Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02313741 2000-07-12
Attorney Docket:
49067/ 132
CANADA
INVENTOR: James W. Forbes
APPLICANT: National Steel Car Limited
TITLE: Rail Road Car with Cantilevered Articulation
TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
BE IT KNOWN THAT I, James W. Forbes
of 15 Glenron Road, R.R. #2, Campbellville, Ontario, Canada LOP 1B0,
Citizen of Canada,
have invented a : RAIL ROAD CAR WITH CANTILEVERED
ARTICULATION
of which the following is a specification.
20760211.4
.
CA 02313741 2000-07-12
RAIL CAR WITH CANTILEVERED ARTICULATION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
S This invention relates generally to articulated rail road cars.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The dimensions of rail road cars are constrained by a number of geometric
considerations. First, on tangent track (that is, straight track) a rail road
car can not be too
wide, otherwise it may foul the sides of bridges, tunnels, roadside fittings
such as
switches or signals, or other cars of the same size passing on an adjacent
track. Similarly,
rail cars cannot be taller than the minimum regulated heights of the lowest
bridges or
tunnels on the tracks along which it is to travel. Third, the weight a car can
carry is
limited by the capacity of the tracks, rails and road bed over which it is to
travel.
With reference to Figures la, lb, ld and le, on curved track, the relationship
between length and width is important. Traditionally, single unit rail road
cars A20 have
had a car body supported by a rail car truck A22, A24 at either end. The
mounting to a
standard two axle, four wheel truck is at a pivot at the truck center, A26.
The cars are
connected at a releasable coupler A28 in the commonly known manner. When such
a car
passes through a curve trucks A22, A24 follow the arc indicated by the track
centerline,
Sl, while the car body centerline between the truck centers forms a chord K of
the arc.
Chord K subtends an angle al of arc SI. This is shown , with exaggerated
proportions, in
Figure la. The track center line radius is indicated as Rl. At midspan between
the trucks,
the inside edge of the car follows a circular arc having a radius of curvature
indicated as
the limiting inside minimum radius R2. Car A20 is shown as having overhanging
end
portions A30 and A32 that extend longitudinally outboard of the respective
truck centers.
As car A20 passes through a curve the extreme outside corners of end portions
A30 and
A32 will follow along an outer radius, namely the limiting minimum outside
radius
indicated as R3.
For any curve, the longitudinal center line of the car, CL, at mid-span
between the
trucks will lie some distance, b, inward from the center of the track, as
indicated by 8,.
This distance b depends on the radius of curvature, Ri of the tracks, and the
distance
between truck centers, L,. As shown in Figure la, for a given dimension Ll, 8
increases
as the radius of curvature decreases, as indicated by R4. Alternatively, for a
fixed track
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radius Rl, as the truck center distance L, increases, 8 also increases. The
left hand
example of Figure la demonstrates this. For a track having a radius of
curvature R4, the
arc is identified as SZ. Placing two of rail road cars A20 on this track, the
chord length
remains x but the subtended angle, a~, is larger than al, and the distances
between the
inner and outer clearance radii, RS and R6, is greater than between RZ and R3,
with a
consequent increase in b form 81 to 82.
In North American service, the relationship of rail road car width and length,
and
the corresponding necessary reductions in width required as .truck center
distance
increases are set out by the American Association of Railroads (AAR) in
various AAR
standards. Cars to be used in interchangeable service are required to conform
to the AAR
standards. For all cars, including AAR plate 'C' cars, the limiting centerline
track radius,
Rl, is a standard minimum dimension of 5300.375 inches. For plate 'C' cars,
the limiting
minimum inside radius, RZ, is determined on the basis of a car ("the base
car") having a
truck center spacing of 46' - 3" (555 inches), and a maximum car width of 10' -
8" (128
inches). For this standard car, 81 is roughly 7.25 inches, so RZ is roughly
5229.12 inches.
For plate 'C' cars the limiting minimum outside radius, R3, is defined as
being greater
than Rl by the same amount as RZ is less than Rl. Thus, adding the 7.25 inch
offset, plus
half of the car width, namely 64 inches, gives an R3 of 5371.63 inches.
If car A20 is not to foul adjacent cars or adjacent structures while passing
through
curves, as the truck center length increases beyond 46' - 3", the width of the
car must
decrease correspondingly so the inside of the car at mid-span between the
trucks of the
car does not cut to the inside of RZ. The allowable width of a car for a given
truck center
distance can be calculated from this datum case. A different standard applies
for auto-
rack rail road cars, but the principles are the same. In AAR specification M-
950-A-99,
the maximum width of a bi-level auto-rack car having a length of 90' over the
strikers is
given as 119" at mid span, and 121" at the strikers. Typically such an auto-
rack has truck
centers on either 64' or 66' spacing. The limiting minimum inside radius, R2,
for this car
is 5226.06 inches and the limiting minimum outside radius, R3, is 5373.27" .
The
outside extreme corners A30, A32 must stay within R3. In some cases, for long
overhangs, the ends of the car must be narrowed.
Similarly, some types of inter-modal well cars are used for carrying
containers, or
for carrying highway trailers or a combination of the two. The well must be
wide enough
to accommodate either the highway trailers or the containers, as may be
required. Center
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beam cars, such as are commonly used for carrying stacked bundles of lumber
must have
wide enough bunks to carry standard widths of bundles.
Auto-rack rail road cars must be wide enough not only to carry automobiles,
but
they also must be wide enough to allow space for persons loading and unloading
the
automobiles to open the automobile doors and get in and out of the
automobiles. The
person loading the automobiles must also have sufficient space to walk beside
the
automobiles. When the clearance allowed is too small, the loading personnel
may
inadvertently damage the finish of the automobiles, giving rise to damage
claims.
Alternatively, it may be that it is helpful, or necessary, to allow a
clearance envelope to
accommodate motion of the lading during travel. In each case, it is helpful to
lengthen
the car to increase lading, but such lengthening is limited by the need to
maintain a car
body width.
Conventionally, articulated rail road cars have two or more rail car units
permanently connected to each other such that one rail car truck is shared
between two
adjoining rail car units. Typically, an articulated rail road car having a
number of rail car
units 'n' is supported on 'n + 1' trucks. An articulation connection is a
permanent
connection unlike a hitch or standard releasable coupling that can be coupled
and
uncoupled each time a new train consist is made up in a shunting yard. By
contrast, an
articulated connector, once assembled, tends only to be taken apart during
repair or
replacement at a workshop, and is considered a permanent connection.
In Figure 1 b, an articulated rail road car B20 has first and second rail car
units
B22 and B24. They are joined at their respective inboard ends B26 and B28 by
an
articulation connection B30 mounted directly above the truck center of a four
wheel truck
B32 that is shared between units B22 and B24. The track radius is shown as Rl.
The
allowable inside radius is shown as RZ. The allowable outside radius is shown
as R3. The
extreme corners of outboard ends B34 and B36 fall just within radius R3. When
articulated truck B32 is used, while the inside of the body of car B20 is
tangent to radius
RZ, there is clearance between the outermost extremities of inboard ends B26
and B28.
This occurs because truck B32, is constrained to follow the tracks, and there
is no
overhang of either unit B22 or unit B24 at truck B32 comparable to the
overhang at each
of the outboard ends B34 and B36.
Further, in the example of Figure lb, a vertically downward shear load is
passed
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from each of car units B22 and B24 into articulation connection B30, and then
directly
into the truck bolster of truck B32. That is, each of the car units B22 and
B24
approximates a span having a simple support at each end into which the
vertical shear
load, but no bending moment, is passed for reaction through the trucks, and
ultimately, by
the road bed lying underneath the rails. It will be appreciated that in a
multi-unit
articulated car having three or more car units, at least one unit will have an
articulation
connection under both ends.
Figure ld shows a three-unit articulated rail road car C20, having a middle
rail car
unit C22 and end rail car units C24 and C26. As in Figure lb, rail road car
C20 is shown
on a section of track having centerline radius Rl, minimum inside clearance
radius R1,
and minimum outside clearance radius R3. As before, the truck center distance
is Ll, and
the mid-span lateral inset of the longitudinal centerline of rail car unit C22
(and, in this
example, also of rail car units C24 and C26), is again 81. As above, car unit
C22 is
joined to car units C24 and C26 by respective articulated connectors C28 and
C30 whose
points of articulation lie directly above corresponding shared trucks C32 and
C34. It can
be seen that the outside corners C36 and C38 of car unit C22, and corners C40
and C42
of car units C24 and C26 lie well inward of outside radius R3.
The rail road cars shown in Figures la, lb and ld have pivoting, two axle,
four-
wheel ducks that pivot relative the longitudinal centerlines of the respective
car bodies.
This permits the truck to run along the arc while the car body forms a chord
of the arc, the
chord meeting the track centerline at an angle. Single truck railcars are
known,
particularly in light-weight service as for passenger car train sets where the
individual
axle loading levels tend to be low relative to the customary load limits of
freight cars.
The use of single axle trucks in an articulated freight car may tend to be
disadvantageous.
First, a single axle truck is generally fixed relative to the car body. If
allowed to pivot
freely in the manner of a double axle truck, a single axle truck would not
necessarily
continue to follow the rails. However, as car length increases, fixed
orientation single
axle trucks face an increasing angle of attack relative to the rails when
running through a
curve. Consequently, single axle trucks tend not to be recommended for rail
cars having a
separation of more than about 39 feet between trucks. However, the issue of
having to
reduce the width of the rail road car occurs when the truck centers are
already more than
46 ft. 3 in. apart. Second, a single axle truck cannot, in general, carry the
same load as a
double axle truck having comparable wheels. While single axle trucks may be
suitable
for the carriage of short, light passenger cars, the length and greater lading
of freight cars
tends to require double axle trucks.
