Patent ID: 6233806
Filing Date: 2001-05-22
Classification: B61F,Y10T

Abstract:
In a railway car of the type with a railway car truck having a longitudinal axis and including:a pair of spaced railway car truck side frames, a bolster extending transversely between the pair of side frames and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the railway car truck, each of the side frames having a mid-region, front and back ends, a side window between the front end and the mid-region, and a side window between the back end and the mid-region,a pair of spaced wheelsets, each wheelset having spaced apart wheels, one wheelset being mounted at the front end of the side frames and one wheelset being mounted at the back end of the side frames,a brake system including a brake beam and a brake shoe removably mounted on the brake beam and juxtaposed with one wheel, the brake shoe having a removable brake shoe key for mounting the brake shoe on the brake beam;a steering arm assembly including a front and a rear sub-assembly, each sub-assembly having top and bottom surfaces with top and bottom holes aligned to define a vertical open path between the top and bottom surfaces, each vertical open path being positioned above each brake shoe key,a method of removing a brake shoe from the brake beam comprising the steps of:providing a side access hole in each sub-assembly, each side access hole providing an open, side path intersecting each vertical open path, each side access hole being aligned with the adjacent side window of the adjacent side frame;inserting a tool through one side frame window and through the associated side access hole and applying the tool to the brake shoe key to move the brake shoe key upwardly through the vertical open path and through the steering arm assembly;moving the brake shoe key upwardly through the vertical open path until the brake shoe is free from the brake beam; andseparating the brake shoe from the brake beam.