Abstract: A curved sided aerodynamic self clearing hopper car uses the curved sides, end skirts and top chord and side sills for improved strength and reduced aerodynamic drag.

Abstract: A railway car comprising a longitudinal center sill and floor members carried at opposite sides of the sill, and first locking devices mounted on a cross-bearer connected to the center sill and a second set of locking devices mounted on a second cross-bearer and a third set of locking devices movable through the deck and foldable thereunder, the second set of devices pivotal longitudinally of the car between retracted and operative positions, and the third set of the locking devices pivotal transversely of the car.

Abstract: A railway well car for carrying containers of selected alternative lengths has a center crossbearer having a support for supporting the inner corners of two tandem containers, the support having side connections of sandwich construction with a flanged portion of a side sill, the sandwich construction being formed of inner and outer "L" shaped brackets disposed above and inside and below and outside a side sill of the car, respectively, and being fixed to the sill at respective upper and lower horizontal portions, the crossbearer being a tube formed of a lower channel closed by a top plate and the plate being at the level of the inner bracket, and the crossbearer extending from one side wall to a bracket on the opposite wall, and the inner bracket being wider than the outer bracket for improving distribution of loads to the side sills and the side walls.

Abstract: A railway car comprising a longitudinal center sill and floor members carried at opposite sides of the sill, and first locking devices mounted on a cross-bearer connected to the center sill and a second set of locking devices mounted on a second cross-bearer and a third set of locking devices movable through the deck and foldable thereunder, the second set of devices pivotal longitudinally of the car between retracted and operative positions, and the third set of the locking devices pivotal transversally of the car.

Abstract: A brake tester for measuring static force levels of the brake shoes and hand brake, and the pressure level of the brake cylinder of a railcar. Brake shoe load cells are used to measure brake shoe forces by creating point contact with the railcar wheel and undergoing deflection during application of a brake force. A clevis load cell measures hand brake force by simulating the clevis and produces an output from a plurality of strain gauges.

Abstract: A railway car comprises a center sill with a crossbearer, webs and end bolsters extending across thereof. A light side stiffener interconnects the projecting ends of said webs and spans between the bolster and the crossbearer. A shear plate covers a trapezoidal end frame extending from the bolster. The frame includes inclined braces buttressing a pair of cantilivered brackets projecting toward and horizontally overlapping similar brackets of the adjacent car.

Abstract: A railway car comprises a center sill with a crossbearer, webs and end bolsters extending across thereof. A light side stiffener interconnects the projecting ends of said webs and spans between the bolster and the crossbearer. A shear plate covers a trapezoidal end frame extending from the bolster. The frame includes inclined braces buttressing a pair of cantilevered brackets projecting toward and horizontally overlapping similar brackets of the adjacent car.

Abstract: A railway well car for the transport of containers has a depressed floor section supported between lateral side structures and longitudinal end structures. Each end structure is supported on a frameless radial truck. The frameless radial truck has four longitudinally spaced resilient support elements on each lateral side thereof. The end structure has a reinforcement structure for transferring loads from the car body to the support elements. The reinforcement structure includes a pair of transverse beams extending from a stub center sill to respective side structures. Longitudinal beams extend from the transverse beams to an end sill structure and to a girder structure at the end of the well portion of the car. Each longitudinal beam supports a pair of box structure truck engagement means engaging the resilient support elements. The transverse beams and the longitudinal beams are comprised of channel members attached to the undersurface of a shear plate forming tubular torque box structures therewith.

Abstract: A railway car train comprises five car units. Each car unit has two end structures with a depressed well portion supported therebetween. A pair of side structures extend between the end structures and adjacent the well portion. A floor structure extends between lower portions of the side structures to form the bottom of the well portion. The floor structure includes an end beam extending transversely between lower portions of the side structures at the end of the well portion. The end structure includes a stub center sill connected to a shear plate member. A deflection member is secured to the inward end of the shear plate member. The deflection member includes a vertical wall portion and a sloping wall portion for deflecting containers into the well portion as they are loaded. The deflection member is connected with the shear plate member to form a transverse girder.

Abstract: A gondola car for hauling bulk cargo has a stub sill for receiving longitudinal loads. A shear plate is connected with the stub sill, and longitudinal side sills and connected as by welding to side portions of the shear plate. Side walls extend upwardly from the side sills. The shear plate has an opening therein adjacent the longitudinally inward end of the weld to the side sill for reducing stress in the end of the weld. Cover structure overlies the opening, and side wall support structure is connected with the cover structure and engages the side walls to support them.