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As noted, in the arrangement shown in Figure lb, the articulated rail car
units are
able to pivot relative to the shared truck, and relative to each other. There
is a permanent
articulated connector, having a male member and female socket. The articulated
connector has a pivot axis that is generally located directly above the center
of the shared
truck, such that the pivot point of the socket is coincident with the truck
center when
viewed from above. In this type of arrangement, the pivot point tends always
to lie
directly above the centerline of the track. One type of articulated connector
is shown in
U.S. Patent 4,336,758 of Radwill, issued June 29, 1982, in which the main pin
is
nominally vertical. Another type of articulation connection is shown in U.S.
Patent
5,271,$11 of Daugherty, Jr., issued Dec. 21, 1993 in which a main pin, in the
nature of a
removable shaft, is nominally horizontal.
One advantage of articulated connections is that they tend to take up less
longitudinal space than common interchangeable couplers. In one application, a
number
of large automobile manufacturing facilities have a loading siding length that
is chosen to
handle a string of cars, whether articulated or otherwise, or some combination
thereof, up
to a limit of 500 ft. in length. One automobile manufacturer would like to be
able to load
4 automobiles of a type having a length of 239" (or less), or five compact
automobiles on
a single auto rack car, or, in the case of an articulated car, on a single car
unit. When
standard releasable couplers are used on stand alone cars, a 500 ft siding can
accommodate 5 rail cars with an overall length of roughly 470', with a total
capacity on a
single deck level of 20 automobiles of 239 inch length each. A pair of three-
pack
articulated rail road cars made according to the present invention may tend to
permit a six
unit rail road car to be accommodated on a 500 ft siding with a total capacity
on a single
deck level of 24 automobiles of 239 inch length each.
Another advantage is that articulated couplers tend to be slackless couplers.
This
tends to reduce the longitudinal shock load transmitted during run-in and run-
out, and
during shunting. Other types of slackless coupling exist other than
articulated couplings.
For example, it is possible to use a draw bar between cars, as shown, for
example, in U.S.
Patent 4,929,132 of Yeates et al., issued May 29, 1990.
A draw bar is a bar of fixed length that is connected at pivot points at
either end to
adjacent rail car units on either side. A draw bar reduces the clearance
required between
the car units as compared to releasable couplers, but cannot be used to
transmit a shear
load. That is, it may not tend to be advantageous to try to pass a vertical
shear load
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through a draw bar. Thus use of a draw bar rather than an articulated
connector generally
requires that there be an adjacent truck mounted to each of the rail car
units, with the
consequent increase in weight, length, maintenance, and expense.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In an aspect of the invention there is an articulated rail road freight car
having first
and second rail car units connected at a cantilevered articulation.
In an additional feature of that aspect of the invention, each of the first
and second
rail car units has at least one deck upon which vehicles can be loaded. In
another
additional feature, the freight car has at least one member mounted to permit
vehicles to
be conducted between said first and second rail car units. In another
additional feature,
the freight car is an auto rack car having bridge plates mounted to permit
automobiles to
be conducted between rail car units. In another feature, the freight car is a
three pack rail
road car having a two truck middle unit and a pair of single truck end units.
In another aspect of the invention, there is an articulated rail road car
having a
plurality of rail car unit bodies carried on a plurality of rail car trucks,
the rolling direction
of the rail road car defining a longitudinal direction, the plurality of rail
car bodies
including a first rail car unit body and a second rail car unit body connected
together at an
articulation connection, the rail car trucks including a first rail car truck
located closer to
the articulation connection than any other, the first rail car truck being
pivotally mounted
to the first rail car body, and the articulation connection being
eccentrically mounted
relative to the first truck. In an additional feature of that aspect of the
invention, the truck
is a two axle truck mounted to pivot about a vertical truck center axis
relative to the first
car body, and the articulation connection is cantilevered longitudinally
relative to the
truck center.
In another aspect of the invention, there is an articulated rail road car, the
car
having a rolling direction defining a longitudinal direction on tangent track.
The rail road
car has first and second rail car units, and a plurality of rail car trucks
upon which the
railroad car is carried. The first and second rail car units are connected at
an articulation
connection. One of the rail car trucks is closest to the articulation
connection, the closest
rail car truck being mounted to the first rail car unit, and the articulation
connection is
mounted longitudinally eccentrically relative to the closest rail car truck.
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In an additional feature of that aspect, the closest rail car truck is a two
axle truck.
In another additional feature, the first rail car unit has a body, and the
closest rail car truck
is mounted to pivot about a vertical truck center axis relative to the body of
the first rail
3 car unit. In another additional feature, the articulated connection has a
first portion
mounted to the first rail car unit, and a mating second portion mounted to the
second rail
car unit, the first and second portions meeting on a bearing interface
defining a portion of
a spherical surface. In still another additional feature, the articulation
connection has a
first portion rigidly mounted to the first rail car unit, and a mating second
portion
mounted to the second rail car unit, the articulation connection being capable
of
transferring a vertical shear load from the second portion to the first
portion.
In another aspect of the invention, there is an articulated rail road car, the
rail
road car having a rolling direction on tangent track defining a longitudinal
direction. The
articulated rail road car includes first and second rail car units joined at
an articulated
connection. The first rail car unit has a first end proximate to the
articulated connection,
and a second end distant from the articulated connection. The first car unit
has a first rail
car truck pivotally mounted thereunder. The first rail car truck is located
closer to the
first end of the first rail car unit than to the second end of the first rail
car unit, and the
articulated connection is longitudinally eccentric relative to the first rail
car truck.
In an additional feature of that aspect of the invention, the second rail car
unit has
a first end proximate to the articulated connection, and a second end distant
from the
articulated connection. The second rail car unit has a second rail car truck
mounted
thereunder. The second rail car truck is located closer to the second end of
the second rail
car unit than to the first end of the second rail car unit, and the second
rail car unit is free
of rail car trucks between the articulation connection and the second rail car
truck. In a
further additional feature, the articulation connection is a first
articulation connection, and
the rail road car has a third rail car unit joined to the second rail car unit
at a second
articulation connection.
In a further feature, the second articulation connection is mounted
eccentrically
relative to the second rail car truck. In still another additional feature,
one articulation
connection is a first articulation connection. The rail road car has a third
rail car unit
joined to the second rail car unit at a second articulation connection. The
third rail car
unit has a first end proximate to the second articulated connection, and a
second end
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distant from the second articulated connection. The third car unit has a
second rail car
truck mounted thereunder, the second rail car truck being located closer to
the first end of
the third rail car unit than to the second end of the third rail car unit, and
the second
articulated connection is longitudinally eccentric relative to the second rail
car truck.
In another additional feature, the rail road car is free of trucks between the
first
articulation connection and the second articulation connection. In still
another feature the
rail road car is free of trucks between the first and second trucks. In a
further feature, the
first rail car unit is supported by a second rail car truck, and the second
rail car truck is
located closer to the second end of the first rail car unit than to the second
end of the first
rail car unit. In still another feature, the articulation connection is a
first articulation
connection, and the rail road car includes a third rail car unit joined to the
second end of
the first rail car unit at a second articulation connection. In a still
further feature, the
second rail car truck is mounted underneath the first rail car unit, and the
second
articulation connection is longitudinally eccentrically located relative to
the second rail
car truck. In yet another additional feature, the first car unit is the middle
car unit of a
three unit pack. In another additional feature, the second and third rail car
units each have
a near end proximate to the first car unit, and a far end distant from the
first car unit, and
each of the second and third car units is supported by a respective rail car
truck mounted
closer to the far end than to the near end thereof.
In an additional feature of the invention, the rail car truck has a first pair
of wheels
mounted on a first axle, and a second pair of wheels mounted on a second axle.
The first
axle is longitudinally outboard relative to the second axle, and the
articulation connection
is longitudinally outboard relative to the first axle. In another additional
feature, the first
car unit has side bearing arms extending from the first end thereof toward the
second car
unit, and the second car unit has side bearing arms extending therefrom to
engage the side
bearing arms of the first car unit. In a further additional feature the side
bearing arms of
the first car unit have bearing surfaces facing upward, and the side bearing
arms of the
second car unit have bearing surfaces facing downward.
In another additional feature the first car unit has a main bolster mounted
over the
first truck, and a center sill extending longitudinally outboard therefrom.
The center sill
has a distal end longitudinally distant from the main bolster, and the
articulation
connection is mounted to the distal end of the center sill. In still another
feature, the
center sill is a stub sill. In a further additional feature, first rail car
unit has a well
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intermediate the first and second ends thereof.
In an alternate additional feature, the first unit has a main bolster mounted
above
the first truck, a center sill extending longitudinally outboard of the first
truck toward the
second rail car unit. An endmost lateral structural member, (whether an end
bolster or
and end sill), extends transversely relative to the center sill, the endmost
lateral structural
member being located longitudinally outboard of the main bolster, and the
center sill has
a distal end outboard of the endmost lateral structural member to which the
articulation
connection is mounted. In an additional feature, the first car unit has
longitudinally
extending members located transversely outboard and to either side of the
center sill. The
longitudinally extending members run between the main bolster and the endmost
lateral
structural member. The longitudinally extending members extend longitudinally
beyond
the endmost lateral structural member to define a first pair of side bearing
arms. The
second car unit has a second pair of side bearing arms mounted thereto,
located to engage
1 ~ the first pair of side bearing arms.
In another additional feature, the first car unit has longitudinally extending
side
sills connected to the main bolster and the end bolster. The first car unit
has
longitudinally extending members each located intermediate the center sill and
a
respective one of the side sills. The longitudinally extending members run
between the
main bolster and the end bolster. The longitudinally extending members extend
longitudinally outboard beyond the end bolster to define a first pair of side
bearing arms;
and the second car unit has a second pair of side bearing arms mounted
thereto, located to
engage the first pair of side bearing arms.
