Tapered brake beam wear liner

1. A brake beam wear liner for receiving a brake beam assembly, the brake beam wear liner comprising:

a base wall extending between a rear end and a front end, the base wall having opposite side edges, the base wall having a tapered thickness between the rear end and the front end, the base wall being thicker proximate to the rear end and being narrower proximate to the front end;

sidewalls extending from the opposite side edges, the sidewalls and the base wall defining an open ended trough configured to receive an end of the brake beam assembly; and

flanges extending outward from the sidewalls generally opposite the base wall, wherein the base wall has a constant taper along a length of the base wall between the rear and front ends.

2. The brake beam wear liner of claim 1 , wherein the base wall has an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface facing the open ended trough, the outer surface facing a corresponding guide bracket holding the break beam wear liner, the inner surface being angled with respect to the outer surface such that the inner surface and outer surface are non-parallel.

3. The brake beam wear liner of claim 1 , wherein a depth of the open ended trough decreases along a length thereof between the front end and the rear end, the depth being defined between the flanges and the base wall.

4. A brake beam wear liner for receiving a brake beam assembly, the brake beam wear liner comprising:

a base wall extending between a rear end and a front end, the base wall having opposite side edges, the base wall having a tapered thickness between the rear end and the front end, the base wall being thicker proximate to the rear end and being narrower proximate to the front end;

sidewalls extending from the opposite side edges, the sidewalls and the base wall defining an open ended trough configured to receive an end of the brake beam assembly; and

flanges extending outward from the sidewalls generally opposite the base wall, wherein the base wall is die cast using a mold that defines the tapered thickness of the base wall.

5. A brake beam wear liner for receiving a brake beam assembly, the brake beam wear liner comprising:

a base wall extending between a rear end and a front end, the base wall having opposite side edges, the base wall having a tapered thickness between the rear end and the front end, the base wall being thicker proximate to the rear end and being narrower proximate to the front end;

sidewalls extending from the opposite side edges, the sidewalls and the base wall defining an open ended trough configured to receive an end of the brake beam assembly; and

flanges extending outward from the sidewalls generally opposite the base wall, wherein the base wall includes a central portion and a longitudinal extension extending from an end of the central portion, the longitudinal extension being folded over the central portion into the open ended trough, the longitudinal extension being angled with respect to the central portion such that the base wall has the tapered thickness.

6. A brake beam wear liner for receiving a brake beam assembly, the brake beam wear liner comprising:

a base wall extending between a rear end and a front end, the base wall having opposite side edges, the base wall having a tapered thickness between the rear end and the front end, the base wall being thicker proximate to the rear end and being narrower proximate to the front end;

sidewalls extending from the opposite side edges, the sidewalls and the base wall defining an open ended trough configured to receive an end of the brake beam assembly; and

flanges extending outward from the sidewalls generally opposite the base wall, wherein the base wall includes a central portion and a longitudinal extension extending from an end of the central portion, the longitudinal extension being folded over the central portion into the open ended trough, the longitudinal extension being deflectable within the open ended trough such that the longitudinal extension operates as a spring member configured to engage, and be spring biased against, the brake beam assembly.

7. A brake beam wear liner for receiving a brake beam assembly, the brake beam wear liner comprising:

a base wall extending between a rear end and a front end, the base wall having opposite side edges, the base wall having a tapered thickness between the rear end and the front end, the base wall being thicker proximate to the rear end and being narrower proximate to the front end;

sidewalls extending from the opposite side edges, the sidewalls and the base wall defining an open ended trough configured to receive an end of the brake beam assembly; and

flanges extending outward from the sidewalls generally opposite the base wall, wherein base wall has a first thickness at the rear end and a second thickness at the front end, the first thickness being at least twice the second thickness.

8. A brake beam wear liner for receiving a brake beam assembly, the brake beam wear liner comprising:

a base wall extending between a rear end and a front end, the base wall having opposite side edges, the base wall having a tapered thickness between the rear end and the front end, the base wall being thicker proximate to the rear end and being narrower proximate to the front end;

sidewalls extending from the opposite side edges, the sidewalls and the base wall defining an open ended trough configured to receive an end of the brake beam assembly; and

flanges extending outward from the sidewalls generally opposite the base wall, wherein the base wall includes a central portion and an adapter separately provided from, and coupled to, the central portion, the central portion having a uniform thickness, the adapter having a non-uniform thickness, wherein the base wall has the tapered thickness when the adapter is coupled to the central portion.