Trinity Industries, Inc.

Trinity Rail Group, LLC

Trinity North American Freight Car, Inc.

Trinity Tank Car, Inc.

Aubra D McKisic

George S Creighton

Kenneth W Huck

Christopher C Harkey

Jerry W Vande Sande

Erich A Schoedl

Joseph L Gagliardino

Donald E Wilt

Lee A Reitz

Keith A Salis

Caglar Ozerdim

Christopher Crisafulli

Thomas H Dalrymple

Robert J Pokorski

Suman Gachhadar

Konstantin I Khenokh

Joseph T Float

Michael James Madden

A modular railcar includes a modular top system that is configured to hold one or more coils of material, and a railcar underframe that supports the modular top system. The modular top system includes a pair of side sills and one or more troughs disposed between the pair of side sills. Each side sill of the pair of side sills extends a longitudinal length of the modular top system. Each trough of the one or more troughs is configured to hold a coil of the one or more coils of material. The underframe includes one or more coupling apparatuses that are configured to detachably engage the modular top system when the modular top system is positioned on top of the underframe.

Modular coil railcar

According to some embodiments, a discharge door locking system for a railcar discharge door comprises a lock piston configured to move between a first position (not engaged with an operating beam coupled to a discharge door) and a second position (engaged). The locking system comprises a first and second input. Activation of the first input moves the lock piston to the first position, and activation of the second input moves the lock piston to the second position. The first input of the locking system is coupled to a first input of an operating cylinder coupled to the operating beam. The first input of the operating cylinder is configured to move the discharge door to the open position.

Rapid discharge door locking system

According to some embodiments, a railcar comprises an underframe and at least one hopper. The hopper is configured to transport a lading material. A longitudinal sliding gate assembly is coupled to the hopper and comprises: a pair of side walls coupled to a pair of end walls forming a discharge opening; a pair of tracks, one coupled to each end wall; a sliding gate slidably coupled to the pair of tracks; and a threaded drive screw coupled to the sliding gate and to the pair of side walls. Rotation of the threaded drive screw in a first direction moves the sliding gate along the tracks to an open position that permits the lading material to discharge, and rotation of the threaded drive screw in an opposite direction moves the sliding gate along the tracks to a closed position that restricts the lading material from discharging.

Longitudinal sliding gate for hopper car

According to some embodiments, a discharge door locking system for a railcar discharge door comprises a lock piston configured to move between a first position (not engaged with an operating beam coupled to a discharge door) and a second position (engaged). The locking system comprises a first and second input. Activation of the first input moves the lock piston to the first position, and activation of the second input moves the lock piston to the second position. The first input of the locking system is coupled to a first input of an operating cylinder coupled to the operating beam. The first input of the operating cylinder is configured to move the discharge door to the open position. The second input of the locking system is coupled to a second input of the operating cylinder. The second input is configured to move the discharge door to the closed position.

According to some embodiments, a railcar comprises a hopper with a sloped sheet and a discharge door. A first end of the discharge door is coupled to the railcar and pivots the discharge door between closed and open positions. The sloped sheet comprises a discharge end that is in contact with the discharge door when in the closed position. A second end of the discharge door extends beyond the discharge end of the sloped sheet when in the closed position. The discharge door comprises a lip disposed at its second end that extends generally perpendicular to the discharge door and parallel to the sloped sheet when the discharge door is in the closed position. The sloped sheet comprises a gasket coupled to its exterior portion. The lip of the discharge door contacts the gasket when in the closed position.

Hopper car gate seal

According to some embodiments, a pressure relief valve system comprises a valve body coupled to a pressure chamber. The valve body defines a vapor flow path between the pressure chamber and the atmosphere. A valve orifice in the valve body is configured to allow vapor to flow between the pressure chamber and the valve body. A vapor conduit comprises a vapor conduit first end coupled to the valve orifice and a second end opening into the pressure chamber. The vapor conduit forms a passageway between the vapor conduit first and second end. The vapor conduit also comprises a vapor conduit orifice near its first end. The vapor conduit orifice is configured to allow the vapor to flow from the pressure chamber into the vapor conduit. A gravity-operated valve positioned near the vapor conduit first end is configured to control the flow of vapor through the vapor conduit orifice.

Pressure relief valve for railroad tank cars

An energy absorption/coupling system for a railcar including a draft assembly provided toward opposed ends of a centersill on the railcar. Each draft assembly includes a coupler and a draft gear assembly disposed in longitudinally disposed and operable relation relative to each other. The coupler is configured to allow at least 4.5 inches of travel in a single longitudinal direction during operation of the coupler. The draft gear assembly of each draft assembly is configured to consistently and repeatedly withstand up to about 110,000 ft-lbs. of energy imparted to the energy absorption/coupling system at a force level not to exceed 900,000 lbs. over a range of travel of a wedge member in an inward axial direction relative to the housing of at least 4.5 inches. With the present invention disclosure, high level impact forces between rail cars can be absorbed and dissipated while maintaining an overall length of the railcar constant and unchanged. A method for releasably coupling two railcars to each other is also disclosed.

Energy absorption/coupling system for a railcar and related method for coupling railcars to each other

A gusset is capable of providing reinforcement in tank cars, particularly for nozzles in tank cars. A tank car includes a body having a curved wall portion, a nozzle opening formed in the wall, a reinforcing pad disposed on the wall, adjacent to the nozzle, and a gusset configured to support the nozzle. The gusset includes a portion of a cylinder having a predetermined radius. The portion of the cylinder includes a first edge disposed adjacent to a circumferential surface of the nozzle and a second edge disposed adjacent to a circumferential surface of the reinforcing pad, such that an axis of the portion of the cylinder intersects an axis of the nozzle at a predetermined angle. The predetermined radius and the predetermined angle are configured such that an arc of the portion of the cylinder extends less than approximately 180 degrees.

Gussets for reinforcement in tank cars and tank cars including gussets

In one embodiment, a system includes a first door assembly operable to at least partially cover an opening of a rail car. The system also includes an actuator. A first common linkage is coupled to the actuator and is operable to reciprocally move in a longitudinal direction relative to the actuator. In particular embodiments, a first secondary linkage is coupled to the first common linkage and is coupled to an exterior surface of the first door assembly, wherein the first secondary linkage cooperates with the first common linkage to move the first door assembly between an open position and a closed position over the top hatch of the rail car.

System and method for powered railcar doors

An apparatus for reinforcing a railway tank car includes a tank shell. A plurality of attachment pads are welded to the tank shell to form a tank assembly. The tank assembly is subjected to a post-weld heat treatment. A plurality of shield plates may each be welded directly to at least one of the plurality of attachment pads. The shield plates are not subjected to the post-weld heat treatment.

Growing community of inventors

Flower Mound, TX, United States of America

Aubra D McKisic