In another aspect of the invention there is an articulated rail road car
having first
and second rail car units joined at an articulation connection. The first rail
car unit has a
first end proximate the articulation connection and a second end distant from
the
articulation connection. The first rail car unit is mounted upon a pair of
first and second
rail car trucks located under the first and second ends of the first rail car
unit respectively
and being pivotable relative thereto about truck center axes. The first rail
car unit has a
pair of first and second main bolsters located at either end thereof, the main
bolsters being
mounted over the first and second rail car trucks respectively. The rail car
has structure
connected to maintain the main bolsters in position relative to each other.
The first rail
car unit has a center sill extending outboard of the first main bolster toward
the second
rail car unit, the center sill having an outboard end. The articulation
connection is
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mounted to the outboard end of the center sill.
In an additional feature of that aspect of the invention, the second rail car
unit has
a first end proximate the articulation connection and a second end distant
from the
articulation connection. The second rail car unit is mounted upon a third rail
car truck
located under the second end of the second rail car unit, and the second rail
car unit is free
of trucks between the third rail car truck and the articulation connection. In
an additional
feature of that additional feature, the articulated connection is a first
articulation
connection. The rail road car has a third rail car unit connected to the
second rail car unit
at a second articulation connection. The second rail car unit has a main
bolster mounted
above the third rail car truck. The second rail car unit has a center sill
extending outboard
of the third rail car truck toward the third rail car unit. The center sill of
the second rail
car truck having a distal end distant from the third truck, and the second
articulation
connection is mounted to the distal end of the center sill of the second rail
car unit.
In another additional feature, the third rail car unit has a first end
proximate the
second articulation connection and a second end distant from the second
articulation
connection. The third rail car unit is mounted upon a fourth rail car truck
located under
the second end of the third rail car unit, and the third rail car unit is free
of trucks between
the fourth rail car truck and the second articulation connection.
In another additional feature, the articulation connection is a first
articulation
connection, the outboard end of the center sill is a first end thereof, and
the rail road car
has a third rail car unit connected to the second end of the first rail car
unit at a second
articulation connection. In still another additional feature, the center sill
is a through
center sill having a second end located outboard of the second main bolster,
and the
second articulation connection is mounted to the second end of the center
sill.
In a still further additional feature, the third rail car unit has a first end
proximate
the second articulation connection and a second end distant from the second
articulation
connection. The third rail car unit is mounted upon a fourth rail car truck
located under
the second end of the third rail car unit, and the third rail car unit is free
of trucks between
the fourth rail car truck and the second articulation connection.
In another aspect of the invention, there is an articulated rail road car
having a
number of rail car units. The units include at least a first rail car unit, a
second rail car
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unit, and a third rail car unit, the second rail car unit lying between the
first and third rail
car units. The articulated rail road car has a number of rail car trucks
mounted to support
the rail car units, the number of rail car trucks being equal to the number of
rail car units
plus one. The first rail car unit is connected to the second rail car unit at
a first
articulation connection. The second rail car unit is connected to the third
rail car unit at a
second articulation connection. None of the rail car trucks is mounted
centrally under
either of the first and second articulation connections.
In an additional feature of that aspect of the invention, the rail road car is
free of
trucks between the first and second articulation connections. In a further
feature, each of
the first and second rail car units is supported by a spaced apart pair of the
rail car trucks
mounted thereunder. In a still further feature, each of the first and third
rail car units has
a cantilever member extending toward the second rail car unit, and the first
and second
articulation connections are mounted respectively to the cantilever members of
the first
and third rail car units. In a still further feature, a fourth rail car unit
is connected to the
third rail car unit at a third articulated connection. The third rail car unit
has a first end
adjacent the second articulation connection and a second end adjacent the
third
articulation connection. The first rail car unit is supported by a pair of the
rail car trucks,
namely first and second spaced apart rail car trucks mounted thereunder. A
third one of
the rail car trucks is mounted under the first end of the third rail car unit.
In still another
feature, a fourth rail car unit is connected to the first rail car unit at a
third articulated
connection. A fifth rail car unit is connected to the third rail car unit at a
fourth
articulated connection. The first rail car unit has a first end adjacent the
first articulation
connection and a second end adjacent the third articulation connection. The
third rail car
unit has a first end adjacent the second articulation connection and a second
end adjacent
the fourth articulation connection. A first of the rail car trucks is mounted
under the first
end of the first rail car unit. A second of the rail car trucks is mounted
under the first end
of the third rail car unit.
In a still further aspect of the invention, there is an articulated rail road
car
wherein, when standing on tangent track, the rail road car has a first rail
car unit and a
second rail car unit. The first and second rail car units are joined at an
articulated
connection. Each of the first and second rail car units has a proximal end
near the
articulated connection, and a distal end lying far from the articulated
connection. The
distal end of the first rail car unit is supported by a first rail car truck.
The distal end of
the second rail car unit is supported by a second rail car truck. A third rail
car truck is
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mounted to the rail road car between the first and second trucks. The rail
road car is free
of trucks between the first and second trucks other than the third truck. The
third truck is
spaced from the first truck a first distance, Di. The articulation connection
is spaced from
the first truck a second distance, DZ. The first distance, Dl, is less than
the second
distance, DZ.
In an additional feature of that aspect of the invention, the third truck is
spaced
from the second truck a third distance, D3, and D3 is different from Dl. In a
further
feature, D3 is greater than D,. In an alternative feature, the third truck is
spaced from the
articulated connection a third distance, D3. The second truck is spaced from
the
articulated connection a fourth distance, D4, and D4 is greater than D3. In a
further
feature, the third rail car truck is pivotally mounted to the first rail car
unit and the first
distance, Dl;, is greater than 46 ft. - 3 in.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure la shows a conceptual top view of two rail road cars on curved tracks;
Figure lb shows a conventional two-unit articulated rail road car on a curved
track;
Figure lc shows a conceptual top view of a two unit articulated rail road car
according to the present invention, on a curved track;
Figure ld shows a conventional three-unit articulated rail road car on a
curved track;
Figure le shows a three unit articulated rail road car, an alternative to the
two-unit
articulated rail road car of Figure 1 c, on curved track;
Figure if is a comparison view of the three unit articulated rail road cars of
Figures
ld and le;
Figure lg is a conceptual view of a part of the rail road car of Figure ld;
Figure lh is a further conceptual view of the rail road car of Figure ld;
Figure 2a shows a side view of the two unit articulated rail road car of
Figure lc as
on straight track;
Figure 2b shows a top view of the rail road car of Figure lc as on straight
track;
Figure 2c shows a cross-section of an illustrative articulated connector
suitable for
use the articulated rail road car of Figure 2a;
Figure 3a shows a side view of a three unit articulated rail road car, being
an
alternate embodiment of articulated rail road car to that of Figure 2a;
Figure 3b shows a side view of an alternate three unit rail road car to Figure
3a;
Figure 3c shows a side view of another alternate three unit rail road car to
Figure 3a;
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Figure 4a shows a side view of a four unit articulated rail road car, being an
alternate
embodiment of articulated rail road car to that of Figure 2a;
Figure 4b shows a side view of an alternate four unit articulated rail road
car to the
articulated rail road car of Figure 4a;
Figure 4c shows a side view of another alternate four unit articulated rail
road car to
the articulated rail road car of Figure 4a;
Figure 4d shows a side view of a further alternate four unit articulated rail
road car to
the articulated rail road car of Figure 4a;
Figure 5a shows a side view of a five unit articulated rail road car, being an
alternate
embodiment of articulated rail road car to that of Figure 2a;
Figure Sb shows a side view of an alternate five unit articulated rail road
car to the
articulated rail road car of Figure 5a;
Figure 5c shows a side view of another alternate five unit articulated rail
road car to
the articulated rail road car of Figure Sa;
Figure Sd shows a side view of a further alternate five unit articulated rail
road car to
the articulated rail road car of Figure Sa;
Figure Se shows a side view of still another alternate five unit articulated
rail road car
to the articulated rail road car of Figure Sa;
Figure 6a shows a side view of a two unit articulated auto-rack rail car
having the
truck layout of the articulated rail road car of Figure 2a;
Figure 6b shows a side view detail of the auto-rack rail road car of Figure
6a;
Figure 6c shows a top view detail of the auto-rack rail road car of Figure 6a;
Figure 6d shows a cross-section at the main bolster of the auto rack rail road
car of
Figure 6a;
Figure 6e shows an alternate cross-sectional view to that of Figure 6d;
Figure 6f shows an alternate two unit articulated autorack rail road car to
that of
Figure 6a, the rail car units thereof having depressed center portions;
Figure 7a shows a side view of a three unit articulated auto-rack rail road
car having
the truck layout of the articulated rail road car of Figure 3c;
Figure 7b shows a side view of an alternate three unit rail road car to Figure
7a;
Figure 8a shows a side view of a four unit articulated rail road car analogous
to the
two unit articulated rail road car of Figure 6a;
Figure 8b shows a side view of an alternate four unit articulated rail road
car to the
articulated rail road car of Figure 8a;
Figure 9a shows a shortened top view of an articulated well car end unit
analogous to
an end unit of the two unit articulated rail road car of Figure 2a;
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Figure 9b shows a shortened side view of the articulated well car end unit of
Figure
9a;
Figure 9c shows a shortened view of a mating articulated well car end unit to
the end
unit of Figure 9a; and
Figure 9d shows a side view of the shortened end unit of Figure 9c.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The description which follows, and the embodiments described therein, are
provided by way of illustration of an example, or examples of particular
embodiments of
the principles of the present invention. These examples are provided for the
purposes of
explanation, and not of limitation, of those principles and of the invention.
In the
description which follows, like parts are marked throughout the specification
and the
drawings with the same respective reference numerals.
In terms of general orientation and directional nomenclature, for each of the
rail
road cars described herein, the longitudinal direction is defined as being
coincident with
the rolling direction of the car, or car unit, when located on tangent (that
is, straight)
track. In the case of a car having a center sill, whether a through center
sill or stub center
sill, the longitudinal direction is parallel to the center sill, and parallel
to the side sills, if
any. Unless otherwise noted, vertical, or upward and downward are terms that
use top of
rail TOR as a datum. The term lateral, or laterally outboard, refers to a
cross-wise
distance or orientation relative to the longitudinal centerline of the rail
road car, or car
unit, indicated as CL - Rail Car. The term "longitudinally inboard", or
"longitudinally
outboard" is a lengthwise distance taken relative to a mid-span lateral
section of the car,
or car unit.
