall to allow access to the interior of the railway car. A top retainer and guide rail assembly will typically be mounted above each opening to allow installing a door to control access through the respective opening.

Abstract: An insulated composite railway boxcar having a composite box structure mounted on a railway car underframe is provided. The composite box structure includes side walls, end walls and a floor molded as an integral unit with fiber reinforced plastic interior and exterior surfaces. The composite box structure includes a first fiber reinforced composite unit and a second fiber reinforced composite unit. The first fiber reinforce composite unit provides the end walls, side walls and floor for the railway boxcar. The second fiber reinforce unit may be permanently attached to the side walls and end walls to provide a roof for the boxcar. The railway car underframe has a center sill, side sills and end sills with a generally rectangular configuration and coplanar surfaces for adhesively bonding the composite box structure with the railway car underframe. Mechanical fasteners are also provided to couple the composite box structure with the railway car underframe.

Abstract: A composite box structure having a core encapsulated in multiple layers of fiber reinforced plastic is provided. The core may be formed from various materials which provide improved resistance to heat transfer between the interior and the exterior of the composite box structure. The composite box structure includes a pair of end walls, a pair of side walls, a floor and a roof with fiber reinforced plastic interior and exterior surfaces. An opening is formed in each side wall to allow access to the interior of the composite box structure. A flexible hinge or joint is integrally molded between each end wall and the respective side walls and between each end wall and the floor. The composite box structure may be mounted on a railway car underframe to provide an insulated composite railway boxcar.

Abstract: An insulated composite railway boxcar having a composite box structure mounted on a railway car underframe is provided. The composite box structure includes side walls, end walls and a floor molded as an integral unit with fiber reinforced plastic interior and exterior surfaces. The composite box structure includes a first fiber reinforced composite unit and a second fiber reinforced composite unit. The first fiber reinforce composite unit provides the end walls, side walls and floor for the railway boxcar. The second fiber reinforce unit may be permanently attached to the side walls and end walls to provide a roof for the boxcar. The railway car underframe has a center sill, side sills and end sills with a generally rectangular configurations and coplanar surfaces for adhesively bonding the composite box structure with the railway car underframe. Mechanical fasteners are also provided to couple the composite box structure with the railway car underframe.

Abstract: A composite railway boxcar having a composite box structure mounted on a railway car underframe is provided. The composite box structure includes side walls, end walls and a floor molded as an integral unit with fiber reinforced plastic interior and exterior surfaces. The composite box structure includes a roof mounted on the side walls and the end walls opposite from the floor. An upper load divider track assembly is provided having a pair of tracks with each track disposed between the roof and one of the side walls. A lower load divider track assembly is also provided having a track disposed within the interior of each side wall above the floor. A composite load divider panel is slidably mounted on the upper load divider track assembly within the interior of the railway boxcar. The load divider panel is releasably secured to the lower load divider track assembly to allow varying the position of the load divider panel within the interior of the railway boxcar.

Abstract: An insulated composite railway boxcar having a composite box structure mounted on a railway car underframe is provided. The composite box structure includes side walls, end walls and a floor molded as an integral unit with fiber reinforced plastic interior and exterior surfaces. The composite box structure includes a first fiber reinforced composite unit and a second fiber reinforced composite unit. The first fiber reinforce composite unit provides the end walls, side walls and floor for the railway boxcar. The second fiber reinforce unit may be permanently attached to the side walls and end walls to provide a roof for the boxcar. The railway car underframe has a center sill, side sills and end sills with a generally rectangular configuration and coplanar surfaces for adhesively bonding the composite box structure with the railway car underframe. Mechanical fasteners are also provided to couple the composite box structure with the railway car underframe.

Abstract: A modular add-on unit provides (14) anti-spin protection for a gear-operated locking system (13) of plug-in railway freight car doors (12). The unit has an input shaft (26) with a handle (36) attached thereto, and an output shaft (42) with a recess (40) therein configured for direct engagement with industry standard door shafts. An anti-spin mechanism (24) disposed within a housing (17) couples the two shafts together, and the housing is attached to the outer surface (42) of the door, preferably by welding.