Abstract: A head brace and a method for attaching a stub sill to a tank of a railroad tank car by the use of such a head brace. A stub sill includes side plates having ears that extend upward to support the tank near where the head of the tank is attached, and a head brace is welded to the side plates and to the head of the tank in a weld joint that can be continuous along the head brace from the ears of the side plate to the center of the head brace. Doublers may be provided on the sill where the head brace is welded to the side plates.

Abstract: A head brace and a method for attaching a stub sill to a tank of a railroad tank car by the use of such a head brace. A stub sill includes side plates having ears that extend upward to support the tank near where the head of the tank is attached, and a head brace is welded to the side plates and to the head of the tank in a weld joint that can be continuous along the head brace from the ears of the side plate to the center of the head brace. Doublers may be provided on the sill where the head brace is welded to the side plates.

Abstract: A low friction, high wear rail car center plate assembly of the type where a cylindrical center plate boss having a planar bottom surface and a perpendicular side wall rides rotationally in a mating bowl in a truck bolster, includes a boot which closely overlies the center plate boss, and axial and radial wear structures which fit within the bowl, so that the boot abuts the wear structures. The wear structures are preferentially formed of a composite bearing material, having an inner acetal resin surface, and the boot has a hard, highly polished surface. The boot includes an elastomeric or metallic seal ring cover that extends over the bowl and prevents foreign matter from getting between the bowl and the wear structures.