RAILWAY CAR HATCH COVER

1 . A railway car hatch cover comprising:

an exterior shell cover;

a gasket;

a mounting ring;

wherein said exterior shell cover has an outer-side and an under-side, and said gasket is a vented gasket or a non-vented gasket;

Wherein said gasket is mounted to said mounting ring, said mounting ring secured to said under-side of said exterior shell cover;

wherein said mounting ring is removable, said gasket is replaceable with a second gasket, said second gasket being vented or non-vented, and said mounting ring is reinstallable on said under-side of said exterior shell cover.

2 . The railway hatch cover of claim 1 , wherein said mounting ring is circular, said mounting ring being smaller in diameter than said exterior shell cover, and slightly larger in diameter than a hatch opening on a railway car.

3 . The railway hatch cover of claim 1 , wherein said gasket mounted on said mounting ring creates a seal between said gasket and a hatch ring opening on a railway car.

4 . The railway hatch cover of claim 3 , wherein a self-adjusting foot latch attached to a connection point on said outer-side of said exterior shell cover to exert a compressive force on said gasket and said hatch opening, maintaining said seal between said gasket and said hatch opening.

5 . The railway czar hatch cover of claim 1 , wherein said exterior shell cover contains at least one mounting pocket.

6 . The railway car hatch cover of claim 5 , wherein said at least one mounting pocket contains a global positioning system (GPS) unit.

7 . The railway car hatch cover of claim 5 , wherein said at least one mounting pocket contains at least one sensor.

8 . A railway car hatch cover comprising:

an exterior shell cover having an outer-side and an under-side;

a gasket being vented or non-vented;

a mounting ring with said gasket mounted to said mounting ring;

wherein said mounting ring containing said gasket is secured to said under-side of said exterior shell cover;

wherein said mounting ring is removable, said gasket is replaceable with a new gasket, said new gasket being vented or non-vented, and said mounting ring containing said new gasket reinstallable to said under-side of said exterior shell cover.

9 . The railway hatch cover of claim 8 , wherein said mounting ring is circular, said mounting ring being smaller in diameter than said exterior shell cover, and slightly larger in diameter than a hatch opening on a railway car.

10 . The railway hatch cover of claim 8 , wherein said gasket mounted on said mounting ring creates a seal between said gasket and a hatch opening on a railway car.

11 . The railway hatch cover of claim 10 , wherein a self-adjusting foot latch attached to a first connection point on said outer-side of said exterior shell cover to exert a compressive force on said gasket and said hatch opening, maintaining said seal between said gasket and said hatch opening.

12 . The railway car hatch cover of claim 8 , wherein said exterior shell cover contains at least one mounting pocket.

13 . The railway car hatch cover of claim 12 , wherein said at least one mounting pocket contains a global positioning system (GPS) unit.

14 . The railway car hatch cover of claim 12 , wherein said at least one mounting pocket contains at least one sensor.

15 . A railway car hatch cover comprising:

an exterior shell cover with an outer-side and an under-side;

a mounting ring removably attached to said under-side of said exterior shell cover, said mounting ring containing a replaceable gasket, said gasket being a vented gasket or a non-vented gasket;

wherein said mounting ring containing said gasket is secured to said under-side of said exterior shell cover;

wherein said mounting ring is removable, said gasket is replaceable with a new gasket, said new gasket being vented or non-vented, and said mounting ring containing said new gasket reinstallable to said under-side of said exterior shell cover.