Abstract: A sliding door is provided for a rail car of the type having a floor, a side wall along one side of the floor and standing upwardly from the floor and an opening in the side wall. The sliding door is mounted on top and bottom rails at the opening extending parallel to a plane of the opening with the door movable from a closed position at the opening to an open position spaced along the rails from the opening. The sliding door is formed of modular panel sections which are replaceable independently of one another when damaged. The sliding door includes a flexible portion being movable between a relaxed position and a flexed position in which the flexible portion is deflected in a direction transversely to the plane of the opening in relation to the relaxed position in order to minimize damage to the, door when impacted.

Abstract: The freight car has an undercarriage and a running carriage connected to the undercarriage. A container is connected to the undercarriage. The container has side walls, positioned in the longitudinal direction of the freight car, and closed end walls extending transversely to the side walls at opposite ends of the freight car. The side walls have lateral posts and longitudinal supports connecting the end walls and the laterals posts. At least one of the side walls has a closable opening for loading and unloading goods to be transported in the freight car. The at least one opening extends over the entire length of the side wall. The at least one side wall has at least one pair of folding doors arranged in a common vertical plane for closing the opening in a closed position of the folding doors. Each one of the folding doors of the pair has a horizontal pivot axis.

Abstract: A structurally reinforced railroad car is provided which interfaces with the output of a typical refuse compactor and is capable of being thus forcibly filled with compacted refuse which efficiently fills and conforms to the interior, making maximum volumetric use of the car for efficient transportation to a disposal site. At the disposal site, hydraulic cylinders of the car cause the lid assembly of the car to pivot upwardly, leaving one side and top open, while a powered ejection panel from within the car pushes the refuse toward the open side until it falls over the edge. The car is equipped with engagable seals for containment of leachant and liquids which may form or be present in the refuse.

Abstract: This invention relates to a railroad car for use in transporting railroad ties. A flat bed is provided with siderails which extend upwardly along each side of the bed. Each of the siderails comprises vertically extending posts and horizontally extending rails with some of the rail sections being removable to accommodate unloading of the ties. The removable rail sections are disposed so that upper and lower rails on one sidewall are removable while an intermediate rail section on the opposite sidewall is removable. This helps to insure the structural integrity of the car.

Abstract: A railway hopper car has a through center sill including an elongated central section substantially A-shaped in transverse cross section, two end sections substantially hat-shaped in transverse cross section and two transition sections respectively connecting said end sections to the adjacent ends of the central section. The central section has upper and lower parts, each of which may comprise a plurality of subsections arranged in end-to-end relationship. Each transition section includes a transition member rectangular at one end for mating with the end section and trapezoidal at the other end for mating with the lower part of the central section. Each transition section also includes an inverted V-shaped top reinforcing member and a horizontal bottom reinforcing plate. Alternative forms of the lower part of the central section are disclosed.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention an open top railway car is provided in which the car body is divided longitudinally into at least two body sections having opposite ends which are pivotally mounted on vertically extending supports attached to a car underframe. The body sections include respective transversely spaced side walls, at least one end wall, and bottom walls having inner edges which abut and/or overlap in closed position to define the bottom of the car. To achieve increased volumetric carrying capacity, the bottoms are horizontal and extend outboard of the wheels. Each of the body sections is pivotable from the closed position to an open position in which the inner edges of the bottom walls are spaced apart to allow discharge of lading between the rails. An energy saving unloading system is also disclosed for unloading the cars.