Single level enclosed railcar and method of manufacturing
AssigneeTTX Company
InventorsRichard W. Dawson, F. Andrew Nibouar, Ronald P. Sellberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of manufacturing a railcar having an enclosing superstructure which is capable of accommodating large vehicles such as semi-trucks is disclosed. The method includes the preparation of a previously used railcar or a railcar originally manufactured for another purpose and the subsequent attachment of a preferably widened superstructure applied thereto. Usable space and dimensions within the superstructure enclosure are maximized by the use of shallow weight bearing side structures, large top chords, stabilizing door headers, an extension of the railcar deck and thin end doors. Railcar accessories are accommodated within the interior of the superstructure such that minimal useful space is used.
Claims40
A method of manufacturing an enclosed railcar, comprising the steps of:
- providing an existing railcar, the existing railcar having at least a car deck, two side sills and two end sills;
- attaching a superstructure enclosure having at least one width extending bottom side chord along the two side sills of the railcar, wherein the superstructure is wider than the width of the existing railcar;
- and
- attaching a plurality of gussets to a side sill and an underside of at least one width extending bottom side chord.
A method of manufacturing an enclosed railcar, comprising the steps of:
- providing an existing railcar;
- modifying the existing railcar, the resulting modified railcar having a car deck, two side sills and two end sills;
- attaching a plurality of side assemblies to the modified railcar, wherein the side assemblies are constructed from at least one bottom side chord attached to the railcar, a plurality of shallow side posts attached to the at least one bottom side chord at least one large top chord attached to the plurality of side posts, and a plurality of side sheets adjoined to the plurality of side posts, the at least one bottom side chord and the at least one top chord;
- attaching a plurality of gussets joining the side sill to an underside of the at least one bottom side chord;
- attaching a roof substantially along the at least one large top chord;
- attaching at least one door header connecting the roof and the at least two side assemblies, the edge of the door header being substantially flush with the end sills;
- and
- attaching end doors to the side assemblies such that the end doors and side assemblies enclose the railcar.
A method of manufacturing an enclosed railcar comprising the steps of:
- providing an existing railcar, the railcar having a car deck, two side sills and two end sills;
- attaching a superstructure, having an interior and an exterior, to the railcar, the superstructure having a plurality of side assemblies, the side assemblies comprising at least one width extending bottom side chord, a plurality of gussets attached to at least one side sill and an underside of the bottom side chord, a plurality of shallow side posts attached to the at least one bottom side chord, at least one top chord attached to the plurality of side posts and a plurality of side sheets attached to the at least one bottom side chord, the plurality of side posts and the at least one top chord, and a roof connecting the two side assemblies.
An enclosed railcar comprising:
- an existing railcar, having a car deck, two side sills, and two end sills;
- and
- a superstructure including a at least one width extending bottom side chord attached to the railcar, at least one gusset attached to at least one side sill and an underside of the at least one bottom side chord, the superstructure having an interior and an exterior, wherein the width of the superstructure is greater than the width of the existing railcar.
An enclosed railcar comprising:
- an existing flat car having two side sills;
- and
- a superstructure including at least one width extending bottom side chord attached to the existing flat car, and at least one gusset attached to one side sill and to an underside of the width extending bottom side chord, wherein the superstructure defines an interior having a length no more than six inches less than the total length of the flat car, having a lateral interior width of no less than a foot narrower than the total exterior width of the flat car and having an interior height over fourteen feet.
A bridge plate storage assembly comprising:
- an enclosed railcar having a car deck, two side sills, two end sills, at least two end sill collars and an enclosing structure;
- at least two car deck collars attached to the car deck, wherein the at least two car deck collars are spaced such that a bridge plate could be placed in between and the two car deck collars being substantially aligned;
- a bridge plate removably attached to the car deck between the at least two car deck collars, the bridge plate being generally rectangular and having at least one receiving channel along an end of the bridge plate;
- a rod passing through the at least two car deck collars and the receiving channel of the bridge plate so as to secure the bridge plate to the car deck.
A method of manufacturing an enclosed railcar, comprising the steps of:
- providing an existing railcar, the existing railcar having at least a car deck, two side sills and two end sills;
- attaching a superstructure enclosure having a bottom side chord along the each side sill of the railcar, wherein the superstructure is at least as wide as the width of the existing railcar;
- and
- attaching at least one gusset to each side sill and to an underside of each bottom side chord.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.