IP Library Granted Patent US 7,954,437
Granted Patent B2
US 7,954,437 · App. 12/122,184 · Granted Jun 7, 2011

Railroad well car with open truss sides

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,954,437
App. No.
12/122,184
Granted
Jun 7, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A railroad well car includes a pair of spaced trucks, and a railcar body supported on the trucks, the body comprising a pair of spaced end structures, each end structure supported on one truck, and a well structure extending between the end structures. The well structure comprises a pair of top chord members extending between the end structures; a pair of side sills extending between the end structures; a pair of end chords extending between the side sills; four corner container support members, each secured to one end chord and one side sill at four corners of the well structure; a plurality of floor beams extending between the side sills forming at least a portion of a floor for the well structure; and a plurality of side truss members extending between one side sill and one top chord on each side forming an open truss side for the well structure.

Claims (39)

1. A railroad well car comprising:

A pair of spaced trucks;

A railcar body supported on the trucks, the body comprising a pair of spaced end structures, each end structure supported on one truck, and a well structure extending between the end structures, wherein the well structure comprises

(i) a pair of top chord members extending between the end structures;

(ii) a pair of side sills extending between the end structures;

(iii) a plurality of floor beams extending between the side sills forming at least a portion of a floor for the well structure;

(iv) a plurality of side truss members extending between one side sill and one top chord on each side forming an open truss side for the well structure, whereby the interior of the well structure is unobstructed from being accessed through the open truss side.

2. The railroad well car according to claim 1 further including an end chord extending between the side sills at each end of the well structure.

3. The railroad well car according to claim 2 further including four corner container support members, each secured to one end chord and one side sill at four corners of the well structure.

4. The railroad well car according to claim 3 further including a pair of center container support members, each secured between a pair of floor beams and a side sill at a longitudinal center of the well structure.

5. The railroad well car according to claim 4 wherein the side truss members for each open side includes a vertical truss member aligned with a center container support member.

6. The railroad well car according to claim 5 wherein mechanical fasteners secure the side truss members extending between one side sill and one top chord.

7. The railroad well car according to claim 6 wherein mechanical fasteners secure the floor beams to the side sills.

8. The railroad well car according to claim 7 wherein mechanical fasteners secure the corner container support members to the associated end chord and side sill, and wherein the support members are castings.

9. A railroad well car comprising:

A pair of spaced trucks;

A railcar body supported on the trucks, the body comprising a pair of spaced end structures, each end structure supported on one truck, and a well structure extending between the end structures, wherein the well structure comprises

(i) a pair of top chord members extending between the end structures;

(ii) a pair of side sills extending between the end structures;

(iii) a plurality of floor beams extending between the side sills forming at least a portion of a floor for the well structure;

(iv) a plurality of side truss members extending between one side sill and one top chord on each side forming an open truss side for the well structure, further including an end chord extending between the side sills at each end of the well structure, further including four corner container support members, each secured to one end chord and one side sill at four corners of the well structure, further including a pair of center container support members, each secured between a pair of floor beams and a side sill at a longitudinal center of the well structure, wherein the side truss members for each open side includes a vertical truss member aligned with a center container support member, wherein mechanical fasteners secure the side truss members extending between one side sill and one top chord, wherein mechanical fasteners secure the floor beams to the side sills, wherein mechanical fasteners secure the corner container support members to the associated end chord and side sill, and wherein the support members are castings, and wherein mechanical fasteners secure the center container support members to the associated floor beams and side sill, and wherein the support members are castings.

10. The railroad well car according to claim 9 further including a pair of end floor beams at each end chord, with each end floor beam extends from the end chord to one side sill.

11. The railroad well car according to claim 10 wherein mechanical fasteners secure the end floor beams to the associated end chord and side sill.

12. A railroad double stack container well car comprising:

A pair of spaced trucks;

A railcar body supported on the trucks, the body comprising a pair of spaced end structures, each end structure supported on one truck, and a well structure extending between the end structures, wherein the well structure comprises

(i) A pair of top chord members extending between the end structures;

(ii) a pair of side sills extending between the end structures;

(iii) a pair of end chords extending between the side sills, one at each end of the well structure;

(iv) four corner container support members, each secured to one end chord and one side sill at four corners of the well structure, wherein each support member is a casting; and

(v) a plurality of side truss members extending between one side sill and one top chord on each side forming an open truss side for the well structure, whereby the interior of the well structure is unobstructed from being accessed through the open truss side.

13. The railroad well car according to claim 12 further including a pair of center container support members, each secured to a side sill at a longitudinal center of the well structure.

14. The railroad well car according to claim 13 wherein the side truss members for each open side includes a vertical truss member aligned with a center container support member.

15. The railroad well car according to claim 14 wherein mechanical fasteners secure the side truss members extending between one side sill and one top chord.

16. The railroad well car according to claim 15 wherein mechanical fasteners secure the corner container support members to an associated end chord and side sill.

17. The railroad well car according to claim 16 further including a pair of end floor beams at each end chord, with each end floor beam extending from the end chord to a side sill.

18. The railroad well car according to claim 17 wherein mechanical fasteners secure the end floor beams to the associated end chord and side sill.

19. The railroad well car according to claim 17 further including a plurality of floor beams extending between the side sills forming at least a portion of a floor for the well structure.

20. The railroad well car according to claim 17 wherein mechanical fasteners secure the floor beams to the side sills.

Assignments (11)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 12, 2025
From: JAC OPERATIONS, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 070200/0160 →
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2025
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: JAC OPERATIONS, INC.; FREIGHTCAR AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 069822/0471 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 2, 2025
From: JAC OPERATIONS, INC.
To: BLUE TORCH FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069716/0899 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 31, 2024
From: BMO HARRIS BANK, N.A.
To: JAC OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 069831/0925 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 20, 2024
From: FREIGHTCAR AMERICA, INC.; JAC OPERATIONS, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069746/0953 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 24, 2020
From: FREIGHTCAR AMERICA, INC.; JAC OPERATIONS, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 054463/0076 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 12, 2019
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: JAC OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 048878/0602 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 12, 2019
From: JAC OPERATIONS, INC.
To: BMO HARRIS BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 048874/0787 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 6, 2013
From: JAC OPERATIONS, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 030983/0512 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 31, 2012
From: FREIGHTCAR AMERICA, INC.
To: JAC OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 029546/0451 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 2, 2009
From: MILLER, KEKITH ALAN
To: FREIGHTCAR AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 023595/0278 →