Apparatus and method for moving railway cars

Apparatus for driving a railroad car, the car including first and second wheels, an elongate axle operatively connected to the wheels, the axle having first and second ends, first and second bearing housings journalled on the axle near the first and second ends thereof respectively, first and second trucks overlying the first and second bearing housings, respectively, and a bed supported by the trucks, comprising:

• a motor adapted for direct mounting on the first end of the axle for rotating the axle;
• mounting means for mounting the motor on the first end of the axle;
• third and fourth wheels;
• a second elongate axle having first and second ends operatively connecting the third and fourth wheels;
• third and fourth bearing housings journalled on the second axle near the first and second ends thereof, respectively, the first and second trucks overlying the third and fourth bearing housings, respectively,
• a second motor adapted for direct mounting on the first end of the second axle for rotating the second axle;
• means for mounting the second motor on the first end of the second axle;
• and
• a rigid elongate torsion arm having first and second ends, the first end being fixedly attached to the first motor and the second end being fixedly attached to the second motor.

Apparatus for moving a railcar including a bed, first and second side trucks disposed beneath and supporting the bed, first and second elongate axles, each having first and second ends, journalled near their ends in the trucks, and four wheels, each disposed near an end of an axle, comprising:

• first and second end caps secured to the first ends of the first and second elongate axles, respectively;
• first and second hubs secured to the first and second end caps, respectively;
• first and second rotatable shafts secured to the first and second hubs, respectively;
• first and second hydraulic motors operatively attached to the first and second rotatable shafts, respectively, such that the shafts are rotated under the power of the motors, thereby rotating the hubs, end caps, axles, and wheels;
• a rigid elongate torsion arm, having first and second ends, whose first end is secured to the first motor and whose second end is secured to the second motor to stabilize movement of the motors.