Dual-purpose depressed center railway flat car
AssigneeBurlington Northern Railroad, a wholly owned subsidiary of Burlington Northern, Inc.
InventorGary D. Schlaeger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A railway flatcar (10) is provided for hauling a variety of lading. The car (10) includes a frame (11) having a first section (12), middle section (14) and second section (13). The car (10) has a lower middle section (14) and wrap around bulkheads (22) and (24). The bulkheads (22) and (24) and the floor members (18), (19) and (20) are constructed of an open mesh configuration so as to prevent debris build-up and for reduced wind resistance. The car is adapted to carry a variety of lading including containers and forest products.
Claims14
A dual purpose railway flat car for hauling a variety of ladings, said car comprising:
- (a) a frame having a first end section, a middle section and a second end section;
- (b) first and second trucks, having wheels, cooperatively connected to said first and second sections respectively adapted to be supported on railroad tracks;
- (c) first, second and middle floor members cooperatively connected to said first, second and middle sections respectively;
- (d) a first bulkhead cooperatively connected to one end of said frame and a second bulkhead cooperatively connected to a second end of said frame;
- (e) a first integral structural cradle cooperatively connected to said frame positioned between said first section and said middle section;
- (f) a second integral structural cradle cooperatively connected to said frame positioned between said second section and said middle section;
- and
- (g) said middle floor member positioned lower than said first and second members, thereby form a depressed center, said cradles configured to carry cylindrical objects and also to form integral intermediate bulkheads for said depressed center, wherein said car may be used to carry a variety of ladings including polygonal containers and forest products.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.