Abstract: A railway car body structural arrangement has a bolster fabricated from plates and formed on the upper surface of a bottom closure member of the body of a railway car and rigidly affixed to a bolster post at each side of the car. The lower portions of the bolster posts are affixed to the bolster assembly adjacent to the upper surface of the bottom closure member to enable use of a continuous side sill member on the car. Bearing surfaces which limit the transverse angular movement or roll of the car body with respect to a truck are attached to and project downward from a lower surface of the frame of the truck which is supportingly and pivotally engaged with the center sill substantially directly beneath the bolster.

Abstract: A light weight, aerodynamically efficient gondola car for hauling bulk cargo, such as coal, ores and grains, has a cargo carrying structure formed of welded aluminum. A side sill member formed of extruded aluminum has side and bottom connective portions which are continuously welded to the sides and bottom respectively, and a strength portion which remains substantially unwelded in assembly to thereby retain its full strength.

Abstract: A railway car underframe includes a center sill having a central section and opposite end sections. The sill includes spaced vertical walls, and upper and lower walls which are slotted in registry the length of the central section, and which form in cross section a spaced I-beam construction. The construction provides a sill having high torsional flexibility which is necessary to accommodate the railway car to track conditions tending to derail the car when single axle suspensions with two wheels are utilized. The sill also includes a separator in the form of a channel which includes flanges at its sides which are secured to the vertical walls of the sill. The separator extends substantially the length of the slots and is effective to resist lateral forces tending to buckle during operation while not adversely affecting the high torsional flexibility which is required in the sill structure.

Abstract: A railway car underframe includes a center sill having a central section and opposite end sections. The sill includes spaced vertical walls, and upper and lower walls which are slotted in registry the length of the central section, and which form in cross section a spaced I-beam construction. The construction provides a sill having high torsional flexibility which is necessary to accommodate the railway car to track conditions tending to derail the car when single axle suspensions with two wheels are utilized. The sill also includes a separator in the form of a channel which includes flanges at its sides which are secured to the vertical walls of the sill. The separator extends substantially the length of the slots and is effective to resist lateral forces tending to buckle or permanently deform the sill during operation, while not adversely affecting the high torsional flexibility which is required in the sill structure.

Abstract: A railway flat car is supported on an underframe which includes suspension support frames provided with single axle suspensions. The frames include longitudinally spaced bolsters including horizontal frame structures on which leaf springs are supported which are also carried by journals supporting the single axles. The ends of the leaf springs are supported by vertical spaced hanger straps pivotally connected at their lower ends to support brackets which are fixed to the bolster structures of the support frames. In the present improvement the brackets are welded into recesses provided in the bolsters providing an improved structure minimizing stress problems. The brackets become an integral part of the bolster structures.

Abstract: A rear pivot mount assembly for a fifth wheel hitch assembly for railway cars has a multiplanar support beam which coacts with a transverse support plate to tie together and rigidify the components of the pivot mount. The multiplanar support beam and transverse support plate affectively transfer loads imposed upon a pivotal connection to the outside of a center sill which provides the longitudinal and load bearing support for the railway car.

Abstract: A covered railway hopper car includes a plurality of vertical partition sheets connected to the side walls of the car to form a plurality of hoppers. The connection of the vertical edges of the partition sheets to the inner surfaces of the side walls includes vertical posts of a cross-sectional configuration reducing stress concentration of the partition to prevent fracture.

Abstract: A railway car wheel profilometer accurately transcribes the profile of the wheel treads onto a removable card for permanent record and later analysis. The device also measures the diameter of the wheel.

Abstract: A covered railway hopper car includes a partition sheet assembly, including a plurality of partition sheets rigidly connected to the roof, each having a construction at its upper ends which provides improved fatigue characteristics in the vicinity of the roof step and coaming area adjacent to the hatch opening area thereby relieving stress and reducing fatigue fractures.

Abstract: A vehicle hopper construction having longitudinally spaced hopper end slope sheets and hopper cross ridge slope sheets formed prior to assembly in the vehicle hopper so as to provide integral interior hopper corner plates with associated transversely spaced hopper side sheets.