Removable insulated cover and method for transporting hot oversized steel ingots

In a freight car having a bed on which freight is loaded for shipping by rail, the freight having an oversized portion that extends outboard of the freight car bed, a removable cover positioned on the bed of the freight car to encase the freight and the oversized portion within said removable cover, the improved removable cover comprising:

• a) a casing including;
• i) a first sidewall opposite a second sidewall, a first end wall opposite a second end wall, and a top, said sidewalls, end walls and top defining an interior space in which the freight is encased;
• ii) at least one layer of insulation attached to and covering said first and second sidewalls, said first and second end walls and said top of said interior space;
• iii) a first opening extending through said first sidewall and said at least one layer of insulation, and a second opening extending through said second sidewall and said at least one layer of insulation, said second opening opposite said first opening and,
• b) a first moveable sidewall piece including;
• i) a first top panel movably attached to said removable cover adjacent said first opening,
• ii) a first bottom panel including a seal to engage a threshold section attached to the bed of the freight car and positioned adjacent said first opening, and
• iii) at least one transition panel extending from said first top panel to said first bottom panel;
• and
• c) a second moveable sidewall piece including;
• i) a second top panel movably attached to said removable cover adjacent said second opening,
• ii) a second bottom panel including a seal to engage a threshold section attached to the bed of the freight car and positioned adjacent said second opening, and
• iii) at least one transition panel extending from said second top panel to said second bottom panel.

A method of finishing an ingot having a large portion "D" greater than a width "W" of a bed of a freight car, said large portion "D" extending outboard of the freight car bed, the steps of the method comprising:

• a) loading the ingot onto the bed of the freight car;
• b) placing a removable cover on the bed of the freight car to encase the ingot in an interior insulated space within said removable cover, the large portion "D" extending through openings in said removable cover;
• c) moving panels to a closed position to cover said openings through which the large portion "D" extends, said panels being movably attached to said removable cover and including a first panel section positioned outboard of the large portion "D" and at least a second panel section spaced inboard of the width "W" of the freight car bed;
• d) shipping by rail said ingot incased in said removable cover to a finishing mill;
• e) moving said panels to an open position to uncover said openings through which the large portion "D" extends;
• f) lifting said removable cover from the bed of the freight car;
• g) unloading the ingot from the bed of the freight car;
• h) forging or rolling the ingot in the finishing mill to form a product.