Railcar systems and cargo transportation methods

Abstract

Described are cargo transport systems, cargo transport vessels that are used in combination with removable carriers that can be loaded and unloaded into the cargo transport vessel, and methods of using these systems, vessels, and removable carriers.

1 . A railcar comprising a rolling component and removable cargo carriers, the railcar comprising:
 a rolling component comprising a deck and wheels, and   removable cargo carriers capable of being loaded and un-loaded onto the rolling component, the removable cargo carriers comprising a combination of at least two different removable cargo carriers selected from types comprising:
 (i) a removable cargo carrier adapted to support an automobile, 
 (ii) a removable cargo carrier adapted to support palletized cargo on multiple horizontal supports, 
 (iii) a removable cargo carrier comprising a tank having an enclosed volume adapted to contain a fluid, 
 (iv) a removable cargo carrier comprising a central vertical support extending along a length of the carrier and a single horizontal support adapted to support stacked cargo on both sides of the central vertical support, and 
 (v) a removable cargo carrier comprising a bin comprising a volume adapted to contain dry (non-liquid) solid particulate material, the bin having an opening at the top to place the material into the bin, the bin having an opening at the bottom to remove the material from the bin. 
   
     
     
         2 . The railcar of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the rolling component has a width,   the at least two removable cargo carriers each have a width, and   the width of each of the at least two removable cargo carriers is less than 100 percent of the width of the deck, and is at least 80 percent of the width of the deck.   
     
     
         3 . The railcar of  claim 1 or 2 , wherein:
 the rolling component comprises:
 the deck, 
 one or more interiors, each interior defined by sidewalls extending vertically from the deck, a front wall extending vertically from the deck, and a back wall extending vertically from the deck, 
 a top opening at the top of the one or more interiors defined by a top of the front wall, a top of the back wall, and the tops of the two sidewalls, and 
   the at least two different removable cargo carriers are adapted to be loaded into one or more interiors through the top opening.   
     
     
         4 . The railcar of  claim 3 , wherein the rolling component comprises an interior having a length, a width, and a height, and two or more removable cargo carriers have dimensions comprising:
 a width that is less than 100 percent of a width of the interior, but that is at least 80, 85, 90, or 95 percent of the width of the interior;   a length that is less than 100 percent of a length of the interior but that is at least 80, 85, 90, or 95 percent of the length of the interior or segment; and   a height that is less than 100 percent of a height of the interior, but that is at least 80, 85, 90, or 95 percent of the height of the interior.   
     
     
         5 . The railcar of  claim 4 , wherein each of the at least two removable cargo carriers comprise a roof, and with the at least two removable cargo carriers loaded in the interior the roof engages the sidewalls, front wall, and backwall and encloses the interior. 
     
     
         6 . The railcar of any of  claims 1 through 5 , wherein the removable cargo carrier that is capable of supporting an automobile supports at least two automobiles oriented horizontally, with one automobile located vertically above another automobile. 
     
     
         7 . The railcar of any of  claims 1 through 6 , wherein the removable cargo carrier adapted to support palletized cargo on multiple horizontal supports has open sides or open ends to allow palletized cargo to be loaded onto the horizontal supports from a side or from an end. 
     
     
         8 . The railcar of any of  claims 1 through 7 , wherein the removable cargo carrier that comprises a tank includes an opening at a top of the tank to fill the tank. 
     
     
         9 . The railcar of any of  claims 1 through 8 , wherein the removable cargo carrier that comprises a tank comprises a tank that has width, a height, or both that approximate a width, a height, or both of an interior of the rolling component. 
     
     
         10 . The railcar of any of  claims 1 through 9 , wherein the at least two different removable cargo are carriers selected from types comprising:
 (i) a removable cargo carrier adapted to support an automobile,   (iii) a removable cargo carrier comprising a tank, having an enclosed volume adapted to contain a fluid,   (iv) a removable cargo carrier comprising a central vertical support extending along a length of the carrier and a single horizontal support adapted to support stacked cargo on both sides of the central vertical support, and   (v) a removable cargo carrier comprising a bin comprising a volume adapted to contain dry (non-liquid) solid particulate material, the bin having an opening at the top to place the material into the bin, the bin having an opening at the bottom to remove the material from the bin.   
     
