Abstract:
A power system for short trains. In an embodiment, an over-the-road tractor is configured with drive gears on a drive axle to interface with driven gear systems on a rail car. By utilizing the apparatus, a method for efficient delivery of goods in containers on semi-trailers may be achieved, thus saving considerable time, and reducing costs.

Description:
RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
     None. 
     STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST 
     Not Applicable. 
     COPYRIGHT RIGHTS IN THE DRAWING 
     A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The patent owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This application relates to systems for providing delivery of semi-trailers and trailers involving local railroad operations, followed by transfer to roads for local trucking deliveries, and to apparatus which may be employed to facilitate such delivery and transfer. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In the freight shipping business, it is well known that in many situations, the last few miles are both the source of delays and of extra costs, as may be required for special handling of small quantities of goods by rail to remote locations. However, since the delivery often involves the rail transfer of highway capable trailers to locations near final destinations, subsequent connection with trucks is a rather labor intensive and time consuming activity. 
     As a result, the use of rail-to-road intermodal system methods have largely been limited to long distance freight hauls. However, in an ever more competitive shipping cost environment, there remains a need for improvements which would provide cost savings, and in particular, labor hour savings, especially for the last few miles required for delivery of goods. Thus, it would be advantageous if novel, cost effective methods were available, along with novel apparatus for implementation of such methods, for improving economics of ship-to-rail-to-road freight transfer. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       The present invention will be described by way of exemplary embodiments, illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures in which like reference numerals denote like elements, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a partially cut away side elevation view of a flatbed rail car which has been developed to support one or more over-the-road tractors (the type adapted for pulling semi-trailers), wherein the tractors are additionally provided with driving gears adapted to interface with driven gears provided on a bogie supporting the rail car. 
         FIG. 2  shows yet further details for an embodiment of an over-the-road tractor which has been adapted for use in propulsion of train cars, showing that in an embodiment, drive gears may be located between a set of dual wheels on opposing sides of a first axle, and that a tandem axle arrangement may be used. 
         FIG. 3  depicts a plan view of a single rear axle tractor having a driving gears located between each set of dual wheels; the tractor and gears (see  FIGS. 1 and 4 ) are suitable for driving trains for local delivery of goods. 
         FIG. 4  provides an diagrammatic representation to show a first gear drive system useful of an embodiment of a rail car with gearing adapted to receive power from an over-the-road tractor with a driving gear between dual tires. 
     
    
    
