Dropped deck center beam rail road car
View Patent ↗A center beam car has a main deck structure extending laterally from a main center sill, a laterally extending top truss structure, and a central vertically oriented web work structure for carrying vertical shear loads between the top truss and the center sill and decking. The center beam so formed defines bunks upon in which to carry cargo. The upper region of the web-work structure includes a deep upper beam structure that has downwardly extending skirts. The skirts provide an extended bearing area upon against which bundled loads can be secured. The skirts are inwardly reinforced to discourage deflection between adjacent upright members of the deep upper beam structure.
1. A center beam rail road car comprising:
a center beam car body mounted on a pair of first and second spaced apart rail car trucks, said body having
a deck structure,
a central upstanding web assembly running along said car, said web assembly extending upwardly of said deck structure, and
an upper beam assembly surmounting said vertical web assembly;
said deck structure including first and second end decking portions mounted over said respective first and second trucks, and a medial decking portion lying between said trucks, said first and second end decking portions being stepped upwardly relative to said medial decking portion;
said center beam car body being selected from the group consisting of
(a) a center beam car body in which said central upstanding web assembly includes an array of upwardly extending posts, said posts having a lower region adjacent said deck structure and an upper region adjacent said upper beam assembly; and a skirt member extending longitudinally between said upper regions of said posts, said skirt member having a laterally outwardly oriented face against which lading can seat, said face of said skirt member lying in a position chosen from the set of positions consisting of (i) a position flush with said posts and (ii) a position proud of said posts; said array of posts being free of any member obstructing said face, and
(b) a center beam car body in which said central upstanding web assembly includes an array of upwardly extending posts, said posts having a lower region adjacent said deck structure, and an upper region adjacent said upper beam assembly, and said upper beam assembly has a lengthwise extending, laterally outwardly facing member against which lading can seat, said laterally outwardly facing member being mounted in a position that is chosen from the set of positions consisting of (i) flush with said posts; and (ii) proud of said posts; said array of posts being free of any member obstructing said outwardly facing member,
wherein said car has a center sill, said deck structure being supported thereby;
said upper beam assembly includes a top truss and a beam stem, said top truss being mounted upon said beam stem and said beam stem being mounted to said upper region of said web assembly; and
said beam stem includes said lengthwise extending, laterally outwardly facing member.
2. The center beam rail road car of claim 1 wherein said body has a bunk defined between said deck structure and said upper beam assembly, said bunk having a loading clearance height measured upwardly from said medial decking portion that is at least 165 inches.
3. The center beam rail road car of claim 1 , wherein said upper region of said web assembly has at least one longitudinally extending skirt against which lading can be placed.
4. The center beam rail road car of claim 1 wherein said medial decking portion lies between said two trucks and is at least 28′-0″ long.
5. The center beam rail road car of claim 1 wherein said medial decking portion lies between said two trucks and is at least 40′-0″ long.
6. The center beam rail road car of claim 1 wherein said upper beam assembly extends to a height exceeding AAR Plate C.
7. The center beam car of claim 1 wherein said end decking portions and said medial decking portion each have a load bearing interface, and the load bearing interface of said end decking portions is stepped upwardly relative to the load bearing interface of said medial decking portion a distance of at least 30 inches.
8. The center beam rail road car of claim 1 wherein:
said end decking portions include lading support structure mounted thereon defining an end section lading interface; and said end section lading interface lies at a height greater than 42 inches above Top of Rail.
9. The center beam rail road car of claim 1 wherein said medial decking portion has a pair of medial decking side sill mounted therealong, each of said side sills having a web, said web having an upper edge and a lower edge, said upper edge lying further transversely outboard than said lower edge.
10. The center beam rail road car of claim 9 wherein said medial decking portion has at least one lading securement apparatus mounted to said medial portion side sill web.
11. The center beam rail road car of claim 1 , wherein:
said car has a pair of side sills extending along said deck structure;
said side sills each have a side sill medial portion mounted to said medial decking portion, said medial side sill portion having a first depth of section;
said side sills each have side sill end portions mounted to said end decking portions, said end side sill portions having a second depth of section;
each of said side sills has a knee joining each said side sill medial portion to respective adjacent side sill end portions;
each said knee has a longitudinally inboard flange, a longitudinally outboard flange, and webbing extending therebetween;
said longitudinally outboard flange has a lower extremity and an upper extremity; and
said lower extremity lies at a longitudinally inboard station relative to said upper extremity.
12. The center beam rail road car of claim 1 , wherein:
said rail road car has a first height, said first height being a load limit height measured upwardly from said medial decking portion;
said rail road car has a second height measured upwardly from said medial decking portion, said second height being a nominal load height, said second height being the largest integer multiple of 33 inches that is less than said first height; and
said web assembly has at least one skirt member against which loads placed laterally outward thereof can bear, said skirt member extending between a third height and a fourth height, said third and fourth heights straddling said second height.
13. The center beam rail road car of claim 12 wherein said third height is at least as great as said first height, and said fourth height is at least 6 inches below said second height.
