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US 6,551,039 B1Granted
Auto rack rail road car with reduced slack
AssigneeNational Steel Car Limited
InventorJames W. Forbes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An auto rack rail road car has a main deck and at least one upper deck for carrying automobiles. The auto rack rail road car is provided with short travel buff gear and a reduced slack, or slackless, coupler. Bridge plates are provided to span the space between adjacent coupled rail road cars. The bridge plates are able to remain in place during train motion. The bridge plates can be swung to a stowed position.
Claims34
An autorack rail road car comprising:
- a railcar body supported for rolling motion in a longitudinal direction;
- said body having a first end, a second end, and at least a first deck and a second deck for carrying automobiles extending between said first and second ends, said second deck being mounted above said first deck;
- said first and second decks being end loadable to permit circus loading thereof;
- a draft gear mounted to said railcar at said first end, and a releasable coupler mounted to said draft gear;
- said draft gear having a deflection of less than 2½ inches under a buff load of 500,000 lbs.
2 more elements
An auto rack rail road car comprising:
- a rail car body supported for rolling motion in a longitudinal direction;
- said body having a first end, a second end, and at least a first deck and a second deck for carrying automobiles extending between said first and second ends, said second deck being mounted above said first deck;
- said first and second decks being end loadable to permit circus loading thereof;
- a draft gear mounted to said railcar at said first end, and a releasable coupler mounted to said draft gear;
- said coupler having less longitudinal free slack than an AAR Type E coupler.
2 more elements
An auto rack rail road car comprising:
- a railcar body supported for rolling motion in a longitudinal direction;
- said body having a first end, a second end, and at least a first deck and a second deck for carrying automobiles extending between said first and second ends, said second deck being mounted above said first deck;
- said first and second decks being end loadable to permit circus loading thereof;
- a draft gear mounted to said railcar at said first end, and a releasable coupler mounted to said draft gear;
- a pair of left and right hand radial arm doors mounted to said first end of said rail car body, said doors being operable to control access to said decks of said auto rack rail road car;
- said doors being movable to an open position to permit loading of vehicles on said decks;
- and
- at least one of said doors having a deck access apparatus mounted thereto by which personnel can ascend said second deck.
5 more elements
A combination comprising:
- a first auto rack rail road car for carrying wheeled vehicles;
- a second auto rack rail road car for carrying wheeled vehicles;
- said first auto rack rail road car having a first coupler end, and a first releasable coupler mounted thereto;
- said second auto rack rail road car having a second coupler end, and a second releasable coupler mounted thereto;
- said first and second releasable couplers being mated to form a coupling;
- said first auto rack rail road car having a first deck upon which wheeled vehicles can be conducted, and another deck mounted thereabove upon which wheeled vehicles can be conducted;
- said second auto rack rail road car having a second deck upon which wheeled vehicles can be conducted, and an additional deck mounted thereabove upon which wheeled vehicles can be conducted;
- said first and second decks being longitudinally separated, a gap being defined therebetween;
- said first coupler end of said first rail road car having at least a first bridge plate mounting fitting;
- said second coupler end of said second rail road car having at least a second bridge plate mounting fitting;
- said first and second bridge plate mounting fittings being operable to engage bridge plates for spanning the gap to permit wheeled vehicles to be conducted between said first deck and said second deck;
- and
- said first rail road car having first draft gear mounted to said first end of said rail road car;
- said second rail road car having second draft gear mounted to said second end of said second rail road car;
- and
- said first and second draft gears each having less than 2½ inches of travel at 500,000 lbs., buff load.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.