US 12,459,549 B2
Method and cast components for cold formed center sill rail car modification programs and railcars formed thereby
Cloyd Wirick, Mineral Point, PA (US); Greg P. Josephson, Salix, PA (US); David F. Single, Portage, PA (US); Kerry Sauter, Sidman, PA (US); and Robert J. Roxby, Portage, PA (US)
Assigned to JAC OPERATIONS, INC., Chicago, IL (US)
Filed by JAC Operations, Inc., Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Sep. 30, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/038,205.
Application 17/038,205 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2019/025190, filed on Apr. 1, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/650,472, filed on Mar. 30, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0009169 A1, Jan. 14, 2021
Int. Cl. B61F 1/02 (2006.01); B61D 7/00 (2006.01); B61D 7/02 (2006.01); B61D 17/00 (2006.01); B61D 17/04 (2006.01); B61F 1/08 (2006.01); B61F 1/12 (2006.01); B61D 7/28 (2006.01); B61D 17/08 (2006.01)
CPC B61F 1/02 (2013.01) [B61D 7/00 (2013.01); B61D 7/02 (2013.01); B61D 17/00 (2013.01); B61D 17/04 (2013.01); B61F 1/08 (2013.01); B61F 1/12 (2013.01); B61D 7/28 (2013.01); B61D 17/08 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of modification of a railcar with a cold formed center sill comprising the steps of:
providing an existing railcar with a cold formed center sill;
removing an upper portion of the existing railcar including all existing railcar side walls, all existing railcar end walls and all existing railcar top chord sections;
forming an upper railcar body having top chord sections and a pair of end walls and side walls coupled to the top chord structure;
forming an underframe construction including the cold formed center sill running the length of the car and bolsters configured to be above truck assemblies and coupled to the cold formed center sill; and
coupling the upper body to the underframe, further including the step of cutting and splicing the cold formed center sill to a desired length prior to forming the underframe construction, wherein the step of cutting and splicing the cold formed center sill to a desired length prior to forming the underframe construction includes at least one of i) using a splice casting having a center section with the same profile as the exterior of the cold formed center sill with two end sections that telescope into the interior of spliced cold formed center sill sections or ii) using at least one cast transition casting between the cold formed center sill and a draft arm.