Electronic weighing system and method for railcars with side bearing load cells adapted to be mounted to the bottom of the railcar body so as to flank the center plate load cell

A railcar having an on-board system for weighing a load of the railcar comprising:

• a) a body having a first end and a second end;
• b) a first set of wheels and a second set of wheels;
• c) a first truck assembly supporting the first end of the railcar body on the first set of wheels;
• d) a second truck assembly supporting the second end of the railcar body on the second set of wheels;
• e) a center plate load cell attached to the bottom of the railcar body at the first end of the railcar body and supporting the first end of the railcar body on the first truck assembly;
• f) a pair of side bearing load cells mounted to the bottom of the railcar body at the first end of the railcar body so as to flank the center plate load cell;
• g) a pair of side bearings positioned on a top surface of the first truck assembly in alignment with the pair of side bearing load cells;
• and
• h) circuitry for summing signals from the center plate load cell and the pair of side bearing load cells to provide a summed output corresponding to a weight of the load.