Abstract: A container sidewall comprises a plurality of sections each section comprising an extruded aluminum post formed of a tubular rectangular tube having a pair of oppositely extending flanges coplanar with one of the tube broad sides and an aluminum plate riveted to each flange. An identical post interconnects the plates of adjacent sections. A reinforcing hat shaped rib is riveted to each plate midway between posts. The outer wall of the post tube is thicker than the inner wall which is the same thickness as the plates. The tube sides are thinnest to save weight. The plates are relatively thick to preclude damage during normal use. The tube is dimensioned to withstand transverse bending loads and bowing of the sidewalls to preclude damage in a rail car well.

Abstract: An improved automobile transport railway car that is constructed from noncorroding materials adjacent to load carrying areas and that is enclosed by doors on both ends of the car. In the case of the articulated cars, a bellows assembly encloses and spans the ends of adjacent units. The car may be provided with two or more decks and has walls and a roof preferably constructed from nested, pultruded sections that are light in weight and are non-corrodible.

Abstract: An attachment for attaching the ends of concave floor panels of a gondola car to the center sill by a plate extending through the vertical cover plate of the floor panels and being affixed to the floor panels and to the center sill. The plate includes a curved contour adjacent the concave floor panels and is affixed by lock bolts to both the floor panels and to the center sill. Angle members affix the vertical cover plates to the ends of the concave floor panels.

Abstract: A car body for railway rolling stock wherein a plurality of outside plates forming the car body are joined to frame members of the car body by spot welding. The outside plates are produced of a ferrous material except for stainless steel and a film or coating is provided on an outside surface of the outside plates. By virtue of the joining of the outside plates to the frame members and the joining of the outside plates to each other by spot welding, less input heat is required as compared with a continuous welding; therefore, outside plate distortion can be reduced and time and labor for manufacturing of the car body can be reduced. Moreover, since the outside plates are produced of a ferrous material, the painting of the outside surfaces of the outside plates can easily be accomplished.

Abstract: A hopper car is converted to a gondola-type car by replacing the hoppers and their dump doors with a light metal sheet floor. The floor sheets form a series of box-like compartments. The compartments are formed by crossbearer partitions extending between the side walls, center sill and the sheet floor. Floor frame members reinforce the rigidity of the floor structure. The partitions are formed by tubular crossbearers on gussets on the center sill, and closure walls converging at the top thereof.

Abstract: A new and useful top chord, and a new and useful container wall construction incorporating the top chord. The top chord has a tubular chord section and a special stepped stem integral with the tubular chord section. The stem has a relatively thick proximal portion connected with the tubular chord section and a relatively thinner distal portion extending from the thick portion. The thick proximal portion and the thinner distal portion co-operate to define a rectangular step having a predetermined thickness. The thickness of the step is designed so that the side wall can be closely sandwiched between the post and the thinner portion of the stem and the thick portion of the stem extends above the side wall and into facing relation with a portion of the post which extends above the side wall. The stem is bolted to the post and to the side wall with the thick portion bolted directly to the post and the thinner portion bolted to the post with the side wall sandwiched therebetween.

Abstract: In a stub sill open top railroad car, such as a gondola or hopper car particularly adapted for coal service, a corner fitting or casting is provided at each end of the car joining the top chord extending along each side of the car with the end chord, the latter extending transversely of the car at the upper ends thereof. The corner casting includes projections which extend into the top and end chords so as to facilitate making an integral (i.e., welded) connection between the chords and an adjacent end diagonal member. In one embodiment, the casting includes a downwardly extending portion which is received within and to which the diagonal is welded, while in another embodiment, a connection plate is utilized to secure the end diagonals to the corner casting.

Abstract: A high volume covered hopper railroad car is disclosed which maximizes the lading volume of a car while still utilizing smooth, sheet-like side sheets, and while remaining within AAR clearances. The high lading volume is achieved by forming the side sheets of the car from three radii of curvature, with the radius of curvature of the lower section of the side sheets being relatively short thereby to provide enhanced resistance to buckling, with the mid-portion of the side sheets of a relatively large radius of curvature thereby to provide a generally vertical region of the side sheets, and with the upper region of the side sheets being of a shorter radius of curvature thereby to again provide greater resistance to buckling at the top margin of the side sheets.