An articulated rail car is indicated in Figure lc and Figures 2a and 2b
generally as
20. Car 20 is preferably an auto-rack rail road car, but could be another type
of rail road
freight car, such as a well car, a gondola car, a center-beam car, a spine
car, a flat car, a box
car, or other type of rail road car. It has a first rail car unit 22 and a
second rail car unit 24.
They are joined by a connection that may be conceptually idealised as a pin
joint capable of
transferring a longitudinal axial load and a shear load in any of two axes,
but not a bending
moment, in the nature of an articulation connection 26 located between units
22 and 24.
First rail car unit 22 has a pair of first and second ends, 28 and 30, that
are, respectively,
proximate to and distant from articulation connection 26. Second rail car unit
24 has two
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ends, 32 and 34 that are, similarly, proximate and distal ends respectively
relative to
articulation connection 26. Rail car unit 22 is carried upon, and supported
by, two
longitudinally spaced rail car trucks 36 and 38 that are located under
respective first and
second ends 28 and 30. The nominal vertically extending pivot axis of
articulation
S connection 26 is indicated as a centerline, 'CL - Pivot'. The truck centers
are each indicated
as 'CL - Truck'. The mid-span centerline of unit 22 is indicated as 'CL -
Transverse'.
Second rail car unit 24 is supported at its distal end on a single truck 40,
located
under distal end 34. That is, truck 40 is located closer to distal end 34 of
rail car unit 24, than
I0 to proximal end 32 of rail car unit 24. Support for proximal end 32 is
provided through
articulation connection 26. Notably, articulation connection 26 is not mounted
directly
upon, or above, a truck, but rather is carried at the end of a cantilever 41
extending
longitudinally from truck 36 toward rail car unit 24. As can be seen, rail
road car 20 is
free of trucks between truck 36 and truck 40, and hence between articulation
connection
1 S 26 and truck 40.
Each of trucks 36, 38 and 40 is a double axle truck of customary North
American
construction, having a truck bolster extending perpendicular to the rail road
track, a pair
of side frames mounted to the laterally outboard ends of the bolster, and two
pairs of
20 wheels, each pair of wheels being mounted on a respective one of a pair of
spaced apart
axles carried in the side frames. Each of trucks 36, 38 and 40 is free to
pivot, or swivel,
about the vertical axis of the truck center relative to the body of its
respective rail car unit
generally, as may be determined by its path along the rails. For example,
truck 36 has
two axles, a first axle 42 and a second axle 44 spaced equally to either side
of the truck
25 center. Axle 42 lies longitudinally inboard of axle 44 relative to the body
46 of first car
unit 22. Car body 46 has an overhanging portion 48 extending outboard of the
truck
center of truck 36, between truck 36 and articulation connection 26. Other
types of truck
are known, such as three axle trucks and single axle trucks, and could be used
in place of
truck 36. Steerable trucks are a included among the other types of trucks.
For the purposes of the present description, unless otherwise stated,
distances are
measured between the various pivot and truck centers. The distance between the
truck
centers of trucks 36 and 38 is indicated in Figure 2a as Dl. The distance from
the truck
center of truck 36 to articulation connection 26, namely the cantilever
distance, is shown
as DZ. The distance from articulation connection 26 to the truck center of
truck 40 is
indicated as D3. The distance between the truck centers of trucks 36 and 40,
when car 20
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is sitting on tangent (i.e., straight) track is indicated as D4. The truck
arrangement is
asymmetric relative to articulation connection 26. That is, Dl is not equal to
the distance
between truck 38 and articulation connection 26, (as it would be, for example,
with a
conventional shared truck located beneath the articulated connector,
symmetrically
between two rail car bodies). The difference in distance is the length of
cantilever 41,
that is, D~. Similarly, in the illustrated embodiment of Figure 2a, D3 equals
Dl plus D2,
although in the general case this need not be so.
As noted above, the cantilever distance DZ is measured from (a) the pivot
connection of truck 36 (that is, the truck center of truck 36) to (b) the
pivot axis, CL -
Pivot, of articulation connection 26. As is evident, the pivot axis is neither
longitudinally
co-incident with the truck center of the nearest adjacent truck, namely truck
36, nor is it
carried over the body of truck 36, nor over any other truck. Rather, not only
is the pivot
axis, CL - Pivot, longitudinally eccentric relative to the closest truck
center, namely that
of truck 36, but moreover, it is cantilevered longitudinally outboard of axle
44, and of
truck 36 entirely. The structure of car body 46 is such as to permit the
vertical shear load
passed from second rail car unit 24 through articulation connection 26 to be
carried to
truck 38.
In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2a, a rigid center sill 45 is mounted
to car
body 46, and runs longitudinally inboard above truck 36. Generally, the center
sill can be
either (a) a through center sill extending fully from articulated connection
26 to coupler
47 at the distal end of first car unit 22, running above both truck 36 and
truck 38; or (b)
alternatively, it can be a stub center sill, as may be advantageous to permit
a well to be
defined between first and second ends 28 and 30, with another stub sill being
mounted
over truck 38 and extending outwardly thereof to a distal erid having
releasable coupler
47 mounted thereto. Coupler 47, and all other releasable couplers described
herein, are of
a type such as to permit, for example, interchangeable service with rail road
freight cars
in general service in North America. Similarly, rail car unit 24 has a rigid
straight-
through center sill 49 running inboard of a releasable coupler 47, above truck
40, to
articulation connection 26.
Articulation connection 26 (and the other articulated connections noted
herein) is
preferably a steel articulated connector, indicated generally in Figure 2c as
50, similar to
those commonly available from manufacturers such as Westinghouse Air Brake
(WABCO) of Wilmerding Pa., or American Steel Foundries (ASF), also known as
Amsted
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Industries Inc., of Chicago Il. The general form of one type of articulated
connector (with a
vertical pin) is shown, for example, in US Patent 4,336,758 of Radwill, issued
June 29,
1982. In general, this kind of permanent, articulated connection has a female
member, in the
nature of a female socket 52 mounted to a center sill of one articulated rail
car unit (in this
instance center sill 45 of unit 22), and a male member 54 mounted to an
adjacent rail car
unit, (in this instance center sill 49 of unit 24), as shown in Figure 2c.
Figure 2c is not
necessarily to scale, and may not show all detail features of an articulated
connector. It is
provided for the purposes of conceptual illustration.
Male member 54 has an extension, or nose, 56 that seats in female socket 52. A
main pivot pin 58 extends through a bore defined in top plate 60 of socket 52,
through a
bore, or passage 62 in male member 54, and through the base plate 64 of female
socket 52.
Pivot pin 58 is nominally vertical. That is, on straight, level track pin 58
is vertical. In a
conventional arrangement in which the articulated connection is mounted over a
truck,
another pin may extend from blind bore 65 of pin 58 to seat in the central
bore in the truck
center plate. Notably, in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2b, pin 58 is
not supported
over a truck.
Male member 54 has three rotational degrees of freedom relative to female
socket
52. First, it can yaw about the main pivot axis, as when the car units
negotiate a bend or
switch. Second, it can pitch about a transverse horizontal axis, as when the
car units change
slope at the trough of a valley or the crest of a grade. Third, the car units
can roll relative to
each other, as when entering or leaving super-elevated cross-level track,
(that is, banked
track). It is not intended that male member 54 have any translational degrees
of freedom
relative to female socket 52, such that a vertically downward shear load V can
be transferred
from male member 54 into female socket 52, with little or no longitudinal or
lateral play. To
permit these motions, female socket 52 has spherical seat 66 having an
upwardly facing
bearing surface describing a portion of a spherical surface. Another mating
spherical
annular member 68 sits atop seat 66, and has a mating, downwardly facing,
bearing surface
describing a portion of a sphere such that a spherical bearing surface
interface is created.
Member 68 also has an upwardly facing surface upon which male member 54 sits.
An insert
70 has a cylindrical interface lying against pin 58, and a spherical surface
that engages a
mating spherical surface of passage 62 lying on the inside face of nose 56. A
wedge 72 and
wear plate 74 are located between nose 56 and the inner wall, or groin, 76, of
female socket
52. Wear plate 74 has a vertical face bearing against wedge 72, and a
spherical face bearing
against a mating external spherical face of nose 56. Wedge 72 bears against
wear plate 74,
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as noted, and also has a tapered face bearing against a corresponding tapered
face of groin
76. The tapers are formed such that as wear occurs, gravity will tend to urge
wedge 72
downwardly, tending to cause articulated connector 50 to be longitudinally
slackless.
S In the example of Figures 2a and 2b, it is preferred that male member 54 be
mounted
to the end of the center sill (e.g., 49) of the car unit end that does not
have a truck, such as
end 32 of car unit 24, and that female socket 52 be mounted to center sill 45
of the two-truck
car unit 22. In this way the vertical shear from car unit 24 is transferred
into the cantilevered
overhang of car unit 22 through the spherical interface. By way of an
alternative, it appears
that in principle, male member 54 could be mounted inversely on car unit 22,
and female
socket 54 could be mounted inversely on car unit 24, with appropriate changes
in the
location and orientation of the annular members and spherical interfaces, and
in the
operation of the wedge and wear plate. However, for simplicity, it is
advantageous to use
existing articulated connectors, installed in the upright orientation
addressed above.
The scope of the allowable roll of one car unit relative to the next adjacent
car unit is
limited by a pair of side-bearing arms 61, 63 mounted to rail car unit 22, and
mating side-
bearing arms 65, 67 mounted to rail car unit 24. In Figures 2a and 2b, side
bearing arms 61,
63 and 65, 67 are shown at a higher elevation than articulation connection 26.
