Increased capacity railway car

Details Increased capacity railway car Increased capacity railway car

1998-12-17

2001-04-10

Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)

Railway rolling stock

Special car bodies

Dumping

C105S238100, C105S248000, C105S355000, C105S404000, C105S409000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06213028

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to railway cars and more particularly to a railway car with increased capacity.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Railway cars are useful for transporting large amounts of cargo. Although in some applications it is desirable to manufacture large railway cars, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) has placed constraints on the size of railway cars for safety purposes. For example, the cross-sectional widths and heights of a railway car is limited by the AAR clearance limitations, which specify a maximum width and a maximum height of a railway car at the center of the railway car and also specify maximum heights and widths at other locations along the length of the railway car. Because of the AAR clearance limitations, designers often increase the cargo-carrying capacity of a railway car by increasing the length of the railway car. Unfortunately, as the length of a railway car increases, the width allowed by the AAR clearance limitations decrease to take into account the travel of a railway car around a curve. While traveling around a curve, a portion of a railway car may extend outside a clearance plane specified by AAR limitations, which is not acceptable. Therefore, stricter width clearance limitation is applied to longer railway cars to avoid a railway car making contact with a structure adjacent the railroad.
Thus, the AAR clearance limitations also generally limit the width-to-length ratio at which a railway car may be constructed and therefore further restrict the cargo-carrying capability of a railway car. The amount of cargo a railway car may carry directly impacts the profitability of a railway carrier and is therefore important. Thus, maximizing the amount of cargo a railway car can carry while staying within AAR clearance limitations is desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, a need has arisen for an improved railway car that provides increased cargo-carrying capability. The present invention provides an improved railway car that addresses shortcomings of prior railway cars and increases cargo-carrying capability.
According to one aspect of the invention, a railway car includes a first end, a second end, and a first side disposed longitudinally between the first end and the second end. The first side includes a concave portion in a generally horizontal plane of the railway car.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method of manufacturing an improved railway car includes providing a first end and a second end and connecting a first side and a second side between the first end and the second end. The first side includes a center disposed approximately equidistant from the first end and the second end. The method also includes positioning a portion of the first side toward the second side such that the first side and the second side are separated by a shorter distance at the center of the first side than at the first end and the second end.
The invention provides several technical advantages. For example, the invention provides a railway car with increased cargo-carrying capacity. In one embodiment of the invention, the cargo-carrying capability is approximately 7% over the cargo-carrying capacity of conventional cars. In the same embodiment, the length of a railway car was over 10 inches larger than a conventional car. Both the increases in cargo-carrying capacity and car length were effected while remaining within AAR clearance limitations. Further, a railway car may be made shorter than conventional railway cars, while having a greater cargo-carrying capacity.
Other technical advantages will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, descriptions, and claims.


REFERENCES:
patent: 784817 (1905-03-01), Trapp
patent: 3583331 (1971-06-01), Mowatt-Larssen
patent: 3712250 (1973-01-01), Geyer et al.
patent: 4867073 (1989-09-01), Dugge
“Plate C, Equipment Diagram for Limited Interchange Service,” Standard, S-2028-91,Association of American Railroads, Mechanical Division, Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices,Adopted 1963, Revised, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1991, p. C-251, 1991.
“Plate C-1, Maximum Width of Cars with Various Truck Centers,” Standard, S-2029-66,Association of American Railroads, Mechanical Division, Manual of Standards and Recommended Practices,Adopted, 1963; Revised 1966, p. C-252, 1966.

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