Abstract: Top side chord attachment for the sides of bottom-discharge, open-top railroad hopper cars of the type with which top shakers may be used. Each car side comprises a vertically oriented side sheet, affixed at its bottom edge to a bottom chord in the form of the car frame side sill and affixed at its top edge to a top chord. A plurality of side posts having lateral flanges are arranged vertically along the car side exterior in parallel spaced relationship. Each side post is affixed to the bottom chord, to the top chord, and along its lateral flanges to the side sheet. The top chord comprises a beam-like member extending substantially the length of the side sheet and having a horizontal portion terminating at its longitudinal in-board edge in a downwardly depending leg lying along the inside surface of the upper edge of the side sheet. A pair of gussets are located to either side of the upper end of each side post, overlying the side post flanges and the adjacent portions of the side sheet.

Abstract: A covered railway hopper car includes side walls comprising upper arcuate side sheet and lower flat inclined side sheet portions. The upper edge of the flat side sheet is bent to form a longeron which extends intermediate the height of the side wall and which is attached adjacent the lower edge of the arcuate side wall. A side sill extends longitudinally on the exterior of the flat side sheet to form, together with the longeron, reinforcement for the side walls. The car also includes an end structure comprising a vertical plate extending upwardly into support of the end slope walls of the car at a location intermediate the length of the end slope walls and a vertical support of the interior of the wall above the plate to distribute forces directly from the center plate of the car to the roof at a location spaced from the vertical end walls of the car.

Abstract: A side extension for increasing the volumetric capacity of a vehicle body includes an elongate wall, a first flange extending longitudinally of the wall and bent inwardly of the body from the wall along a bottom edge of the wall and at a sloped incline to the wall, and a second flange bent from the edge of the first flange and extending backward toward the wall. The second flange is fastened to a flange on the vehicle body which extends inwardly of the body. The first and second flanges substantially define a "V" in cross section increasing the strength of the side extension walls, maximizing the capacity of the vehicle body and preventing retention of material carried by the vehicle body at the junction between the side extensions and the vehicle body.

Abstract: A body wall having a horizontal length and a vertical height and including a plurality of elongated upstanding panel members spaced along the wall and including adjacent laterally overlapped longitudinal side marginal strips. One marginal strip of each pair of overlapped side marginal strips is generally planar and the other marginal strip is slightly laterally offset to one side of the corresponding panel member and includes laterally spaced generally coplanar opposite longitudinal marginal border portions and a longitudinally extending central channel portion disposed between and formed integrally with the border portions with the central channel portion opening toward the aforementioned one marginal strip. Securing structure secures at least longitudinally spaced portions of each of the border portions of the other marginal strip to corresponding portions of the one marginal strip toward which the central channel portion of the other marginal strip opens.

Abstract: A railroad gondola car comprising a subframe assembly including a side sill channel member, a floor sheet, a side assembly including a side sheet and a plurality of side posts secured to the side sheet, the side posts comprising channel or hat shaped members opening toward the side sheet, a longitudinally extending angle member secured to the side sheet on the opposite side of the side sheet from the side posts and adjacent the lower edge of the side sheet, a structural reaction plate secured to the side posts within the channel or hat shaped cross section thereof and extending outwardly of the channel preferably a distance at least as great as the thickness of the side sheet, and being secured to the angle member, the side posts extending below the side sheet and being secured to the side sill channel member, and the angle member being secured to the subframe assembly or floor sheet.

Abstract: A gondola railway car comprising a car truck attached to each end of a continuous center sill, a pair of generally vertical end panels, a pair of generally vertical side panels joined to the end panels, a plurality of cross bearers extending from the center sill to a longitudinal chord at the bottom of each side panel, a car bottom between the end and side panels having substantially flat portions over the trucks and a longitudinal trough portion between the trucks and the flat bottom portions, the trough portion having side edges joined to the side panel bottom edges and extending beneath the center sill, and an end wall at each end of the trough extending to the adjacent flat bottom portion.

