Auto rack car conversions and deck adjustments

Abstract

A system for transporting vehicles includes a railcar, a deck, a fastener, a screw, and a travelling nut. The deck is positioned within the railcar and is for supporting a plurality of vehicles. The fastener is coupled to the deck and operable to couple the deck to a wall of the railcar. The fastener prevents a vertical position of the deck within the railcar to be adjusted when the deck is coupled to the wall by the fastener. The screw is coupled to the railcar and the travelling nut is operably coupled to the screw. The travelling nut is operable to adjust a vertical position of the deck within the railcar as a position of the travelling nut on the screw changes when the screw is turned.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A system for transporting vehicles comprising:
 a railcar;   a deck positioned within the railcar for supporting a plurality of vehicles;   a fastener coupled to the deck and operable to couple the deck to a wall of a railcar, wherein the fastener prevents a vertical position of the deck within the railcar to be adjusted when the deck is coupled to the wall by the fastener;   one or more pulleys coupled to the railcar; and   one or more cables coupled to the deck and operably coupled to the one or more pulleys, wherein the one or more cables are operable to adjust the vertical position of the deck within the railcar without removing the deck from the railcar.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising an actuator coupled to the railcar, wherein the actuator is configured to pull the one or more cables to adjust the vertical position of the deck within the railcar. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a controller configured to communicate electric signals that operate the actuator. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the deck comprises a first section and a second section; and   the one or more cables are operable to adjust a vertical position of the first section independent of a vertical position of the second section.