Cover system for open top rail cars

A method for loading and unloading an open top rail car pulled by an engine for transporting coal or other porous dust bearing materials, where the rail car has opposing long sidewalls and opposing shorter end walls, which together define an initially open interior, a bottom and an open top, the method comprising the steps of:

• transporting a plurality of the open top rail cars to a loading location;
• providing at least one pair of opposing A-frame sections mounted over the open top of each of the rail cars which together define an A-frame unit, each of the A-frame sections having a first, longitudinal edge generally aligned with one of the opposing long sidewalls of the car in a closed position, the A-frame section also having a second, longitudinal edge spaced apart from the first longitudinal edge and opposing intermediate edges which together form a discharge door opening for each of the A-frame sections;
• locating at least one discharge door in the discharge door opening of each A-frame section, the discharge door being mounted by a pivotal hinge along a longitudinal axis which is generally parallel to the first and second longitudinal edges of the respective associated A-frame section;
• providing a pivot-linkage mechanism associated with each of the respective A-frame sections for moving each A-frame section from the closed position to an open, loading position to allow coal or other porous dust bearing material to be loaded into the open interior of each of the cars;
• actuating the pivot-linkage move the A-frame sections to the open position and subsequently loading the rail cars;
• and thereafter moving the A-frame sections from the open, loading position to the closed position to protect the loaded coal from air flow while in motion and to improve fuel economy of the engine by the reduction of aerodynamic drag.