Abstract: A hopper car discharge section may be wide at the top and narrow at the bottom. Outflow is controlled by movable closure members. The hopper car has a plurality of hoppers of which two hoppers share a common ridge assembly. The ridge assembly forms a common mating and fit up location for the upper margins of the slope sheets of two lengthwise adjacent hoppers. The ridge assembly includes an horizontal center section and two end plates that angle upwardly outboard toward the top chords of the sidewalls. The ridge assembly stands proud of the upper margin of the respective adjacent slope sheets. A gusset is mounted between the adjacent slope sheets below the ridge plate such that the slope sheets and gusset form a reinforcement tube running across the car, the end plates forming the stems of a vertical T-section attached to the sidewall and overlapping the top chord.

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 may be a monolithic beam member with a attachment fitting formed at an end thereof. The attachment fitting is connectable 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.

Abstract: A center beam rail road car has a center sill that runs along the car from end to end. The center sill is dog-legged, having end portions mounted over rail car trucks, and a downwardly stepped central portion between the trucks. A central beam assembly stands upwardly of the center sill. A lading supporting deck structure extends laterally to either side of the center sill. The deck structure has a depressed medial portion between the trucks, and raised end portions over the trucks. The deck portions have lading bearing interfaces. The medial portion of the center sill has a top flange that is carried at a height that lies flush with, or below, the level of the lading bearing interface of the medial portion of the center sill. In one embodiment, a column member for carrying buff and draft loads is spaced upwardly from the medial portion of the center sill.

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 beams 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 beam at a moment connection. The remaining end of the cross member is similarly configured and connected to the second side beam. 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 beams. A retractable container stop is mounted to each end of the central container support cross member.

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 may be a monolithic beam member with a attachment fitting formed at an end thereof. The attachment fitting is connectable 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.