14. The center beam rail road car of claim 1 wherein:
said rail road car has a first height, said first height being a load limit height measured upwardly from said medial decking portion;
said rail road car has a second height measured upwardly from said medial decking portion, said second height being a nominal load height, said second height being the largest integer multiple of 33 inches that is less than said first height;
said upper beam assembly has a lengthwise extending, laterally outwardly facing member against which lading can seat; and
said outwardly facing member extends between a third height and a fourth height, said third and fourth heights straddling said second height.
15. The center beam rail road car of claim 14 wherein said third height is at least as great as said first height, and said fourth height is at least 6 inches below said second height.
16. The center beam rail road car of claim 1 wherein:
said car has a center sill;
said medial decking portion includes a plurality of cross-bearers extending between medial decking side sills; and
a load securing device is mounted outboard of said web assembly at a longitudinal station corresponding to the junction of one of said cross-bearers with one of said medial decking side sills.
17. A center beam rail road car comprising:
a center beam car body mounted on a pair of first and second spaced apart rail car trucks, said body having
a deck structure,
a central upstanding web assembly running along said car, said web assembly extending upwardly of said deck structure, and
an upper beam assembly surmounting said vertical web assembly;
said deck structure including first and second end decking portions mounted over said respective first and second trucks, and a medial decking portion lying between said trucks, said first and second end decking portions being stepped upwardly relative to said medial decking portion;
said center beam car body being selected from the group consisting of
(a) a center beam car body in which said central upstanding web assembly includes an array of upwardly extending posts, said posts having a lower region adjacent said deck structure and an upper region adjacent said upper beam assembly; and a skirt member extending longitudinally between said upper regions of said posts, said skirt member having a laterally outwardly oriented face against which lading can seat, said face of said skirt member lying in a position chosen from the set of positions consisting of (i) a position flush with said posts and (ii) a position proud of said posts; said array of posts being free of any member obstructing said face, and
(b) a center beam car body in which said central upstanding web assembly includes an array of upwardly extending posts, said posts having a lower region adjacent said deck structure, and an upper region adjacent said upper beam assembly, and said upper beam assembly has a lengthwise extending, laterally outwardly facing member against which lading can seat, said laterally outwardly facing member being mounted in a position that is chosen from the set of positions consisting of (i) flush with said posts; and (ii) proud of said posts; said array of posts being free of any member obstructing said outwardly facing member,
wherein:
said rail road car has a pair of side sills extending along said deck structure;
said side sills each have a medial side sill portion mounted to said medial decking portion, said medial side sill portion having a first depth of section;
said side sills each have end side sill portions mounted to said end decking portions, said end side sill portions having a second depth of section; and
said first depth of section is less than said second depth of section.
18. A center beam rail road car comprising:
a center beam car body mounted on a pair of first and second spaced apart rail car trucks, said body having
a deck structure,
a central upstanding web assembly running along said car, said web assembly extending upwardly of said deck structure, and
an upper beam assembly surmounting said vertical web assembly;
said deck structure including first and second end decking portions mounted over said respective first and second trucks, and a medial decking portion lying between said trucks, said first and second end decking portions being stepped upwardly relative to said medial decking portion;
said center beam car body being selected from the group consisting of
(a) a center beam car body in which said central upstanding web assembly includes an array of upwardly extending posts, said posts having a lower region adjacent said deck structure and an upper region adjacent said upper beam assembly; and a skirt member extending longitudinally between said upper regions of said posts, said skirt member having a laterally outwardly oriented face against which lading can seat, said face of said skirt member lying in a position chosen from the set of positions consisting of (i) a position flush with said posts and (ii) a position proud of said posts; said array of posts being free of any member obstructing said face, and
(b) a center beam car body in which said central upstanding web assembly includes an array of upwardly extending posts, said posts having a lower region adjacent said deck structure, and an upper region adjacent said upper beam assembly, and said upper beam assembly has a lengthwise extending, laterally outwardly facing member against which lading can seat, said laterally outwardly facing member being mounted in a position that is chosen from the set of positions consisting of (i) flush with said posts; and (ii) proud of said posts; said array of posts being free of any member obstructing said outwardly facing member,
wherein said rail road car has a first height, said first height being a load limit height measured upwardly from said medial decking portion;
said rail road car has a second height measured upwardly from said medial decking portion, said second height being a nominal load height, said second height being the largest integer multiple of 33 inches that is less than said first height;
said web assembly has at least one skirt member against which loads placed laterally outward thereof can bear, said skirt member extending between a third height and a fourth height, said third and fourth heights straddling said second height,
at least one of said end decking portions has an end decking side sill, said end decking side sill has a web, said end decking side sill web has an upper edge and a lower edge, said upper edge of said end decking side sill web lying further transversely outboard than said lower edge thereof.
19. The center beam rail road car of claim 18 wherein said web of said medial decking side sill portion is inclined at a first angle relative to the vertical, and said end decking side sill web is inclined at a second angle relative to the vertical, said first angle being greater than said second angle.