Car repair apparatus

Abstract

A car repair station is disclosed having sequential way stations along a continuous track for the assemblyline repair of railroad cars, preferably of the Hopper type. The car passes into and under paired gantries at a second way station. These paired gantries are positioned at each end of the car and include a vertically moveable, horizontal lifting beam which moves up and down the gantry. The lifting beams have protruding therefrom a bell crank. When the bell cranks fasten to the coupler pockets and additional fastening is made to other portions of the car body the car is lifted by raising of the lifting beams and rotated about a longitudinal axis which is substantially coincident with its center of gravity. The car trucks are wheeled away through a turntable system, and the car is rotated on its side and lowered to two platforms with the gantry cranes, horizontal lifting beam, and bell cranks releasing the car. The car is then conveyed to a subrepair station on either side of the second way station where repair to the car underbody can be accomplished. Once repaired, the rotating procedure is reversed and the car is placed on refurbished trucks. Upon placement to the refurbished truck, the car is conveyed to a third way station for coupler replacement, draft gear replacement, brake reconnection and safety appliance repair.