This is done
for the purposes of conceptual illustration only. In general, side bearing
arms tend to be
mounted at a height at which their bearing interfaces lie in, or are roughly
level with, the
horizontal plane (when the cars units are sitting on straight, level track)
passing through the
center of curvature of the spherical surfaces of the articulated connector.
All of the rail road
car embodiments described herein employ side-bearing arms, the side bearing
arms of the
adjacent first and second rail car units being mutually engaging. The side
bearing arms have
been omitted, for clarity, from Figures 3a to Se, 6a, 6f, and 7a to 8b.
In the embodiment of Figure 3a, an articulated rail road car 80 has first,
second,
and third rail car units 82, 84, and 86. Rail car units 82 and 84 are joined
together by an
articulation connection 88, the female portion, or socket being mounted to
unit 82, and
the male portion being mounted to unit 84. Rail car units 84 and 86 are also
joined
together by an articulation connection 90, the female portion of connector 90
being
mounted to unit 84, and the male portion being mounted to unit 86. Rail car
unit 82 is
substantially the same as rail car unit 22 described above. Rail car unit 84
is substantially
the same as rail car unit 24 described above, but has articulation connections
mounted at
both ends, namely 88 and 90. Rail car unit 86 is substantially the same as
rail car unit 24.
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It will be understood that additional rail car units having articulation
connections at both
ends, such as rail car unit 84, can be added intermediate rail car end units
having one
releasable coupler end, such as rail car units 82 and 86, to yield a longer
string of rail car
units. A four-unit rail road car having a further intermediate unit 84,
example is shown in
Figure 4a as 92. A 5-unit rail road car having three intermediate units 84 is
shown in
Figure 5a as 94.
In the embodiment of Figure 3b, an articulated three-pack rail road car is
indicated
generally as 100. It has a middle unit 102 and a pair of first and second end
units 104 and
106. Middle unit 102 is substantially similar to unit 22 described above.
However, it
differs in having cantilevered articulation connections 26 mounted at both
ends of a
through center sill 108. Each of end units 104 and 106 is a single truck unit
substantially
the same as unit 24 described above. Middle unit 102 is a two truck unit, and
can be
thought of conceptually as a car unit made up of two articulation connection
ends joined
together. Each of the ends of unit 102 has a female portion of respective
articulations
connection 26, the corresponding male portions being mounted on units 104 and
106.
Articulation connections 26 are mounted longitudinally outboard of respective
first and
second two-axle, four wheel swivel mounted (i.e., pivoting) trucks 112 and
114. As
above, the pivot axis of the articulation connections is thus eccentric
relative to the closest
respective truck center.
In the embodiment of Figure 3c, an alternative articulated three-pack rail
road car
is indicated generally as 120. It has a middle unit 122 and a pair of end
units 124 and
126. Each of end units 124 and 126 is the same as unit 22 described above.
Middle unit
122 is a truckless unit, being supported at the articulation connection 26 at
either end.
That is, rail road car 120 is free of trucks between the longitudinally
inboard trucks 128
and 129 of units 124 and 126 respectively. As above, each articulation
connection 26
includes a male portion mounted to car unit 122 and mating with female
portions
mounted to end units 124 and 126.
In the embodiments of cantilevered articulation connection shown and described
above, in contrast to the shared-truck articulation connection B30 of rail
road car B20, and
the shared truck articulation connections of rail car C20, the articulation
points of the
articulated connectors of rail road cars 20, 80, 100, and 120 lie to the
outside of the track
centerline as the rail road car moves along a curve. This is shown, for
example, by
articulation connection 26 in Figure lc, and by articulated connections 26 of
rail road car
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100 in Figure le. This outward position relative to the track centerline
locates the outer
corners 29 and 31 rail car units 22 and 24 adjacent to articulated connection
26 outboard,
closer to R3. The offset distance, 83, of rail road car units 22 and 24 is the
same as 81 shown
for rail car units B22 and B24. The length of car unit 22 exceeds the length
of car unit B22
by the length of the overhang, while tending not to require a reduction in car
body width
relative to car unit B22. Similarly, rail car unit 24 also exceeds the
corresponding length of
rail car unit B24 by the same, or roughly the same, overhang distance since
the point at
which the rail car body centerline of rail car unit 24 crosses over the track
centerline
longitudinally inboard of articulation connection 26, indicated roughly as 33
in Figure lc, is
roughly equivalent to the point at which rail car unit B24 has articulation
connection B30.
Thus rail car unit 24 is longer than rail car unit B24, and yet may tend not
to require a
reduction in width relative to car unit B24.
The comparisons of Figures ld, le and lf, show a first difference between rail
road
car C20 and rail road car 100. Although the width 'W' of car unit 102 is the
same as car
unit C22, and the truck center distance, Ll, is also the same, the length of
car unit 102
between the points of articulation is greater, being equal to L~ plus twice
the length of the
cantilever distance I2 to the articulation connections 26 at each end of car
unit 102.
Whereas the car body length L3 of rail car unit C22 is shorter than the truck
center distance,
Ll, by contrast, the car body length L4 of rail car unit 102 exceeds the truck
center distance
Ll by twice the body overhang dimension, L5. Notably, while the external
corners of car
unit C22 lie well clear on the inside of R3, the external corners 103 and 105,
and adjacent
corners 107 and 109 of car units 104 and 106 respectively, are shown running
along R3. The
car body length, (L3 for car unit C20, L4 for car unit 102) is a measure of
the useful loading
length, and is taken in each case as the overall deck length dimension over
the endmost
lateral cross members, whether end sills or end bolsters, as the case may be,
of the rail car
unit. In each case, (a) the point of articulation (i.e., the pivot centerline)
lies longitudinally
outboard of the end sill, or end bolster; and, (b) the end sill or end bolster
lies longitudinally
outboard of the of the nearest truck center pivot axis.
The comparison illustrations of Figures lg and lh show a second effect. End
car
unit 104 is longer than end car unit C24, again by the overhang distance,
indicated as L~.
For the purposes of simplicity of explanation and illustration, the car bodies
in all of Figures
la to lh have been shown as being rectangular, with no tapering of their ends.
Similarly, as
illustrated in Figure le, the length of car unit 104 has been chosen such that
the distance
from the truck center of its single truck to articulation connection 26
between rail car units
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102 and 104 is equal to Ll plus Li. It is then a matter of geometry that the
longitudinal
centerline of car unit 104 will fall over the centerline of the track at a
"phantom truck center"
location, indicated as 117, located Ll away from the truck center of truck
115. In a
conventional articulated car unit, such as car unit C24, this would be the
location of the point
of articulation, and hence of a shared truck of a shorter car unit. However,
as noted, car unit
104 extends beyond this point of intersection, and the rail car unit
centerline diverges from
the track centerline. This divergence is called swing-out.
The swing-out of the point of articulation is defined as the distance,
measured
perpendicular to the track centerline, from the track centerline to the pivot
axis of the point
of articulation. It is shown in Figure lg as E. In a conventional articulated
rail road freight
car E is nil, since the point of articulation is coincident with the pivot
axis of the shared
truck, and rides over the track centerline as shown in Figure lh.
The outline of the body of rail car unit 104 is shown in Figure lh in
intermittent
dashes and dots, and indicated as 104a. It has width 'W', the same as unit
102. The outline
ofthe body of rail car unit 104, as if it had no swing-out (i.e., E = zero) is
shown in solid line
as 104b, also being of width 'W'. As can be seen, the inside edge of 104b
crosses into the
impermissible zone lying to the inside of RZ. The narrower outline of the body
of rail car
104, having an E of zero, like 104b, and having the same length as 104a, yet
remaining
outside the RZ boundary, is shown in dashed lines as 104c. As can be seen,
104c is narrower
than 104a. That being the case, and E being very small relative to (Ll + I,I),
taking truck
center 115 as a point of rotation, by similar triangles the swing out at
articulation connection
26 between rail car units 102 and 104 moves the inside edge of the car at mid
span between
115 and 117 radially outward relative to Rl, RZ and R3 a distance smaller
than, but
proportionate to, E. The net effect is that swing-out tends to permit a wider
car than
otherwise, or to permit a greater car length for the same width as previously
used.
In summary, conceptually, placement of the articulation connection
longitudinally
outboard of the truck centers can be thought of in terms of the additional car
length that can
be obtained by having an overhang, without changing the width of the car. It
can also be
thought of in terms of the cantilever arm forcing the centerline of the
adjacent car unit
outward relative to the radius of curvature of the centerline of the track,
such that the
adjacent rail car body can be wider than it could be if the articulation were
not cantilevered.
Further, although the various embodiments illustrated herein show articulated
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connectors mounted to overhang beyond the closest adjacent tn.ick to obtain
the full benefit
of car length possible within a given car plate envelope, some of this benefit
can be obtained
from lesser longitudinal eccentricity between the truck center and the pivot
center, since
even a partial eccentricity will cause the inboard deck edge of the car having
the male
articulated connection portion to ride further toward the outside of the track
than otherwise.
The remaining mufti-car embodiments shown in Figures 4b to 4d and 5b to 5e can
be assembled from rail car units of the types described above. For example,
the
embodiment of Figure 4b shows an articulated rail road car 130 that has a
single-truck
first end unit 132 that is the same as end unit 24; a two-truck intermediate
rail car unit 134
that is the same as rail car unit 102; an intermediate single-truck unit 136
that is the same
as unit 84, and a second single-truck end unit 138 that is the same as unit
24. Figure 4c
shows an articulated rail road car 140 that has a first two-truck end unit 142
that is the
same as unit 82; a trackless intermediate unit 144 that is the same as
trackless unit 122; a
two truck intermediate unit 146 that is the same as unit 84; and a single
truck end unit 148
that is the same as unit 24.
