Tank car top platform assembly closure plate

A method of assembling a tank car top platform, the method comprising:

• coupling a first running board to a first plurality of brackets for mounting to a tank of a tank car;
• coupling a first handrail assembly to the first plurality of brackets such that the first handrail assembly at least partially encloses the first running board;
• coupling a second running board to a second plurality of brackets for mounting to the tank of the tank car;
• coupling a second handrail assembly to the second plurality of brackets such that the second handrail assembly at least partially encloses the second running board;
• and
• coupling the first handrail assembly to the second handrail assembly via at least one closure plate to form a passageway for a rail operator to pass between the first handrail assembly and the second handrail assembly, the closure plate comprising a generally flat plate with a height corresponding to a height of a walkway platform above the tank of the tank car.

A method of fabricating a closure plate, the method comprising:

• cutting a metal plate to a height equal to or less than a height of a walking surface of a walkway platform above a tank of a tank car;
• forming a first side of the metal plate into a first flange;
• and
• forming a second side of the metal plate into a second flange, wherein a width of a middle portion of the metal plate between the first flange and the second flange is equal to or less than a width of the walkway platform of the tank car.