Auto rack railcar with end closure
View Patent ↗An auto rack rail road car has a main deck and upper deck. It is provided with a door for controlling access thereto. The door is a radial arm door, and has a ladder mounted thereon by which personnel can ascend the second deck when the door is open. A second ladder is mounted to the first deck so that when the door is open the second ladder is positioned to co-operate with the first ladder. The arcuate path of the door is free from overhanging obstructions. The door also has internal and external weld-free stiffeners member for enhancing the rigidity thereof. A roller mounted to the door permits the door to be moved between open and closed positions. The door may further include a lock. A guide member protruding from the door co-operates with a groove in the main deck which slidingly guides the door as it moves between open and closed positions to control access to the car.
1. An autorack railroad car comprising:
a body having a deck structure for transporting automobiles, and a housing structure enclosing the deck structure;
said housing structure including upstanding sidewalls surmounted by top chords, said top chords being surmounted by a gabled roof assembly having corrugated roof panels;
said corrugated roof panels being assembled in the form of a downwardly open U-shape;
said gabled roof assembly including non-corrugated end sheets;
said top chords having a first leg and a second leg;
said second leg extending upwardly and inwardly of said first leg;
at least one of said corrugated roof panels having at least one corrugated edge cut to abut flush with said first leg of said top chord; and
said second leg of said top chord extending to a greater height than said first leg.
2. The autorack railroad car of claim 1 , wherein said first and second legs of said top chord are joined by an inwardly curved re-entrant portion.
3. The autorack railroad car of claim 2 , wherein said first leg lies in a first plane, a portion of said second leg lies in a second plane, and said re-entrant portion includes a bulge that extends inboard of the intersection of said first plane and said second plane.
4. The autorack railroad car of claim 1 , wherein said first leg is predominantly horizontal and a portion of said second leg extends predominantly upwardly and away from said first leg.
5. The autorack railroad car of claim 1 , wherein said top chords have a third leg, said third leg being connected to said first leg, said third leg extending predominantly downwardly therefrom.
6. The autorack railroad car of claim 5 , wherein said third leg depends from said first leg outboard of said sidewall.
7. The autorack railroad car of claim 1 wherein:
said autorack railroad car has at least one radial arm door operable to provide access to said deck structure;
at least one of said non-corrugated end sheets has a profile; and
said radial arm door has a flange conforming to said profile of said at least one non-corrugated end sheet.
8. The autorack railroad car of claim 7 , wherein said door is movable to a closed position relative to said housing structure, and in said closed position, said flange overlies said at least one non-corrugated end sheet.
9. The autorack railroad car of claim 7 , wherein said door is movable to a closed position relative to said housing structure, and, in said closed position, a seal is seated between said flange and said at least one non-corrugated end sheet.
10. The autorack railroad car of claim 1 , further comprising at least one radial arm door operable to provide access to said deck structure, said door includes a portion operable to engage at least one of said non-corrugated end sheets when said door is in a closed position relative to said housing structure, and, in said closed position of said door, a seal is captured between said door and said at least one non-corrugated end sheet.
11. An autorack railroad car comprising:
a body having a deck structure for transporting automobiles, and a housing structure enclosing the deck structure;
said housing structure including upstanding sidewalls surmounted by top chords, said top chords being surmounted by a gabled roof assembly having corrugated roof panels;
said corrugated roof panels being assembled in the form of a downwardly open U-shape;
said top chords having a first leg and a second leg;
said second leg extending upwardly of said first leg;
said first and second legs are joined by an inwardly curved re-entrant portion;
at least one of said corrugated roof panels having at least one corrugated edge cut to abut flush with said first leg of said top chord; and
said second leg of said top chord extending to a greater height than said first leg.
12. The autorack railroad car of claim 11 , wherein said first leg lies in a first plane, a portion of said second leg lies in a second plane, and said re-entrant portion includes a bulge that extends inboard of the intersection of said first plane and said second plane.
13. The autorack railroad car of claim 11 , wherein said first leg is predominantly horizontal and a portion of said second leg extends predominantly upwardly and away from said first leg.
14. The autorack railroad car of claim 11 , wherein said top chords have a third leg, said third leg being connected to said first leg, said third leg extending predominantly downwardly therefrom.
15. The autorack railroad car of claim 14 , wherein said third leg depends from said first leg outboard of said sidewall.
16. The autorack railroad car of claim 11 , wherein:
said autorack railroad car has at least one radial arm door operable to provide access to said deck structure;
said gabled roof assembly includes non-corrugated end sheets;
at least one of said non-corrugated end sheets has a profile; and
said radial arm door has a flange conforming to said profile of said at least one non-corrugated end sheet.
17. The autorack railroad car of claim 16 , wherein said door is movable to a closed position relative to said housing structure, and in said closed position, said flange overlies said at least one non-corrugated end sheet.
18. The autorack railroad car of claim 16 , wherein said door is movable to a closed position relative to said housing structure, and, in said closed position, a seal is seated between said flange and said at least one non-corrugated end sheet.
19. The autorack railroad car of claim 18 , wherein said seal is mounted to said flange, and when said door is in said closed position, said seal bears against said at least one non-corrugated end sheet.
20. The autorack railroad car of claim 11 , wherein:
said autorack railroad car has at least one radial arm door operable to provide access to said deck structure;
said gabled roof assembly includes non-corrugated end sheets; and
said radial arm door includes a portion operable to engage at least one of said non-corrugated end sheets when said door is in a closed position relative to said housing structure, and, in said closed position of said door, a seal is captured between said door and said at least one non-corrugated end sheet.