Robert A Zimmerman

US Patent:

42339090, Nov 18, 1980

Filed:

Mar 28, 1978

Appl. No.:

5/890984

Inventors:

Michael B. Adams - Western Springs IL
John A. Angold - Naperville IL
Robert B. Morrison - Topeka KS
Robert E. Zimmerman - Topeka KS

Assignee:

Itel Corporation - San Francisco CA

International Classification:

B61F 100
B65D 1710

US Classification:

105 4R

Abstract:

A series of relatively lightweight, short, articulately interconnected cars is disclosed for transporting trailers or other cargo containers on a railway. The interior cars of the series include a center sill which constitutes a narrow width underframe and a length substantially equal to the length of a car, a pair of end sills connected perpendicularly to the center sill at opposite ends thereof and having a width extending beyond each side of the center sill, support members interconnecting the ends of the end sills with the center sill, and male and female portions of an articulated connector respectively attached to each end of a car. End cars have one end, constructed similarly, but are provided with conventional semi-automatic couplings on the other end in place of a portion of the articulated connector. The articulated connectors are mounted on a single conventional railway truck which spans the adjacent ends of interconnected cars and further supports the support members. Special configurations of the cars are disclosed for use in a trailer-on-flatcar (TOFC) and container-on-flatcar (COFC) environments.