# US 2018/0022364 A1 · Railcar End Doors as Bridge Plates > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0022364 A1 - Document ID: US20180022364A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/214,174 - Filed: 2016-07-19 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-19 - Assignees: Trinity North American Freight Car, Inc. - Applicants: Trinity North American Freight Car, Inc. - Inventors: Kenneth W. Huck - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180022364A1 ## CPC - B61D 3/187: {Details, e.g. bridges for floor connections} - B61D 3/02: with multiple deck arrangements (for carrying vehicles B61D3/18) - B61D: BODY DETAILS OR KINDS OF RAILWAY VEHICLES (vehicles in general B60; adaptation of vehicles to special systems B61B; underframes B61F) ## Abstract A railcar system that includes a first railcar comprising a first plurality of decks and a first plurality of end doors adjacent to a respective deck of the first plurality of decks. The railcar system further comprises a second railcar comprising a second plurality of decks and a second plurality of end doors adjacent to a respective deck of the second plurality of decks. Each of the first plurality of end doors and the second plurality of end doors is configurable between a vertical orientation and a horizontal orientation. The railcar system is further configured such that when a first end door of the first plurality of end doors of the first railcar is in its horizontal orientation it aligns with a second end door of the second plurality of end doors of the second railcar when the second end door is in its horizontal orientation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A railcar system comprising: a first railcar comprising: a first plurality of decks disposed at different levels within the first railcar; and a first plurality of end doors disposed at a first end of the first railcar, wherein: each of the first plurality of end doors is adjacent to a respective deck of the first plurality of decks, and each of the plurality of first end doors is configurable between a vertical orientation and a horizontal orientation such that each of the first plurality of end doors aligns with its respective deck of the first plurality of decks when in its horizontal orientation; a second railcar comprising: a second plurality of decks disposed at different levels within the second railcar; a second plurality of end doors disposed at a first end of the second railcar, wherein: each of the second plurality of end doors is adjacent to a respective deck of the second plurality of decks, and each of the second plurality of end doors is configurable between a vertical orientation and a horizontal orientation such that each of the second plurality of end doors aligns with its respective deck of the second plurality of decks when in its horizontal orientation; and wherein when a first end door of the first plurality of end doors of the first railcar is in its horizontal orientation it aligns with a second end door of the second plurality of end doors of the second railcar when the second end door is in its horizontal orientation. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein when a third end door of the first plurality of end doors of the first railcar is in its horizontal orientation it aligns with a fourth end door of the second plurality of end doors of the second railcar when the fourth end door is in its horizontal orientation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein when a fifth end door of the first plurality of end doors of the first railcar is in its horizontal orientation it aligns with a sixth end door of the second plurality of end doors of the second railcar when the sixth end door is in its horizontal orientation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: the railcar system is configurable between a first configuration and a second configuration, all of the first plurality of end doors and all of the second plurality of end doors are configured in the vertical orientation when the railcar system is in the first configuration, and at least one of the first plurality of end doors and at least one of the second plurality of end doors are configured in the horizontal configuration and align with each other when the railcar system is in the second configuration. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: each of the first plurality of end doors is operably coupled to the first railcar using a first set of support attachments; and each of the second plurality of end doors is operably coupled to the second railcar using a second set of support attachments. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: each of the first plurality of end doors is operably coupled to at least one other end door from the first plurality of end doors using a first set of support attachments; and each of the second plurality of end doors is operably coupled to at least one other end door from the second plurality of end doors using a second set of support attachments. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: the plurality of first decks has two decks; and the plurality of second decks has two decks. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein: the plurality of first decks has three decks; and the plurality of second decks has three decks. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first plurality of end doors is a telescopic end door, wherein the length of telescopic end door is adjustable. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of end doors are configured to transition between the vertical orientation and the horizontal orientation at the same time. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of end doors are configured to transitions between the vertical orientation and the horizontal orientation individually. ### Claim 12 A railcar configuring method comprising: transitioning a first end door at a first end of a first railcar from a vertical orientation to a horizontal orientation, wherein the first end door is adjacent to a first deck of a first plurality of decks disposed within the first railcar; transitioning a second end door at a first end of a second railcar from a vertical orientation to a horizontal orientation, wherein: the second end door is adjacent to a second deck of a second plurality of decks disposed within the second railcar, and when the first end door is in its horizontal orientation it aligns with the second end door when the second end door is in its horizontal orientation; transitioning a third end door at the first end of the first railcar from a vertical orientation to a horizontal orientation, wherein the third door is adjacent to a third deck of the first plurality of decks disposed within the first railcar; and transitioning a fourth end door at the first end of the second railcar from a vertical orientation to a horizontal orientation, wherein: the fourth end door is adjacent to a fourth deck of the second plurality decks disposed within the second railcar, and when the third end door is in its horizontal orientation it aligns with the fourth end door when the fourth end door is in its horizontal orientation. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising adjusting the length of at least one of the first end door, the second end door, the third end door, and the fourth end door. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein transitioning the first end door and the third end door occurs at substantially the same time. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein: the first end door is positioned below the third end door at the first end of the first railcar; and the second end door is positioned below the fourth end door at the first end of the second railcar. ### Claim 16 An apparatus comprising: a plurality of decks disposed at different levels within a railcar; and a plurality of end doors disposed at a first end of the railcar, wherein: each of the plurality of end doors is adjacent to a respective deck of the plurality of decks, each of the end doors is configurable between a vertical orientation and a horizontal orientation such that each of the plurality of end doors aligns with its respective deck of the plurality of decks when in its horizontal orientation, and when a first end door of the plurality of end doors is in its horizontal orientation it aligns with a second end door of a second railcar when the second end door is in its horizontal orientation. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of end doors is operably coupled to the railcar using a support attachment. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of end doors is operably coupled to at least one other end door from the plurality of end doors using a support attachment ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the plurality of end doors are configured to transition between the vertical orientation and the horizontal orientation at the same time. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16, wherein at least one of the plurality of end doors is a telescopic end door, wherein the length of telescopic end door is adjustable