Patent ID: 7430794
Filing Date: 2008-10-07
Classification: B61H,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for replacing a damaged brake beam truss assembly connected to brake rigging linkages on a railcar having a car body supported on a railcar truck while maintaining said railcar truck and said car body in operable association with each other, said railcar truck including a wheel and axle assembly including a pair of laterally spaced wheels mounted between a pair of laterally spaced side frame members, with each side frame member including structure projecting laterally inwardly from the respective side frame member for guiding and supporting said brake beam truss assembly, and with the structure on said side frame members defining a predetermined lateral distance therebetween, said method comprising the steps of: removing said damaged brake beam truss assembly from between said side frame members of said railcar truck while maintaining said railcar truck and said car body in operable association with each other; arranging a first end-guide, defining a first end of a truss beam subassembly, into operably guided and supported sliding relation relative to the structure on one of said side frame members of the railcar truck, with said truss beam subassembly further including compression and tension members each having a first end secured to each other, and wherein the truss beam subassembly has an overall length shorter than the predetermined lateral distance between the structures on said side frame members so as to allow said truss beam subassembly to be arranged in operable combination with said structure on said one of said side frame members while maintaining said railcar truck and said car body in operable association with each other, and with said first end-guide having a free distal end; arranging a second end-guide in operably guided and supported sliding relation relative to the structure on the other of said side frame members of the railcar truck, with said second end-guide haying a free distal end; coupling said second end-guide and a second end of said truss beam subassembly opposite from said first end-guide to each other to form a rigid brake beam unit and such that the free distal ends of the end-guides are guided and supported for sliding movements between said structures on the side frame members of said railcar truck, with said second end-guide and said truss beam subassembly being coupled to each other while said railcar truck and said car body are maintained in operable association with each other; and providing a first brake head and a second brake head arranged in operable combination with and toward the first end and the second end, respectively, of said truss beam subassembly for movements toward and away from said wheels on said wheel and axle assembly as first and second end-guides slidably move within the structures on said side frame members.