System and method for reconfiguring an autorack
AssigneeTrinity Rail Group, LLC
InventorsKyle R. Coston, Gary V. Turner, David W. Higginbotham, Robert J. DeGroot
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method comprises removing a first deck of a plurality of decks and a second deck of the plurality of decks from an autorack. The method further comprises removing one or more of a plurality of posts of the autorack and coupling a cross-brace assembly to one or more of the plurality of posts, wherein the cross-brace assembly is coupled to the one or more of the plurality of posts at a location above an existing brace bay of the autorack. The method also comprises coupling the second deck of the plurality of decks to the autorack at a location above or below the cross-brace assembly.
Claims9
A method comprising:
- removing an existing roof section from an autorack;
- removing one or more of a plurality of existing side screens from the autorack;
- removing one or more of a plurality of existing decks from the autorack;
- increasing a width of a first end portion of a flatcar of the autorack such that the width of the first end portion of the flatcar is greater than a width of a center portion of the flatcar;
- increasing a width of a second end portion of the flatcar of the autorack such that the width of the second end portion of the flatcar is greater than the width of Han the center portion of the flatcar;
- increasing a width between a first post of a plurality of posts and a second post of a plurality of posts,
- the first post located near a first side of the first end portion of the flatcar and the second post located near a second side of the first end portion opposite the first side of the first end portion;
- increasing a width between a third post of the plurality of posts and a fourth post of the plurality of posts,
- the third post located near a first side of the second end portion of the flatcar and the fourth post located near a second side of the second end portion opposite the first side of the second end portion;
- coupling one or more of a plurality of replacement decks to the autorack;
- coupling one or more of a plurality of replacement side screens to one or more of the plurality of posts;
- and
- coupling a replacement roof section to the autorack.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.