Abstract: A covered hopper car having curved side wall units joined to a curved roof structure with a hollow beam side plate and having a reinforcing cap member on the roof sheets with a top portion spaced above the curved roof sheets and maintained in the spaced position by hatch coaming to reinforce the hatch openings. The car also includes a longitudinally extending hollow side sill with bolster posts located at each end and interconnecting the side sill with the side plate in such a fashion as to provide a reinforcing frame encircling the curved side wall sheets and curved roof sheets to hold the curved sheets in position during car movement.

Abstract: A railway gondola car suitable for rotary unloading. The floor of the car comprises a pair of concave troughs which extend between the center sill and the sides of the car having their axes parallel to the axis of the center sill along that portion of the car between the trucks. The car has an increased lading capacity and lower center of gravity than conventional gondola cars.

Abstract: Disclosed is a mounting connection for connecting side stakes of open top type rail cars such as gondolas and hoppers to the underframe of the rail car. The side stakes, which reinforce and support the side walls of the open top rail cars, are mounted to the underframe of the rail car by a tie strap rigidly connected to the underframe. The tie strap is pivotably mounted to the side stake by a transverse pin which allows the side stake to flex or pivot very slightly with respect to the underframe when forces are applied to the upper end of the side stake such as during loading thereby eliminating secondary bending moments and fracture at the junction of the underframe and the side stake.

Abstract: Very high demands are made on gondola cars which are emptied on rotating/tilting unloading devices. Such cars must provide long service lives even under these very rough conditions, and they should allow simple loading and unloading via a rotating/tilting device. In accordance with the instant disclosure, the high strength of the gondola car body is maintained in a simple manner in that the flooring sheets of the body are set into grooves in the longitudinal center sill, and into a groove in each inside of the lower side sills, and then welded to the said sills. Also the walls of the car may be set in different ways, as by setting them into a groove in the upper side of the lower side sills and into a groove in the lower side of the upper side sill, and then welded to the said side sills.

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 side sill and side wall joint arrangement for a railway box car wherein channel shaped side sills are provided having inwardly offset upper vertical webs such that the side sheets of the car may be secured to them to provide a flat outer surface between the respective sheets and the lower portions of the sills against which straight side posts may be secured.

Abstract: A door post for a grain door of a freight car. The post comprises hollow two-piece metal sections forming the door edge. The sections are contoured to hold a nailing strip made either of wood or metal slotted construction. The nailing strip serves as a backing for the post and custions blows against the metal sections of the post longitudinally of the car by cargo being passed through the doorway.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a meat rail support system for refrigerator trailers having post-free, foam-filled walls. An outer top rail of the trailer side wall is secured to the outer skin of the side wall. An inwardly extending flange is positioned above the side wall and is either integral with the top rail or riveted thereto for the acceptance of a meat rail support beam.In one embodiment, an inner side wall top rail of low heat conducting material, for example, FRP plastic, is secured to a plastic inner skin of the side wall and has an outwardly extending flange positioned above the wall. A meat rail support beam extends transversely across the trailer and rests on the flanges of the inner and outer top rails. Fastening means are located between the inner and outer skins of the side wall so as to transfer loads on the meat rail support beam relatively equally to both the inner and outer side wall skins.

Abstract: A high volume railway gondola car particularly suited for high speed rail operations having a bracing structure extending the length of the car including a plurality of serially interconnected V-shaped trusses having laterally longitudinally downwardly convergent bracing members coupling the car walls to the underframe along the centerline of the car.

Abstract: A high volume railway gondola car particularly suited for high speed rail operations including a pair of rigid elongated tension and compression braces at each end of the car which couple the corner caps of the car walls to the minimum vertical flexure portions of the car floor located immediately above the car center bearing assemblies.