     
         11 . The railcar of any of  claims 1 through 9 , wherein the at least two different removable cargo are carriers selected from types comprising:
 (i) a removable cargo carrier adapted to support an automobile,   (iv) a removable cargo carrier comprising a central vertical support extending along a length of the carrier and a single horizontal support adapted to support stacked cargo on both sides of the central vertical support, and   (v) a removable cargo carrier comprising a bin comprising a volume adapted to contain dry (non-liquid) solid particulate material, the bin having an opening at the top to place the material into the bin, the bin having an opening at the bottom to remove the material from the bin.   
     
     
         12 . The railcar of any of  claims 1 through 11 , wherein:
 the rolling component comprises:
 a front wall extending vertically from the deck, a back wall extending vertically from the deck, and two sidewalls extending vertically from the deck, 
 an interior defined by the sidewalls, front wall, and back wall, 
 a top opening at the top of the interior defined by a top of the front wall, a top of the back wall, and the tops of the two sidewalls; and 
   the removable cargo carriers are adapted to be loaded into the interior through the top opening, the carriers comprising:
 a vertical support, 
 a horizontal support, 
 a roof that covers the top opening when the carrier is loaded in the interior, and 
 one or more couplers that are accessible when the removable cargo carrier is loaded in the interior and the roof is covering the top opening, the one or more couplers comprising one or more lifting surfaces that may be lifted vertically to lift the carrier. 
   
     
     
         13 . A method of loading and unloading a railcar of any of  claims 1 through 12 , the method comprising:
 loading a first removable cargo carrier onto the rolling component, the first removable cargo carrier being of a type selected from types (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), and (v),   moving the rolling component and the first removable cargo carrier,   then removing the first removable cargo carrier from the rolling component, and   after removing the first removable cargo carrier from the rolling component, loading a second removable cargo carrier onto the rolling component, the second removable cargo carrier being of a type selected from types (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), and (v), the second type being different from the first type.   
     
     
         14 . A method transporting cargo using a railcar of any of  claims 1 through 11 , the method comprising:
 at a first location, loading a first type of removable cargo carrier selected from types (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), and (v) onto the rolling component,   transporting the railcar to a second location,   at the second location, removing the removable cargo carrier from the rolling component, and   at the second location, loading a second type of removable cargo carrier selected from (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), and (v) onto the rolling component, the second type being different from the first type.   
     
     
         15 . A method of transporting multiple types of cargo using a railcar comprising a rolling component and multiple removable cargo carriers:
 the rolling component comprising a deck and wheels, and   the removable cargo carriers are capable of being loaded and un-loaded onto the rolling component, the removable cargo carriers comprising a combination of at least two different removable cargo carriers selected from types comprising:
 (i) a removable cargo carrier adapted to support an automobile, 
 (ii) a removable cargo carrier adapted to support palletized cargo on multiple horizontal supports, 
 (iii) a removable cargo carrier comprising a container having an enclosed volume adapted to contain a fluid, 
 (iv) a removable cargo carrier comprising a central vertical support extending along a length of the carrier and a single horizontal support adapted to support stacked cargo on both sides of the central vertical support, and 
 (v) a removable cargo carrier comprising a bin comprising a volume adapted to contain dry (non-liquid) solid particulate material, the bin having an opening at the top to place the material into the bin, the bin having an opening at the bottom to remove the material from the bin, the method comprising: 
   at a first location, loading onto the rolling component a first removable cargo carrier selected from types (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), and (v),   transporting the rolling component and the first cargo carrier to a second location,   at the second location, removing the first removable cargo carrier from the rolling component, and   at the second location, loading a second removable cargo carrier onto the rolling component, the second removable cargo carrier selected from types (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), and (v) and being different from the type of the first cargo carrier.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  comprising transporting the railcar to the second location while the rolling component is part of a consist that includes the rolling component, a front adjacent railcar couple to the rolling component, and a back adjacent railcar coupled to the rolling component. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  comprising, at the second location, removing the first removable cargo carrier from the rolling component without decoupling the rolling component from the front adjacent railcar, without decoupling the rolling component from the back adjacent railcar, or without decoupling the rolling component from the front adjacent railcar or from the back adjacent railcar. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  comprising, at the second location, loading the second removable cargo carrier onto the rolling component without decoupling the rolling component from the front adjacent railcar, without decoupling the rolling component from the back adjacent railcar, or without decoupling the rolling component from the front adjacent railcar or from the back adjacent railcar. 
     
