Abstract: A railroad freight car may have external fittings, such as trackside-accessible ladder fittings that permit personnel to climb onto the decks and walkways of the car. Several embodiments of movable ladder assemblies are described that provide an extended or deployed or raised position of a handhold, and a retracted or lowered, or stored position. In other embodiments, the assembly is provided with a compliant member that allows the handhold resiliently to flex when encountered by solid objects such as shipping containers.

Abstract: An open/close control system for an inspection lid adapted not to open while a vehicle travels. An emergency release device is provided behind the inspection lid, where the emergency release device disables power transmission of a driver which opens and closes a side entrance/exit door of a railway vehicle. The emergency release device is installed in a space inside a wall surface inside the vehicle, and the space can be opened and closed by the inspection lid. The open/close control system has a locking device provided in the space inside the wall surface in order to restrict rotation of the inspection lid, and also has an open/close controller which detects traveling of the railway vehicle to actuate the locking device.

Abstract: A folding staircase for track-bound vehicles comprises a base ladder part, movably carried in the vehicle, and a swinging ladder part hingedly carried by the base ladder part. The base ladder part is movable between a stowed position and an extended position whereat it extends from the vehicle generally in the direction of travel. The swinging ladder part is rotatable between a first position, whereat it overlies the base ladder part, and a second position, whereat it extends from the distal end of the base ladder part to the track. Devices are provided for displacing the base ladder portion from the stowed position to the extended position and for displacing the swinging ladder part from the first position to the second position.