Rail cars for intermodal train

An intermediate rail car for an integral train segment having a plurality of articulated cars, said intermediate rail car comprising:

• a. a platform with an A-end and a B-end;
• b. a first truck supporting said B-end;
• c. said A-end having a first coupler releasably connectable to a mating coupler on a B-end of an adjacently coupled rail car such that said A-end is supported by a truck on said adjacently coupled rail car;
• d. said B-end of said platform having a second coupler being releasably connectable to a mating coupler at an A-end of an adjacently coupled rail car;
• e. at least one bearing shelf extending beyond said platform at said B-end;
• f. at least one bearing shoe at said A-end of said platform;
• g. said at least one bearing shelf cooperating with at least one bearing shoe at an A-end of an adjacently coupled rail car to provide rock and roll stabilization therebetween;
• and
• h. said at least one bearing shoe cooperating with at least one bearing shelf at a B-end of an adjacently coupled rail car to provide rock and roll stabilization therebetween.

An intermediate rail car for an integral train segment having a plurality of articulated cars, said intermediate rail car comprising:

• a. a platform with an A-end and a B-end;
• b. a first truck supporting said B-end;
• c. said A-end having a first coupler releasably connectable to a mating coupler at a B-end of an adjacently coupled rail car such that said A-end is supported by a truck on said adjacently coupled rail car;
• d. said B-end of said platform having a second coupler releasably connectable to a mating coupler at an A-end of an adjacently coupled rail car;
• e. said platform having a first slotted configuration at said A-end;
• and
• f. said platform having a second slotted configuration at said B-end, said first and second slotted configurations mating in an interleaved relationship with respective second and first slotted configurations at respective A- and B-ends of adjacently coupled rail cars such that when said adjacently coupled rail cars traverse a curved track section said interleaved platforms do not scrape against each other.

An adapter rail car for an integral train segment, said adapter rail car comprising:

• a. a platform with an A-end and a B-end;
• b. a first truck supporting said A-end;
• c. said A-end having a first coupler releasably connectable to a locomotive coupler;
• d. said A-end having a standard stub center sill;
• e. a second truck supporting said B-end;
• f. said B-end having a second coupler releasably connectable to a mating coupler on an adjacent rail car;
• g. said platform having a wide box beam center sill spliced to said standard stub center sill;
• h. said platform having a left side sill and a right side sill;
• and
• i. said platform having supporting gussets connected from said left side sill and said right side sill to said wide box beam center sill such that vertical loads from said left and right side sills is transferred into said wide box beam center sills.

An adapter rail car for an integral train segment, said adapter rail car comprising:

• a. a platform with an A-end and a B-end;
• b. a first truck supporting said A-end;
• c. said A-end having a first coupler releasably connectable to a locomotive coupler;
• d. a second truck supporting said B-end;
• e. said B-end having a second coupler releasably connectable to a mating coupler on an adjacent rail car;
• f. at least one bearing shelf extending beyond said platform at said B-end;
• and
• g. said at least one bearing shelf cooperating with at least one bearing shoe at an A-end of an adjacently coupled rail car to provide rock and roll stabilization therebetween.

An adapter rail car for an integral train segment, said adapter rail car comprising:

• a. a platform with an A-end and a B-end;
• b. a first truck supporting said A-end;
• c. said A-end having a first coupler releasably connectable to a locomotive coupler;
• d. a second truck supporting said B-end;
• e. said B-end having a second coupler releasably connectable to a mating coupler on an adjacent rail car;
• and
• f. said platform having a first slotted configuration at said B-end, said first slotted configuration mating in an interleaved relationship with a second slotted configuration at an A-end of an adjacently coupled rail car such that when such adjacently coupled rail cars traverse a curved track section said interleaved platforms do not scrape against each other.

A ramp loader rail car for an integral train segment, said ramp loader rail car comprising:

• a. a platform having an A-end and a B-end;
• b. a first truck supporting said B-end;
• c. said A-end having a first coupler releasably connectable to a mating coupler at a B-end of an adjacently coupled rail car such that said A-end is supported by a truck on said adjacently coupled rail car;
• d. said B-end having a standard stub center sill;
• e. said platform having a wide box beam center sill spliced to said standard stub center sill;
• f. said platform having a left side sill and a right side sill;
• g. said platform having support gussets connected from said left and right side sills to said wide box beam center sill such that vertical loads from said left and right side sills is transferred into said wide box beam center sill;
• and
• h. a ramp connected to said B-end, said ramp movable between a stored position and a loading position, said loading position providing access from ground level to said platform such that objects may be easily transported onto and off from said platform via said ramp.

A ramp loader rail car for an integral train segment, said ramp loader rail car comprising:

• a. a platform having an A-end and a B-end;
• b. a first truck supporting said B-end;
• c. said A-end having a first coupler releasably connectable to a mating coupler at a B-end of an adjacently coupled rail car such that said A-end is supported by a truck on said adjacently coupled rail car;
• d. at least one bearing shoe at said A-end of said platform, said at least one bearing shoe cooperating with at least one bearing shelf at a B-end of an adjacently coupled rail car to provide rock and roll stabilization therebetween;
• and
• e. a ramp portion at said B-end, said ramp portion movable between a stored position and a loading position, said loading position providing access from ground level to said platform such that objects may be easily transported onto and off from said platform via said ramp.

A ramp loader rail car for an integral train segment, said ramp loader rail car comprising:

• a. a platform having an A-end and a B-end;
• b. a first truck supporting said B-end;
• c. said A-end having a first coupler releasably connectable to a mating coupler at a B-end of an adjacently coupled rail car such that said A-end is supported by a truck on said adjacently coupled rail car;
• d. said platform having a first slotted configuration at said A-end, said first slotted configuration mating in an interleaved relationship with a second slotted configuration at a B-end of an adjacently coupled rail car such that when said adjacently coupled rail cars traverse a curved track section said interleaved platforms do not scrape against each other;
• and
• e. a ramp portion at said B-end, said ramp portion movable between a stored position and a loading position, said loading position providing access from ground level to said platform such that objects may be easily transported onto and off from said platform via said ramp.

A train segment comprising:

• a. plurality of rail cars each having a platform, said platform having an A-end and a B-end, at least one of said A- and B-ends supported on a truck;
• b. a first one of said plurality of rail cars having a platform wherein said A-end has a first truck and said B-end has a second truck, said A-end having a first coupler releasably connectable to a locomotive coupler and said B-end having a second coupler;
• c. at least one intermediate rail car having a platform wherein said A-end has a third coupler releasably connectable to said second coupler such that said A-end is supported on said second truck, said B-end having a third truck and a fourth coupler;
• and
• d. a last one of said plurality of rail cars having a platform wherein said A-end has a fifth coupler releasably connectable to said fourth coupler such that said A-end of said last rail car is supported on said third truck, said B-end of said last rail car having a fourth truck and a ramp portion, said ramp portion movable between a stored position and a loading position.