Abstract: An existing railroad freight car, such as an 89 ft flat car is reconfigured to have a longitudinal lading retainer that mounts removably to a railroad freight car deck structure. The lading retainer has an abutment wall that extends across the deck and obstructs motion of lading in the length-wise direction. It has an anchorage that mounts releasably to the railroad freight car deck structure. There is a longitudinal retainer at either end of the deck. One or both of them may be longitudinally adjustable to permit snug positioning relative to an aluminum ingot or billet. There are removable lateral lading retainers that mounting to the deck to obstruct side-to-side motion of the lading. It has a riser; first and second adjustable anchors that engage stake pockets of the deck and immobilize the risers; and first and second adjustable dogs that mount to the risers and bracket the lading.

Abstract: A transverse trough coil car has a straight-through center sill. It has a pair of truck centers. It has a set of trough slope sheet assemblies mounted to the center sill between a pair of side sills. The slope sheet assemblies include intermediate slope sheet assemblies that are pin-jointed connected to the center sill. The pin joint connection has a tongue and clevis form that is aligned with the webs of the center sill. The car may have stub bolsters that are surmounted by pre-fabricated trough assemblies that mate with the stub bolsters and extend to the side sills.

Abstract: A transverse trough coil car has a straight-through center sill. It has a pair of truck centers. It has a set of trough slope sheet assemblies mounted to the center sill between a pair of side sills. The slope sheet assemblies include intermediate slope sheet assemblies that are pin jointed connected to the center sill. The pin joint connection has a tongue and clevis form that is aligned with the webs of the center sill. The car may have stub bolsters that are surmounted by pre-fabricated trough assemblies that mate with the stub bolsters and extend to the side sills.

Abstract: A transverse trough coil car has a straight-through center sill. It has a pair of truck centers. It has a set of trough slope sheet assemblies mounted to the center sill between a pair of side sills. The slope sheet assemblies include intermediate slope sheet assemblies that are pin jointed connected to the center sill. The pin joint connection has a tongue and clevis form that is aligned with the webs of the center sill. The car may have stub bolsters that are surmounted by pre-fabricated trough assemblies that mate with the stub bolsters and extend to the side sills.

Abstract: A railroad gondola car may have stake pockets in which to mount stakes to permit a greater vertical envelope to be occupied by lading. The stake pockets are collapsible from a deployed position to a storage position. The stake pockets are mounted on doublers that mount to the side walls of the car in line with the side wall stiffeners and their associated cross-bearers. The connection between the stake pocket and the doubler is deliberately made weaker than the connection between the doubler and the side wall such that under abusive loading conditions the stake pocket may tend to shear off the doubler, and may tend thereby to leave the side wall less damaged than might otherwise be the case.

Abstract: A railroad gondola car may have stake pockets in which to mount stakes to permit a greater vertical envelope to be occupied by lading. The stake pockets are collapsible from a deployed position to a storage position. The stake pockets are mounted on doublers that mount to the side walls of the car in line with the side wall stiffeners and their associated cross-bearers. The connection between the stake pocket and the doubler is deliberately made weaker than the connection between the doubler and the side wall such that under abusive loading conditions the stake pocket may tend to shear off the doubler, and may tend thereby to leave the sidewall less damaged than might otherwise be the case.