It is also possible to join adjacent rail car units with a combination of
slackless
draw bar connections and articulation connections. For example, in the
embodiment of
Figure 4d, a partially articulated, partially draw-bar connected rail road car
assembly 150
has a pair of two truck intermediate units 152 and 153 that are similar to
unit 102, and a
pair of single truck end units 154 and 155 that are similar to unit 24, but
rather than
having an articulated connection, units 152 and 153 are joined at their
adjacent ends by a
draw bar connection, indicated schematically as 156. Where a draw bar is used,
there is
an adjacent rail car truck 157, 158 supporting the near end of each or the
adjacent rail car
units 152, 153 lying to either side of the draw bar. It would be possible,
alternatively, to
make a four-unit articulated rail road car by joining two pairs of rail road
car units, such
as 22 and 24, at the truck ends of their single truck rail car units, (i.e.,
24) with a drawbar
in place of releasable coupler 47.
In Figure 5b, an articulated rail road car 160 has an interior two-truck rail
car unit
162 that is the same as unit 102, one single-truck end unit 164 connected to
one end of
unit 162, unit 164 being the same as unit 24; two intermediate units 166, 167
that are the
same as unit 84, and a further single-truck end unit 168 that is the same as
unit 24.
In the embodiment of Figure 5c, an articulated rail road car 170 has an
interior,
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middle two-truck unit 172 that is the same as unit 102, a pair of first and
second
oppositely oriented intermediate single-truck units 174, that are each the
same as unit 84,
and a pair of first and second single-truck end units 176 that are the same as
unit 24. In
the embodiment of Figure Sd, an articulated rail road car 180 has an internal
two-truck
S middle unit 182 that is the same as unit 102, a pair of two-truck end units
184 that are the
same as unit 22, and a pair of intermediate truckless units 186 that are the
same as unit
122. In the embodiment of Figure Se, an articulated rail road car 190 has a
pair of first
and second oppositely oriented single-truck end units 192 that are the same as
unit 24, a
pair of intermediate two-truck units 194 that are the same as unit 102, and a
middle,
truckless unit 196 that is the same as unit 122. Other combinations and
permutations of
these rail car units are possible.
Other mufti-unit articulated rail road cars, or partially articulated rail
road cars,
having a larger number of rail car units can be assembled from the various
types of rail
1 S car units noted above, whether one truck, two-truck, or truckless, and
whether they are
end units or intermediate units. In general, in each example there is an
articulated rail
road car having a plurality of rail car units, supported on a suitable number
of rail car
trucks to permit the articulated rail road car to roll in a longitudinal
direction on rail road
tracks. In each case there is at least one articulation connection lying
between a pair of
adjacent, first and second rail car units, the articulation connection being
longitudinally
cantilevered relative to the nearest of the rail car trucks. That is, none of
the rail car
trucks is mounted centrally under the cantilevered articulation connection.
Figure 6a shows a two-unit articulated auto rack rail road car 200 that is
similar to
articulated rail road car 20 in layout. It has a two-truck first unit 202 and
a single truck
second rail car unit 204, joined at an articulation connection 206. Unit 202
has first and
second end portions 208 and 210, each of which is mounted over a freely
pivoting four
wheeled truck 212, 214 respectively. First end portion 208 is proximate to
connection
206, and second end portion 210 is distant from connection 206. Second end
portion 210
has a conventional releasable coupler 215 mounted thereto for connection to
other cars in
interchangeable service.
Unit 204 has first and second end portions 216 and 218, end portion 216 being
proximate to connection 206 and end portion 218 being distant therefrom. Unit
204 has a
single freely pivoting four-wheeled truck 220 located under end portion 218.
Second end
portion 218 is substantially the same as second end portion 210, and,
similarly, has a
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conventional releasable coupling 215 for interchangeable service. In this way,
two-truck
rail car unit 202 is a two-truck end unit, and rail car 204 is a single truck
end unit.
Each of units 202 and 204 has a body 222, 223 having an upwardly extending
enclosure structure for housing vehicles to be carried, such as automobiles,
indicated
generically as 224, 225. A decking structure 226, 227 is mounted within body
222, 223.
In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6a, decking structure 226, 227 is a
triple deck
structure that includes a flat main deck 228, 229, an upwardly spaced middle
deck, 230,
231 and a further upwardly spaced upper, or top deck 232, 233. A spanning
assembly in
the nature of main, middle and top pairs of bridge plates 234, 235, 236 extend
between
decking structures 226 and 227 to permit longitudinal loading of vehicles from
one car
unit to the next in the manner known as circus loading. The gap between
enclosure
structures 224 and 225 is enclosed by a flexible structure in the nature of a
bellows 238.
The open ends of enclosure structures 224 and 225 and enclosed by moveable
closure
I S members in the nature of doors 240, 241, typically of the type often
referred to as a
"radial arm door" employing a monolithic door panel having a curved portion
and a
tangent portion and a radial arm extending from a point of rotation to the
door panel. The
doors are moveable between open positions for loading and discharging
vehicles, to a
closed position tending to keep out rain, snow, stones, vandals and thieves.
Details of autorack rail car 200 of Figure 6a are illustrated generally in
Figures 6b,
and 6c, with the upper and middle decks, bridge plates, bellows and side
panels removed.
Each of car units 202 and 204 has a main center sill 242, 243; a pair of left
and right hand
side sills 250, 252 and 251, 253; and an array of cross-bearers 254, 255
extending laterally
between center sill 242, 243 and side sills 250, 252, 251, 253 at the
longitudinal stations of
an array 256, 257 of upright posts 258, 259.
Posts 258, 259 are, typically, on roughly 4 ft centers. Posts 258, 259 extend
upwardly to a top chord member 260, 261, to which a roof canopy of
transversely corrugated
steel sheet 262 is mounted. Each of posts 258, 259 is provided with a gusset
plate 264 to
improve the moment connection to side sill 250, 252 or 251, 253, respectively.
The last, or
most longitudinally outboard of posts 258 or 259 is sometimes referred to as
the "number I"
post indicated as 263, and the penultimate (i.e., second to last) post, namely
the next
longitudinally adjacent inboard post is referred to as the "number 2" post,
indicated as 265.
A diagonal brace 266 extends upwardly from the base of the "number 1" post 263
toward
the juncture of the "number 2" post 265 with each respective top chord. An end
post, 268,
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extends between the deck and canopy sheet 262 outboard of "number 1" post 263.
Car unit 202 has a laterally extending main bolster 270 mounted at the
longitudinal
location of the truck center of truck 212, such that the laterally outboard
distal extremities of
main bolster 270 meet side sills 250, 252 at the longitudinal station of the
root of the
"number 2" post, 265. An endmost lateral structural member in the nature of an
end bolster
272 extends laterally outboard from main center sill 242 to meet the ends of
side sills 250
and 252. (In this, or other, examples, the endmost lateral structural member
can be either an
end bolster or an end sill, or other suitable cross-member). A main deck shear
plate 274 is
mounted upon the upper flanges of main center sill 250, main bolster 270, end
bolster 276
and cross-bearers 254 and extends laterally between side sills 250, 252. At
the
longitudinally outboard end portion 210 of car unit 202, that is, the end
furthest from
articulated connection 206, rail road car 200 has a similar underframe
construction of main
bolster, end bolster and cross-bearers and shear plate. It differs in having a
conventional
I S draft sill and releasable coupler 215 for interchangeable service
connection with other rail
road cars. The upper portion of Figure 6b is shown with the respective shear
plates removed
to reveal the underlying bolster structure.
Rail car unit 204 has a conventional underframe structure at its
longitudinally
outboard end portion, 218, with main bolster, end bolster, cross bearers,
shear plate, draft
sill and interchangeable coupler in the same manner as end 210 of unit 202. At
the inboard
end portion 208 of car unit 204, the underframe structure differs in having
merely an end
bolster 278, and cross-bearers 280, but no main bolster, and a straight
through main sill end
of constant section to the end bolster, there being no truck to be
accommodated.
A female articulated connector portion 282 is mounted to the end of center
sill 242 of
car unit 202. A male articulated connector portion 284 is mounted to the
inboard end of
main center sill 243 of rail car unit 204, portions 282 and 284 being designed
to mate and to
be held together with appropriate bearing surfaces and a pin, such as
described above.
Female articulated connector portion, 282, is bracketed by a pair of left and
right hand
female side-bearing arms 286, 288. Arms 286 and 288 are splayed outwardly.
Longitudinal
structural reinforcement members, in the nature of a pair of first and second
left and right
hand beams 290, 292 are carried longitudinally inboard from the root of arms
286 and 288,
to terminate at main bolster 270.
Male articulated connector portion 284 is bracketed by a pair of left and
right hand
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male side bearing arms 287 and 289. Arms 287 and 289 are splayed outwardly.
Longitudinal structural reinforcement members, in the nature of a pair of
first and second,
left and right hand beams 291, 293 are carried longitudinally inboard from the
root of arms
287 and 289, to terminate at the second inboard cross-bearer located at the
longitudinal
S station of the "number 2" post 265, indicated as 290.
Side bearing arms 286, 288, and 287, 289 engage in the manner of side bearing
arms
generally, with female arms 286 and 288 having upwardly facing bearing
surfaces 292, 294,
and male side bearing arms 287, 289 having downwardly facing bearing surfaces
293, 295.
The arrangement of the male and female bearing surfaces could be reversed.
However, in
operation this reversal could tend to increase the vertical reaction carried
in the female
portion 282 of articulated connector 286, whereas the arrangement shown would
tend not to.
Figure 6d shows a cross-section of car unit 202 at the truck center of truck
212, and
1 S shows a tri-level configuration of main, middle and upper decks 228, 230
and 232 for
carrying automotive vehicles. Each of the middle and upper decks has a slight
crown, and
has knee braces 296 mounted to posts 258. Figure 6e shows a similar cross
section of an
alternative car unit in a bi-level configuration, with a main deck 228 and an
upper deck 298.
A thin-shelled corrugated steel roof structure 299 is shown mounted to span
the width of car
unit 202 above the decks between the top chords.
