Railcar safety appliances

Abstract

According to some embodiments, a railcar comprises a railcar body comprising at least one end or side arranged in a generally vertical plane. The railcar comprises a staggered ladder coupled to the railcar body and extending in a generally vertical direction. The staggered ladder comprises a plurality of steps that are staggered such that at least one step proximate a bottom of the ladder is offset from the generally vertical plane of the railcar body by a greater distance than at least one step proximate a top of the ladder. The railcar further comprises a staggered handrail coupled to the rail car body and proximate the staggered ladder, wherein a bottom portion of the staggered handrail is offset from the vertical plane of the railcar body by a greater distance than a top portion of the staggered handrail.

1 . A railcar comprising:
 a railcar body comprising at least one end or side arranged in a generally vertical plane;   a staggered ladder coupled to the railcar body and extending in a generally vertical direction, the staggered ladder comprising a plurality of steps wherein the plurality of steps are staggered such that at least one step proximate a bottom of the staggered ladder is offset from the generally vertical plane of the railcar body by a greater distance than at least one step proximate a top of the staggered ladder; and   a staggered handrail coupled to the rail car body and proximate the staggered ladder, wherein a bottom portion of the staggered handrail is offset from the vertical plane of the railcar body by a greater distance than a top portion of the staggered handrail.   
     
     
         2 . The railcar of  claim 1 , wherein a vertical axis of the staggered ladder is offset from the vertical plane of the railcar body by a first degree and a vertical axis of the staggered handrail is offset from the vertical plane of the railcar body by a second degree. 
     
     
         3 . The railcar of  claim 2 , wherein the first degree is different than the second degree. 
     
     
         4 . The railcar of  claim 1 , wherein a bottom portion of the staggered handrail is coupled to the staggered ladder and a top portion of the staggered handrail is coupled to the railcar body. 
     
     
         5 . The railcar of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the railcar comprises a well car comprising a pair of end sections disposed at each end of the railcar; and   the staggered ladder is coupled to an end section of the well car.   
     
     
         6 . The railcar of  claim 5 , wherein:
 at least one end section comprises an end platform disposed near one end of the railcar;   the staggered ladder extends below the end platform towards the ground facilitating access to the end platform;   a bottom portion of the staggered handrail is coupled to the staggered ladder at a position below the end platform; and   a top portion of the staggered handrail is coupled to a support extending vertically above the end platform.   
     
     
         7 . The railcar of  claim 5 , wherein the staggered ladder comprises two steps. 
     
     
         8 . A ladder and handrail system comprising:
 a ladder comprising a plurality of steps wherein the plurality of steps are staggered such that when the ladder is coupled to a generally vertical surface at least one step proximate a bottom of the ladder is offset from a vertical plane corresponding to the generally vertical surface by a greater distance than at least one step proximate a top of the ladder; and   a handrail, wherein a bottom portion of the handrail is offset from the vertical plane corresponding to the generally vertical surface by a greater distance than a top portion of the handrail when the handrail is coupled to the generally vertical surface.   
     
     
         9 . The ladder and handrail system of  claim 8 , wherein a vertical axis of the staggered ladder is offset from the vertical plane by a first degree and a vertical axis of the staggered handrail is offset from the vertical plane by a second degree. 
     
     
         10 . The ladder and handrail system of  claim 9 , wherein the first degree is different than the second degree. 
     
     
         11 . The ladder and handrail system of  claim 8 , wherein the generally vertical surface comprises a portion of a railcar. 
     
     
         12 . The ladder and handrail system of  claim 8 , wherein the railcar comprises a well car. 
     
     
         13 . The ladder and handrail system of  claim 8 , wherein the ladder comprises two steps. 
     
     
         14 . A handhold comprising:
 a handrail oriented in a generally vertical direction, wherein the handrail is offset from vertical when coupled to a generally vertical surface such that a bottom portion of the handrail is offset from a vertical plane corresponding to the generally vertical surface by a greater distance than a top portion of the handrail; and   a slope of the handrail generally corresponds to a slope of a staggered ladder when the handrail is coupled to the vertical surface proximate the staggered ladder, wherein the staggered ladder comprises a plurality of steps that are staggered such that when the ladder is coupled to the generally vertical surface at least one step proximate a bottom of the ladder is offset from the vertical plane corresponding to the generally vertical surface by a greater distance than at least one step proximate a top of the ladder.   
     
     
         15 . The handhold of  claim 14 , wherein a vertical axis of the staggered ladder is offset from the vertical plane by a first degree and a vertical axis of the staggered handrail is offset from the vertical plane by a second degree. 
     
     
         16 . The handhold of  claim 15 , wherein the first degree is different than the second degree. 
     
     
         17 . The handhold of  claim 14 , wherein the generally vertical surface comprises a portion of a railcar. 
     
     
         18 . The handhold of  claim 17 , wherein the railcar comprises a well car. 
     
     
         19 . The handhold of  claim 18 , wherein a bottom portion of the handrail is coupled to the staggered ladder. 
     
     
         20 . The handhold of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the well car comprises at least one end section comprising an end platform disposed near one end of the railcar;   the staggered ladder extends below the end platform towards the ground facilitating access to the end platform;   a bottom portion of the staggered handrail is coupled to the staggered ladder at a position below the end platform; and   a top portion of the staggered handrail is coupled to a support extending vertically above the end platform.