Abstract: A cargo container having opposed horizontally elongated vertically extend side walls, a floor, and a roof, and pre-assembled panel constructions comprising vertically corrugated sheet metal walls surrounded at top, bottom and both ends with extruded edge caps. The ends of the top and bottom caps carry adjustable corner abutment bolts which are advanced into contact with corner posts present on the container and are welded in place. The corrugated walls of the panel are bolted to the walls of the container to provide a substantially unitary wall-panel combination. The panels are provided with a multiplicity of openings for receiving the ends of removable restraint bars.

Abstract: A railway car door includes an operating mechanism having a pair of pipes and cranks rotatably secured to the door. By their rotation, the door is movable into and out of a door opening. The car is equipped to have internally-projecting lading restraining members removably attached to the inside car sidewall and filler members removably attached to the inside of the door. Pipe stops are provided for selectively increasing or decreasing the amount of rotation of the pipes and cranks possible so that when the filler members are attached to the door, the door can be moved laterally out of the opening a first greater distance and thereby permit the filler members to clear the sidewall or adjacent door of the car. When the filler members are removed, the door can be moved a second, lesser distance out of the opening and clear of the sidewall or adjacent door of the car.

Abstract: A lading tie down anchor construction for a railway box car having an outside wall post includes an anchor plate which is attached to the longitudinal flanges of the post to provide a surface flush with the inner vertical wall surface of the car. The anchor plate includes vertically spaced attaching surfaces and alternate depressed pockets therebetween. A flat anchoring bar is connected to the attaching surfaces and extends over the pockets which are provided with vertically extending side portions through which a lading strap may be connected to the anchoring post.

Abstract: Means for providing protective cover walls on carrier racks used by the railroads to carry automotive vehicles, and including panel wall sections made up of lengths of corrugated sheet metal retained in overlapped and interlocked edge relation by channel sectioned members engaged over the ends thereof, and with clamping means for holding the channel sectioned members on the ends of said panel wall sections and the panel wall sections in turn therewith to the vertical frame members of the carrier racks.

Abstract: A nailable door post for a freight car in which the post comprises a pair of upright metal members which tightly embrace a wooden nailing strip which is held captive between a transverse wall of the outer member and a transverse offset portion in a longitudinal wall of the inner member, the post being flanked on its inner and outer sides by the longitudinal walls of the inner and outer members, the longitudinal wall of the inner member being provided with nail holes aligned with the wooden strip.The strip is held along the edge of the post remote from the door edge and there being a hollow in the post structure between the door edge and the wooden strip so that if the metal members are distorted, if struck by a heavy object, the strip will remain intact. The offset in the inner member longitudinal wall provides a pocket in which is secured a vertical lading strap anchor disposed in non-obstructing position inwardly of the plane of the inner side of the side wall of the freight car.

Abstract: A nailable metal post and strap anchor for a railroad freight car or other freight-transporting vehicle having a flush interior wall structure. The post comprises relatively interfitting channel members arranged to define a series of transversely and longitudinally spaced, nail-clinching slots between the channel side walls with a face plate arranged in closing relation to the interfitting channel members and having nail-receiving apertures aligned with the nail-clinching slots of the channel members, and provided with strap anchoring lugs or eyes between the transversely spaced nail-receiving apertures. The post provides an operative inner face which may be arranged in smooth, flush relation to the inner wall surface of the freight-transporting vehicle.

Abstract: A cargo transporting and handling vehicle is disclosed, which facilitates unloading of cargo elements from and loading of cargo elements onto the vehicle at the various stops along a route. The vehicle has a body having a plurality of elongated guide members mounted on the floor thereof so as to provide a plurality of longitudinally extending paths for guiding the direction of movement of cargo elements on the floor. When the cargo elements are standard sized, 55 gallon drums, four, closely adjacent paths are provided. A lift gate at the rear of the body serves to facilitate the loading of filled drums onto the rear ends of the paths, and doors are provided on the sides of the body, adjacent the front end thereof, through which empty drums on the paths are unloaded. A gate is provided at the front end of each pair of paths to control the movement of drums on the paths and onto an unloading station adjacent each side door.