In the alternative embodiment of Figure 6f, another two unit, articulated auto-
rack
rail road car is indicated as 300. It has first and second units 302 and 304
that are broadly
similar to units 202 and 204, but differs from them in having wells 305, 307
located
inboard of trucks 306, 308 and 310 between respective pairs of side sills 312,
314, rather
than a flat main deck. The body of each of units 302 and 304 employs a truss
structure
316, 318 having a substructure that includes side sills 312, 314, a
superstructure that
includes an overhead framework 320, 321 having transverse frames and
longitudinal
stringers, and an intermediate shear force transfer assembly in the nature of
pairs of
laterally spaced side webworks 322, 323. Each of side webworks 322, 323
includes an
array of posts 324, 325 and diagonal bracing 326, 327. Side web works 322, 323
extend
vertically between side between the substructure and a pair of top chord
members 328,
329. The transverse frames of overhead framework 320, 321 are mounted on top
chord
members 326 at the longitudinal stations of posts 324. In this way the
superstructure,
substructure, and intermediate shear force transfer assemblies co-operate, and
tend to
function in the manner of a box truss.
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In further alternative embodiments, units 202 and 204 could be made using a
similar
truss construction to units 302 and 304, or, conversely, units 302 and 304
could be fabricated
with a thin-shelled roof stn.~cture as shown in Figures 6b, 6d and 6e.
Inasmuch as the cross-section of autorack rail car units 202 and 204 is the
same at
mid span, a car unit having two trucks, and articulation connections at each
end can be
manufactured by using two end portions 208, as shown in Figure 6b, 6c mounted
to form a
single body. Alternatively, a trackless car unit can be manufactured using two
trackless end
portions, such as end portion 216, in a single body, and an internal single
truck car unit can
be manufactured using an end portion such as end portion 208 of unit 202 and
an end portion
such as end portion 216 of unit 204, mounted together to form a single body.
In this way, a
variety of types of car can be produced to yield the various strings of cars
units described
below.
Figure 7a shows a three-pack articulated auto rack rail road car 330 having
the same
general layout as articulated rail road car 80 of Figure 3b. Rail road car 330
has a trackless
middle unit 332 and a pair of two-truck end units 334 and 336. Each of end
units 334 and
336 has the same construction as unit 202 of articulated rail road car 200
described above.
Unit 332 however, is trackless. That is, unit 332 is supported at either end
at articulation
connections 338 and 340, but is not otherwise supported by any truck between
trucks 342
and 344 of units 334 and 336. Conceptually, unit 332 can be thought of as
having two end
portions 346 and 348, each of which is like end portion 216 of car unit 204,
joined together.
Figure 7b shows a three-pack articulated auto-rack rail road car 350 that has
the
same general layout as articulated rail road car 100 of Figure 3a. That is, it
has a two-truck
middle unit 352, and a pair of single truck end units 354 and 356. Each of
units 354 and 356
has the same construction as auto-rack rail car unit 204. Rail car unit 352
has a pair of freely
pivoting trucks 358 and 360 and articulated connectors at both ends. The
general
construction of car units 352, 354 and 356 is as described above for car units
202 and 204.
Rail road car 350 shows the preferred truck layout of the present invention -
that is,
an articulated three pack auto rack rail road car with a two truck middle
unit, with single
truck end units to either side, and cantilevered articulated connectors lying
outboard of the
respective trucks of the middle car unit. Although the rail road cars of
Figures 7a, 7b, 8a
and 8b are shown in tri-level configuration, it will be understood that they
can be made in
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either bi-level configuration, or tri-level configuration, or with movable
decks convertible
between bi-level and tri-level configurations. In the preferred embodiment,
the decks are
fixed, and in bi-level configuration as shown in Figure 6e. In the preferred
embodiment, in
bi-level configuration, the spacing between the truck centers of the two-truck
middle car unit
S is 57 ft. 9 in., that is, a distance greater than the base car truck center
distance of 46 ft. 3 in.
The distance from the nearest truck center to the articulated connector is 12
ft. 1 in. The
distance between the articulated connectors is then 81 ft. 11 in. The distance
from the
articulated connection to the adjacent single end unit truck at either end is
69 ft. 10 in. with a
14 ft. 1 in. overhang to the striker face. The overall length of the three
pack is 249 ft 9 in.,
such that a pair of three pack cars coupled together yields a nominal design
length of 499 ft 6
in. An example of dimensions for a corresponding tri-level three-pack auto
rack rail car are
SS' - 0" truck centers for the two truck middle car unit; truck to
articulation, 8 ft, 3.5 in.;
between articulations 71 ft. 7in.; from the articulations to the single end
unit trucks is S8 ft. 6
in.; the end unit overhang is 13 ft. 7 - 3/4 in.; and the overall tri-level
three pack length is
1 S approximately 218 ft.
Figure 8a shows a four unit articulated auto-rack car 370. It has individual
single
truck rail car end units 372, 373, and internal double truck rail car units
374, 375. End car
units 372 and 373 have the same layout and construction as car unit 204 of
Figure 6a.
Internal car units 374 and 375 have the same general construction as car unit
202 of Figure
6a, but rather than having a releasable coupler at the end remote from their
respective single
truck adjacent units, car units 374 and 375 are connected at their common end
by a slackless
draw bar 378.
2S Figure 8b shows another four unit articulated auto-rack rail road car, 380.
It has a
two truck end rail car unit 382 of the same construction as two truck end unit
202 of Figure
6a; a single truck end unit 384 that has the same construction as single truck
end unit 204, a
two truck intermediate unit 386 that has the same construction as middle unit
352, and a
trackless intermediate unit 388 that has the same construction as middle unit
302, described
above.
The end portions of the car units shown in Figures 6a to 6f, 7a and 7b and
described
herein can be assembled to produce single truck rail car end units, single
tn.lck intermediate
rail car units, trackless intermediate units, two duck intermediate units, and
two truck end
units. In that light, the car units described can be assembled and arranged to
produce many
other combinations of rail road cars having cantilevered articulations,
whether 2, 3, 4, S, 6, 7
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or more units in an articulated rail road car, including auto rack rail road
cars corresponding
to each of the examples of Figures 2a to Se. Further, the general construction
of either the
units of rail road car 200 or of rail road car 300 can be employed. In
addition, although the
above description applies to multi-level auto-rack cars, it can also be
applied to single deck
articulated rail road cars for carrying vehicles. A single deck articulated
rail road car,
without side wall structures, and without an overhead roof stn.lcture can also
be constructed,
such as for carrying larger vehicles, highway trailers or other intermodal
cargo.
Figures 9a, 9b, 9c and 9d show abridged top and side views of two units of an
IO articulated well car 400 such as may be employed for transporting
intermodal containers or
highway trailers, or a combination of containers and highway trailers. Figures
9a, 9b, 9c and
9d have been abridged to omit the central portions of the units of car 400, so
that the end
portions may be shown in a larger proportion. The views are truncated
longitudinally
inboard of the first container support cross-member, the cross-section of the
car between
those cross-members being constant, with transverse cross-members spaced
longitudinally to
provide support for the various containers support pedestals or cones, or
highway trailer rear
wheel sets as required conventionally.
Rail road car 400 has a first end unit 402, and a second end unit 404, joined
at an
articulated connection 406 that has a first, or female portion 408 mounted to
first end unit
402, and a second, or male portion 410 mounted to second end unit 404.
Portions 408 and
410 engage, and when mated, are held together by a nominally vertical pin, as
noted above.
First end unit 402 is a two-truck end unit, having a first end portion 412
proximate to
articulation connection 406, and a second end portion 414 distant from
connection 406. A
first, freely pivoting two axle rail car truck 416 is mounted under second end
portion 414.
Another freely pivoting two axle rail car truck and 418 is mounted under first
end portion
412. Inboard truck 418 has larger wheels, and a larger carrying capacity, than
outboard
truck 416. That is, outboard truck 416 has 33 inch diameter wheels. Inboard
truck 418 has
38 inch wheels.
The distal end, that is, the longitudinally outboard end of portion 414
carries a
standard releasable coupling (not shown) for connection with the couplers of
other rail cars
in interchange service.
Rail car unit 402 has structural longitudinal central beam members in the
nature of a
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first, outboard stub center sill 420, and a second, inboard stub sill 422. It
also has transverse
structural members in the nature of a first, outboard main bolster 424 (shown
in hidden lines)
extending perpendicularly laterally from outboard stub sill 420 at the
longitudinal location of
the truck center of outboard truck 416; an inboard main bolster 426 extending
laterally
perpendicular to inboard stub sill 422 at the location of the truck center of
inboard truck 418;
a first end bolster 428 located parallel to, and longitudinally outboard of,
first main bolster
424; a second end bolster 430 located parallel to, and longitudinally outboard
of second
main bolster 426 (that is, toward articulation connection 406). A pair of
laterally spaced,
deep side sills 432 and 434 extend the length of rail car unit 402 between end
bolsters 428
and 430, and mate also with the outboard ends of the wings of main bolsters
424 and 426.
Outboard stub center sill 420 has an inboard termination at a transverse
bulkhead 436 that
extends between side sills 432 and 434. Similarly inboard stub center sill 422
has an inboard
termination at a transverse bulkhead 438, also extending between side sills
432 and 434.
It can thus be seen that a well 440 is defined between side sills 432 and 434,
and
longitudinally between bulkheads 436 and 438. Well 440 is provided with cross
members
442 extending between side sills 432 and 440, the cross members having
container supports
members or pedestals 444. Floor pans 446 are also provided for supporting the
wheel sets of
highway trailers, as may be required.
A pair of pin jointed diagonal load spreading beams 448 and 450 extend between
a
footing 452 whence loads are passed to and from stub center sill 420, to
inboard terminations
mounted to first cross beam 454. A shear plate 456 overlies the cruciate form
of stub center
sill 420 and main bolster 424 and extends to side sills 432 and 434. A hitch
mounting, to
which a highway trailer hitch plate can be pivotally affixed is shown as 456.
