Aerodynamic drag reduction for railcars

A multi-unit railcar configured to carry removable intermodal cargo containers, comprising:

• (a) at least two units each having a pair of opposite ends, respective ends of adjacent ones of said units being adjacently located with respect to one another, and at least one of said units defining a respective container position therein;
• (b) an articulating joint interconnecting said adjacently located ends of said units with each other, said adjacently located ends defining an inter-unit gap;
• (c) an inter-unit gap interrupting device located in said inter-unit gap between said adjacently located ends, said inter-unit gap interrupting device being located spaced longitudinally apart from said container position and including a pair of vertical post members spaced laterally apart from each other, said container position including a container top position located at a predetermined height, wherein said gap interrupting device includes a horizontal crossbar extending laterally between said vertical post members at said height of said container top position.

A multi-unit railcar configured to carry removable intermodal cargo containers, comprising:

• (a) at least two units each having a pair of opposite ends, respective ends of adjacent ones of said units being adjacently located with respect to one another, and at least one of said units defining a respective container position therein;
• (b) an articulating joint interconnecting said adjacently located ends of said units with each other, said adjacently located ends defining an inter-unit gap;
• (c) an inter-unit gap interrupting device located in said inter-unit gap between said adjacently located ends, said inter-unit gap interrupting device being located spaced apart from said container position longitudinally of said railcar, said inter-unit gap interrupting device including a pair of vertical post members spaced laterally apart from each other, at least a first one of said units interconnected by said articulating joint including a transversely oriented bulkhead having a longitudinally outwardly protruding transverse portion, both of said post members being mounted on the other one of said units interconnected by said articulating joint and each of said post members including a bottom end located at a greater height than is said longitudinally outwardly protruding transverse portion of said bulkhead of said first one of said units.

A multi-unit railcar configured to carry removable intermodal cargo containers in respective upper and lower tiers thereupon, comprising:

• (a) at least two car units, including a pair of oppositely oriented end units, each said end unit having a pair of opposite sides and an outer end, and each said end unit including a coupler connected with said outer end;
• and
• (b) an inter-car gap narrowing device located adjacent said outer end of one of said end units, said inter-car gap narrowing device including a pair of vertical panels spaced laterally apart from each other, each being oriented generally parallel with said sides of said end unit, and each of said vertical panels extending upwardly adjacent said upper tier, respective ones of said car units defining respective container positions and having respective ends located mutually adjacent one another, said multi-unit car including an articulating joint interconnecting the ends located mutually adjacent one another, said units defining an inter-unit gap adjacent each said articulating joint, and said railcar including an inter-unit gap interrupting device located in said inter-unit gap spaced longitudinally apart from each said container position, said inter-unit gap interrupting device including a pair of vertical post members spaced laterally apart from each other.

A railcar including structure defining respective upper and lower container positions for receiving generally rectangular intermodal cargo containers therein, said upper container position defining a container top position located at a predetermined height and said railcar including a body having an outer end including bulkhead means for longitudinally and laterally restraining a cargo container in said upper container position, and including a coupler connected with said outer end, and further including an inter-car gap narrowing device including a pair of parallel vertical panels spaced laterally apart from one another, each of said vertical panels extending upward substantially to said height of said container top position of said upper container position, wherein each of said vertical panels extends longitudinally away from a location adjacent said container position toward said coupler to a predetermined distance from the extremity of said coupler, said predetermined distance being established by the minimum clearance required to avoid interference with another car while said car negotiates a curve in a railway track.

A railcar including structure defining respective upper and lower container positions for receiving generally rectangular intermodal cargo containers therein, said upper container position defining a container top position located at a predetermined height and said railcar including a body having an outer end including bulkhead means for longitudinally and laterally restraining a cargo container in said upper container position, and including a coupler connected with said outer end, and further including an inter-car gap narrowing device including a pair of rigid, generally planar, parallel vertical panels spaced laterally apart substantially to said height of said container top position of said upper container position and extending longitudinally away from said upper container position toward said coupler.

A multi-unit railcar configured to carry removable intermodal cargo containers in respective upper and lower tiers thereupon, comprising:

• (a) at least two car units, including a pair of oppositely oriented end units, each said end unit having a pair of opposite sides and an outer end;
• and
• (b) an inter-car gap narrowing device located adjacent said outer end of one of said end units, said inter-car gap narrowing device including a pair of rigid, generally planar vertical panels spaced laterally apart from each other, each being oriented generally parallel with said sides of said end unit, and each of said vertical panels extending upwardly adjacent said upper tier, each of said vertical panels being located laterally aligned with a respective one of said opposite sides of said end unit.

A railcar including structure defining respective upper and lower container positions for receiving generally rectangular intermodal cargo containers therein, said upper container position defining a container top position having a predetermined height and said railcar including a body having an outer end including bulkhead means for longitudinally and laterally restraining a cargo container in said upper container position, and including an inter-car gap narrowing device including a pair of parallel rigid, generally planar, vertical panels spaced laterally apart from one another and aligned laterally with the respective sides of said railcar, each of said vertical panels extending upward substantially to the height of a container top position of said upper container position.