Steel gondola railcar

Abstract

A gondola car is made of high strength and high abrasion resistance steel that provides a lightweight structure and that prolongs the useful life of the car. The high strength and high abrasion resistance steel enhances the strength of the gondola car without increasing its thickness. The contemplated railcar positions components (e.g., side posts and cross-bearers) of the railcar away from areas of the railcar that experience high stresses during transport. In this manner, these components can be welded to form the railcar, and the welds will experience less stress during transport resulting in less weld breaks. Additionally, the number of components (e.g., side posts and cross-bearers) may be reduced, which reduces the weight of the railcar.

1 . A gondola railcar comprising:
 a first side sheet;   a second side sheet, the first and second side sheets comprise an alloy having a hardness of at least 200 HB and a yield strength of at least 65 ksi;   a bottom plate coupled to the first and second side sheets;   a first bolster coupled to the bottom plate;   a second bolster coupled to the bottom plate; and   exactly two cross-bearer structures, a first cross-bearer structure comprising:
 a first cross-bearer coupled to the bottom plate between the first and second bolsters; 
 a first side post coupled to the cross-bearer and welded to the first side sheet; and 
 a second side post coupled to the cross-bearer and welded to the second side sheet; and 
   a second cross-bearer structure comprising:
 a second cross-bearer coupled to the bottom plate between the first cross-bearer and the second bolster; 
 a third side post coupled to the second cross-bearer and welded to the first side sheet; and 
 a fourth side post coupled to the second cross-bearer and welded to the second side sheet. 
   
     
     
         2 . The gondola railcar of  claim 1 , further comprising a center sill coupled to the bottom plate, the first and second bolsters and the first and second cross-bearers are coupled to the center sill. 
     
     
         3 . The gondola railcar of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first end sheet coupled to the bottom plate and to the first and second side sheets; and   a second end sheet coupled to the bottom plate and to the first and second side sheets.   
     
     
         4 . The gondola railcar of  claim 1 , wherein the gondola railcar weighs less than 50,000 pounds. 
     
     
         5 . The gondola railcar of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a fifth side post coupled to the first bolster and welded to the first side sheet, the first side post between the third and fifth side posts;   a sixth side post coupled to the first bolster and welded to the second side sheet, the second side post between the fourth and sixth side posts;   a seventh side post coupled to the second bolster and welded to the first side sheet, the third side post between the first and seventh side posts; and   an eighth side post coupled to the second bolster and welded to the second side sheet, the fourth side post between the second and eighth side posts.   
     
     
         6 . The gondola railcar of  claim 5 , a distance between the first cross-bearer and the second cross-bearer is substantially the same as a distance between the second cross-bearer and the second bolster. 
     
     
         7 . The gondola railcar of  claim 1 , the bottom plate comprises an alloy having a hardness of at least 200 HB and a yield strength of at least 65 ksi. 
     
     
         8 . A method comprising:
 positioning a gondola railcar, the gondola railcar comprising:
 a first side sheet; 
 a second side sheet, the first and second side sheets comprise an alloy having a hardness of at least 200 HB and a yield strength of at least 65 ksi; 
 a bottom plate coupled to the first and second side sheets; 
 a first bolster coupled to the bottom plate; 
 a second bolster coupled to the bottom plate; and 
 exactly two cross-bearer structures, a first cross-bearer structure comprising:
 a first cross-bearer coupled to the bottom plate between the first and second bolsters; 
 a first side post coupled to the cross-bearer and welded to the first side sheet; and 
 a second side post coupled to the cross-bearer and welded to the second side sheet; and 
 
 a second cross-bearer structure comprising:
 a second cross-bearer coupled to the bottom plate between the first cross-bearer and the second bolster; 
 a third side post coupled to the second cross-bearer and welded to the first side sheet; and 
 a fourth side post coupled to the second cross-bearer and welded to the second side sheet; and 
 
   unloading a commodity from the gondola railcar.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , the gondola railcar further comprising a center sill coupled to the bottom plate, the first and second bolsters and the first and second cross-bearers are coupled to the center sill. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , the gondola railcar further comprising:
 a first end sheet coupled to the bottom plate and to the first and second side sheets; and   a second end sheet coupled to the bottom plate and to the first and second side sheets.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the gondola railcar weighs less than 50,000 pounds. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , the gondola railcar further comprising:
 a fifth side post coupled to the first bolster and welded to the first side sheet, the first side post between the third and fifth side posts;   a sixth side post coupled to the first bolster and welded to the second side sheet, the second side post between the fourth and sixth side posts;   a seventh side post coupled to the second bolster and welded to the first side sheet, the third side post between the first and seventh side posts; and   an eighth side post coupled to the second bolster and welded to the second side sheet, the fourth side post between the second and eighth side posts.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , a distance between the first cross-bearer and the second cross-bearer is substantially the same as a distance between the second cross-bearer and the second bolster. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , the bottom plate comprises an alloy having a hardness of at least 200 HB and a yield strength of at least 65 ksi. 
     
     
         15 . A system comprising:
 a gondola railcar comprising:
 a first side sheet; 
 a second side sheet, the first and second side sheets comprise an alloy having a hardness of at least 200 HB and a yield strength of at least 65 ksi; 
 a bottom plate coupled to the first and second side sheets; 
 a first bolster coupled to the bottom plate; 
 a second bolster coupled to the bottom plate; and 
 exactly two cross-bearer structures, a first cross-bearer structure comprising:
 a first cross-bearer coupled to the bottom plate between the first and second bolsters; 
 a first side post coupled to the cross-bearer and welded to the first side sheet; and 
 a second side post coupled to the cross-bearer and welded to the second side sheet; and 
 
 a second cross-bearer structure comprising:
 a second cross-bearer coupled to the bottom plate between the first cross-bearer and the second bolster; 
 a third side post coupled to the second cross-bearer and welded to the first side sheet; and 
 a fourth side post coupled to the second cross-bearer and welded to the second side sheet; and 
 
   a commodity loaded in the gondola railcar.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , the gondola railcar further comprising a center sill coupled to the bottom plate, the first and second bolsters and the first and second cross-bearers are coupled to the center sill. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , the gondola railcar further comprising:
 a first end sheet coupled to the bottom plate and to the first and second side sheets; and   a second end sheet coupled to the bottom plate and to the first and second side sheets.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the gondola railcar weighs less than 50,000 pounds. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , the gondola railcar further comprising:
 a fifth side post coupled to the first bolster and welded to the first side sheet, the first side post between the third and fifth side posts;   a sixth side post coupled to the first bolster and welded to the second side sheet, the second side post between the fourth and sixth side posts;   a seventh side post coupled to the second bolster and welded to the first side sheet, the third side post between the first and seventh side posts; and   an eighth side post coupled to the second bolster and welded to the second side sheet, the fourth side post between the second and eighth side posts.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , a distance between the first cross-bearer and the second cross-bearer is substantially the same as a distance between the second cross-bearer and the second bolster.