     
         19 . The method of any of  claims 15 through 18 , wherein:
 the rolling component comprises:
 the deck, 
 one or more interiors, each interior defined by sidewalls extending vertically from the deck, a front wall extending vertically from the deck, and a back wall extending vertically from the deck, 
 a top opening at the top of the one or more interiors defined by a top of the front wall, a top of the back wall, and the tops of the two sidewalls, and 
   the at least two different removable cargo carriers are adapted to be loaded into the one or more interiors through the top opening.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein each of the at least two removable cargo carriers comprise a roof, and with the at least two removable cargo carriers loaded in the interior the roof engages the sidewalls, front wall, and backwall and encloses the interior. 
     
     
         21 . The method of any of  claims 15 through 20 , wherein the at least two different removable cargo are carriers selected from types comprising:
 (i) a removable cargo carrier adapted to support an automobile,   (iii) a removable cargo carrier comprising a tank, having an enclosed volume adapted to contain a fluid,   (iv) a removable cargo carrier comprising a central vertical support extending along a length of the carrier and a single horizontal support adapted to support stacked cargo on both sides of the central vertical support, and   (v) a removable cargo carrier comprising a bin comprising a volume adapted to contain dry (non-liquid) solid particulate material, the bin having an opening at the top to place the material into the bin, the bin having an opening at the bottom to remove the material from the bin.   
     
     
         22 . A top-loading enclosed railcar comprising:
 a deck having a deck front, a deck back, and two deck sides,   wheels attached to and supporting the deck from below the deck,   a front wall extending vertically from the deck front, a back wall extending vertically from the deck front, and two sidewalls extending vertically from each of the two deck sides, the sidewalls and deck defining an interior,   a top opening at the top of the interior defined by a top of the front wall, a top of the back wall, and the tops of the two sidewalls, and   a roof that is capable of an opened position that exposes the top opening and allows access to the interior, and a closed position that covers the top opening.   
     
     
         23 . A method of loading one or more top-opening enclosed railcars, each comprising:
 a deck,   wheels attached to and supporting the deck from below the deck,   walls extending vertically from the decks to surround the deck and define a railcar interior,   a top opening at the top of the interior defined by a top of the walls, and   a roof that is capable of an opened position that exposes the top opening and allows access to the interior, and a closed position that covers the top opening,   
       the method comprising:
 with a first train on a rail line, the first train comprising one or more top-opening enclosed railcars, 
 with a second train on a rail line parallel to the first train, the second train comprising one or more top-opening enclosed railcars, 
 using a crane to load cargo through a top opening of a top-opening enclosed railcar of the first train, 
 using a crane to load cargo through a top opening of a top-opening enclosed railcar of the first train. 
 
     
     
         24 . A top-loading cargo vessel comprising:
 a deck,   a front wall extending vertically from the deck, a back wall extending vertically from the deck, and two sidewalls extending vertically from the deck,   an interior defined by the sidewalls, front wall, and back wall,   a top opening at the top of the interior defined by a top of the front wall, a top of the back wall, and the tops of the two sidewalls,   a removable cargo carrier that is adapted to be loaded into the interior through the top opening, the carrier comprising:
 vertical supports, 
 a horizontal support supported by the vertical supports, and 
 a roof, 
   
       wherein when the removable cargo carrier is loaded in the interior, the roof engages walls of the vessel and encloses the interior. 
     
     
         25 . A top-loading cargo vessel comprising:
 a deck,   a front wall extending vertically from the deck, a back wall extending vertically from the deck, and two sidewalls extending vertically from the deck,   an interior defined by the sidewalls, front wall, and back wall,   a top opening at the top of the interior defined by a top of the front wall, a top of the back wall, and the tops of the two sidewalls,   a removable cargo carrier that is adapted to be loaded into the interior through the top opening, the carrier comprising:
 vertical supports, 
 a horizontal support supported by the vertical supports, 
 a roof that covers the top opening when the carrier is loaded in the interior, and 
 one or more couplers that are accessible when the removable cargo carrier is loaded in the interior and the roof is covering the top opening, the one or more couplers comprising one or more lifting surfaces that may be lifted vertically to lift the carrier. 
   
     
     
         26 . A top-loading cargo vessel comprising:
 a deck,   a front wall extending vertically from the deck, a back wall extending vertically from the deck, and two sidewalls extending vertically from the deck,   an interior defined by the sidewalls, front wall, and back wall,   a top opening at the top of the interior defined by a top of the front wall, a top of the back wall, and the tops of the two sidewalls,   a removable cargo carrier that is adapted to be loaded into the interior through the top opening, the carrier comprising:
 vertical supports, 
 a horizontal support supported by the vertical supports, and 
 a roof that is moveable in a vertical direction relative to the vertical supports.