Hitch
mounting 456 is located over the longitudinal centerline of unit 402, at the
longitudinal
station of main bolster 420.
Similarly, at the far end of well 440, a pair of pin jointed diagonal load
spreading
beams 449 and 451 extend between a footing 453 whence loads are passed to and
from
inboard stub center sill 422, to inboard terminations mounted to first cross
beam 455. A
shear plate 457 overlies the cruciate form of stub center sill 422 and main
bolster 426 and
extends to side sills 432 and 434. A hitch mounting, to which a highway
trailer hitch plate
can be pivotally affixed is shown as 459. Hitch mounting 459 is located over
the
longitudinal centerline ofunit 402, over main bolster 422.
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Each of side sills 432 and 434 has a middle portion 431 of constant depth, and
end
portions 433 and 435 of reduced depth to clear the respective trucks. The top
chord member
437 of each of side sills 432, 434 is carried through the full length of the
car. The bottom
chord member 439, and the web member 441 connecting top chord member 437 and
bottom
S chord member 439, are both cut short to accommodate the trucks, 416 and 418.
The wheel
rebate 443 so formed is bordered by an upswept flange, or fender 445 that
sweeps upwardly
on a curve from bottom chord 439 at the end of middle portion 431. A tapered
hollow
longitudinal reinforcement beam 447 is mounted above, and runs along, each of
top chord
members 437 between the respective end bolster and well 440, giving a greater
depth of
section to end portions 433 and 435
The end portion 414 of rail car unit 402 is constructed in the manner of a
rail car
termination end for interchangeable connection with other railroad cars
generally. By
contrast, end portion 412 of rail car unit 402 is an internal end to which an
articulated
1 S connector portion, namely female articulated connector portion 470 is
mounted. Female
articulated connector portion 470 is mounted in a pocket formed between the
upstanding
side webs, and the bottom flanges of the longitudinally outboard extending end
of stub
center sill 420, and a false flange, or web, welded inside center sill 420
below the level of
shear plate 457.
As shown in the side view of Figure 9b, center sill 420, side sills 432 and
434, and
shear plate 457 all extend longitudinally outboard of the longitudinal station
of the truck
center CL - Truck, of truck 418, such that there is a cantilevered overhang,
indicated
generally as 464, to which the connection means, namely female connection
portion 460 is
welded. Truck 418 has an inboard axle 466, an outboard axle 468, side frames
470, and a
truck bolster 472 that lies under main bolster 426. As can be seen in Figure
9b, the center
pin axis CL - Pivot, defining the location from which articulation connection
406 is
measured, is located outboard of the distal extremity of overhang 464. The
longitudinal
offset is the distance between CL - Pivot and CL - Truck. Not only is the
pivot centerline,
and hence connection 406 longitudinally eccentric relative to the truck
center, but it is
cantilevered outboard a distance lying beyond the axis of outboard axle 468,
lies fully
outboard of truck 416 generally, and lies outboard of the endmost lateral
structural member,
namely end bolster 430, as well.
A pair of inverted side bearing arms 480 and 482 are mounted to, and extend
longitudinally outboard from, end bolster 430 to bracket female articulated
connection
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portion 406. Reinforcements, that is, a pair of longitudinally extending
stiffening members
in the nature of steel beams 484 and 486, are mounted intermediate stub center
sill 426 and
side sills 432 and 434, respectively, such that they mate with end bolster 430
at the lateral
station corresponding to the root of each of side bearing arms 480, 482. Beams
484, 486 run
inwardly to terminate at main bolster 426. Gussets are located opposite the
webs of beams
484, 486 to provide web continuity at the junctions with main bolster 424 and
end bolster
428. It will be noted that side bearing arms 480, 482 have bearing surfaces
490, 492 that face
upwardly. A brake valve mounting bracket 494 extends from side bearing arm
492.
Car unit 404 is shown in Figure 9c and 9d in abridged top and side views. Car
unit
404 has a distal end portion 500 located away from articulated connection 406,
and a
proximal end portion 502 to which male articulated connector portion 410 is
mounted.
Distal end portion 500 is substantially identical to distal end portion 420 of
first rail car unit
402, described above, the same item numbers being used to identify the various
components.
Proximate end portion 502 is significantly different in construction to end
portion
412 of unit portion 402. End portion 502 has a main structural longitudinal
central beam
member in the nature of a first, inboard stub center sill 503. End portion 502
has transverse
structural members in the nature of an end bolster 506 located at the end of
stub sill 503
immediately adjacent male articulated connector portion 410 and running
laterally outboard
to side sills 508 and 510; and a second inboard end bolster cross-member, or
bolster 512
located parallel to, and longitudinally inboard of, end bolster 506 (that is,
in a longitudinal
direction away from articulation connection 406). Inasmuch as unit 404 does
not have a
truck at proximal end portion 502, it does not have a main bolster with a
fitting to mate with
a truck. It also does not have a wheel well, or side sill rebate. Rather, side
sills 508 and 510
continue at full depth to a vertical corner post 516. Stub center sill 503 has
an inboard
termination at a transverse bulkhead 515 that extends between side sills 508
and 510.
It can thus be seen that a well 520 is defined between side sills 508 and 510,
and
longitudinally between bulkheads 516 and 515. Well 520 is provided with cross
members
522 extending between side sills 508 and 510, the cross members having
container supports
members 424. Floor pans 426 are also provided for supporting the wheel sets of
highway
trailers, as may be required.
As described above in the context of rail car unit 402, a pair of pin jointed
diagonal
load spreading beams 528 and 530 extend between a footing 532 whence loads are
passed to
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and from stub center sill 503, to inboard terminations mounted to first cross
beam 534. A
shear plate 536 overlies the H-shaped form of stub center sill 503, end
bolster 506 and
inboard bolster 512, and extends to side sills 508 and 510. A hitch mounting,
to which a
highway trailer hitch plate can be pivotally affixed is shown as 538. Hitch
mounting 538 is
located over the longitudinal centerline of unit 404, between bolsters 506 and
512.
In summary, the end portion 500 of rail car unit 404 is constructed in the
manner of
an external rail car termination end for interchangeable connection with other
railroad cars
generally. By contrast, end portion 502 of rail car unit 404 is an internal
end to which an
articulated connector portion, namely male articulated connector portion 410
is mounted.
Male articulated connector portion 410 is mounted in a pocket formed between
the
upstanding side webs, and the bottom flanges of the longitudinally outboard
extending end
of stub center sill 503, and a false flange, or web, 544 welded inside center
sill 503 below the
level of shear plate 546.
A pair of side bearing arms 550 and 552 are mounted to, and extend
longitudinally
outboard from, end bolster 506 to bracket male articulated connection portion
410.
Reinforcements, that is, a pair of longitudinally extending stiffening members
in the nature
of steel beams 554 and 556, are mounted intermediate center sill 503 and side
sills 508 and
510, respectively, such that they mate with end bolster 506 at the lateral
station
corresponding to the root of each of side bearing arms 550 and 552. Beams 554
and 556 run
inwardly to terminate at bolster 512. Gussets are located opposite the webs of
beams 554
and 556 to provide web continuity at the junctions with bolster 512 and end
bolster 506. It
will be noted that side bearing arms 550 and 552 has bearing surfaces 560 and
562 that face
downwardly to permit engagement with the upwardly facing bearing surfaces 490
and 492
of unit 402 when articulated connector portions 408 and 410 are engaged and
car 400 is
operated on a bend.
When male portion 410 engages female portion 408, a vertical shear load from
unit
404 is transferred to the cantilever formed by stub sill 420, and the
associated overhanging
end structure 464 of unit 402. The vertical reaction to this force is provided
by truck 418
acting through second main bolster 426 of unit 402. The bending moment in sill
422 at the
truck center location of truck 418 is balanced by the weight of car unit 402
lying toward
truck 416.
Although end portion 502 of unit 404 does not have a truck, and although male
20760211.4
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- 34 -
articulated connector portion 540 is not supported directly over a truck, and
although side
bearing arms 560 and 562 are not reacted by side bearing arm pedestals mounted
on a truck,
but rather by side bearing arms 490 and 492, vertical weight tends to be
carried by the
female articulated connector portion 408 in the same manner as if it were
carried above an
S articulated truck. That is, from the male side of the connection, the load
transfer may tend to
appear to be unchanged.
Although rail car unit 404 is shown as a single unit end truck, having a
single
internal male articulated connector portion at the unsupported internal end
(namely end 502),
and rail car unit 402 is shown as a single unit two-truck end unit having a
single internal
female end, other combinations are possible. For example, as suggested by the
foreshortening abridgement section of Figures 9a, 9b, 9c and 9d, two internal
male ends,
such as end portion 502, can be assembled to yield a trackless car supported
only at the
permanent male articulated connector fittings at either end of the car. Such
an internal car
could be used as the middle car in the embodiment of Figure 3c, for example.
Similarly, an
internal car with female articulated connector portions can be made by
assembling two ends
such as proximate end portion 412 of Figures 9a and 9b. Such a car can be used
as the
middle car unit in a layout such as described in Figure 3b. Thirdly, a single
truck
intermediate car unit can be manufactured by combining the proximate end
portion 502 of
car unit 404 with the proximate end portion 412 of car unit 402. In this way,
all of the
combinations of layout noted above can be assembled using combinations of the
end
portions shown and described in Figures 9a, 9b, 9c and 9d. In this way the
construction
shown and described permits the manufacture of the sets and combinations of
layout of
articulated rail road cars shown in Figures 2a to 5e. It will also be noted
that flat cars, or
auto-rack cars, or box cars, or other types of cars can be assembled using the
same type of
construction as described in Figures 9a, 9b, 9c and 9d.
Various embodiments of the invention have now been described in detail. Since
changes in and or additions to the above-described embodiments may be made
without
departing from the nature, spirit or scope of the invention, the invention is
not to be limited
to those specific embodiments.
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