     The foregoing figures, being merely exemplary, contain various elements that may be present or omitted from a specific embodiment for an apparatus as taught herein. The figures have been provided in a way that illustrates at least those elements that are significant for an understanding of the apparatus and methods taught herein, and for the alternate configurations thereof. However, various other elements for gear system useful for driving a rail car, and intermodal freight system components and methods of use thereof, may be utilized, within the teachings hereof and within the coverage of the claims set forth herein. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Unique equipment and methods for use in ship-rail-road intermodal freight systems are set forth herein. Some of the equipment useful in carrying out the method(s) described herein was previously described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,800,452 B2, issued Aug. 12, 2104, to David KUN, and entitled Railroad Freight Car Loading or Unloading, and in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/144,517, entitled Method and Apparatus for Intermodal Container Handling, filed on May 2, 2016, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by this reference. The illustrations provided in this disclosure are directed at embodiments utilizing the most common tractor design configurations for over the road use in North America, namely, for pulling a semi-trailer. By definition, a semi-trailer is a trailer without a front axle. In semi-trailers, a large proportion of the weight in the semi-trailer is supported by an over-the-road tractor. Over-the-road tractors are generally equipped with large diesel engines and may be available, with drive modifications, to provide adequate power for short train rail operations. 
     Attention is directed to  FIG. 1 , where an apparatus for powering short trains on rail is depicted. In an embodiment, the apparatus includes a rail car  10 , which has a frame  12  supported by a first bogie  14  and a second bogie  16 . The frame  12  has a front  18 , a rear  20 , and a deck  22 . The first bogie  14  may include two wheel sets  24 A and  24 B, one of which includes a first rail axle  26  and a first pair of flanged main rail wheels  28   A  and  28   B  located on opposing sides of the first rail axle  26 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the first bogie  14  is located at or near the front  18  of the frame  12 . The second bogie  16  may also include two wheel sets  30   A  and  30   B , one of which includes a second rail axle  32  and a second pair of flanged main rail wheels  34  (similar to first pair of flanged main wheels  28   A  and  28 B illustrated in  FIG. 4 ) located on opposing sides of second rail axle  32 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the second bogie  16  is located at or near the rear  20  of the frame  12 . 
     As also seen in  FIG. 1 , a first gear system  40  is provided. The first gear system  40  includes a plurality of gears (see  FIG. 4  and as further described below) configured to receive motive power supplied from one or more external rail driving gears, such as external rail driving gears  42   R  and  42   L , located respectively between dual right wheels  46   R1  and  46   R2 , and dual left wheels  48   L1  and  48   L2  on a first over-the-road tractor  50 . In an embodiment, the one or more external rail driving gear  42   R  and  42   L  are located in an elevated position (e.g., vertically above but may be longitudinally displaced rearwardly) above the first pair of flanged main rail wheels  28   A  and  28   B . 
     As seen in  FIG. 2 , in an embodiment, the first over-the-road tractor  50  may include an engine  52  and a transmission  54 , connected in conventional fashion via driveline  56  and differential  58  to a first drive axle  60 . Attached to the first drive axle  60  are first and second sets of dual wheels ( 46   R1  and  46   R2  on the right, and  48   L1  and  48   L2  on the left) on opposing sides of the first drive axle  60 . As just noted above, the first external rail driving gear  42   R  may be disposed between the first set of dual wheels  46   R1  and  46   R1  and may be recessed sufficiently that the first external rail driving gear  42   R  substantially avoids ground contact during highway operations. A second external rail driving gear  42   L  may be disposed between a second set of dual wheels  48   L1  and  48   L2  and recessed sufficiently (i.e., of a sufficiently small outside diameter) that the second external rail driving gear  42   L  substantially avoids ground contact during highway operations. 
     In an embodiment, as can be visualized from  FIG. 1 or 2 , the deck  22  includes apertures therein (e.g. as defined by sidewalls  62 , on the right, and  64 , on the left) sized and shaped to accommodate therethrough the first and second sets of dual wheels ( 46   R1  and  46   R2  on the right, and  48   L1  and  48   L2  on the left), so that when said first over-the-road tractor  50  is placed on the deck  22 , the first and second external rail driving gears  42   R  and  42   L  are located in meshing engagement with first gear system  40  for supply of motive power thereto from the engine  52  of the first over-the-road tractor  50 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 1 , in an embodiment, a second over-the-road tractor  70  may be provided. The second over-the-road tractor  70  may include essentially identical components as the first-over-the road tractor  50 . Such components may include an engine  52 , and a transmission  54 , connected in conventional fashion via a driveline  56  and differential  58  to a second drive axle  80  (some just mentioned components of second over-the-road tractor  70  are not illustrated in the drawing figures but may be provided in a configuration substantially the same as earlier identified by identical reference numeral in connection with first over-the-road tractor  50 ). 
     Attached to second drive axle  80  of second over-the-road tractor  70  are third and fourth sets of dual wheels (substantially the same as depicted in  FIGS. 2 and 4  for first and second sets of dual wheels  46   R1  and  46   R2  on the right, and  48   L1  and  48   L2  on the left) on opposing sides of the second drive axle  80 . Similar to the configuration just noted above for first over-the-road tractor  50 , in the case of a second over-the-road tractor  70 , a third external rail driving gear  43   R  may be disposed between the third set of dual wheels  47   R1  and  47   R2  and may be recessed sufficiently that the third external rail driving gear  43   R  substantially avoids ground contact during highway operations. A fourth external rail driving gear  43   L  (not illustrated but substantially similar to that provided for external rail driving gear  42   R  shown in  FIG. 2 ) may be disposed between a fourth set of dual wheels  49   L1  and  49   L2  (again, not illustrated but substantially similar to that provided for of dual wheels  48   L1  and  48   L2  shown in  FIG. 2 ) and recessed sufficiently (i.e., of a sufficiently small outside diameter) that the fourth external rail driving gear  43   L  substantially avoids ground contact during highway operations. 
     In an embodiment, as can be visualized from  FIG. 1 or 2 , the deck  22  includes apertures therein (e.g. as defined by sidewalls  78  (on the right, and  84 , on the left but not shown) sized and shaped to accommodate therethrough the first and second sets of dual wheels ( 47   R1  and  47   R2  on the right, and  49   L1  and  49   L2  on the left), so that when the second over-the-road tractor  70  is placed on the deck  22  of rail car  10 , the third and fourth external rail driving gears  43   R  and  43   L  are located in meshing engagement with a second gear system  72  for supply of motive power thereto from engine  52  of the second over-the-road tractor  70 . 
     Attention is directed to  FIG. 4 , where a first gear system  40  is schematically and functionally depicted (for ease of understanding, the components appear spread out longitudinally, as compared to the arrangement depicted in the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 ). A first gear system  40  for receiving power from an external rail drive power source such as over-the-road tractor  50  is provided. The first gear system  40  is configured for receiving power via external rail driving gears  42   R  and  42   L , and transmitting power from the power source (tractor  50 ) to a first rail axle  26  mounted on the first bogie  14 . The first gear system  40  includes a first gear set  80  (which may in an embodiment include at least two gears  80   A  and  80   B ) mounted on the first rail axle  26 . A first floating shaft  82  is provided having a second gear set  84  which may in an embodiment include at least two gears  84   A  and  84   B  and a third gear set  86  (which may in an embodiment include at least two gears  86   A  and  86   B ) mounted thereon. As seen in  FIG. 1 , the first floating shaft  82  may be pivotably mounted by arms  88  to the first bogie  14 . The first floating shaft  82  provides a pivotable connection to first bogie  14  which allows said the first gear set  80  to connect with the second gear set  84  while allowing relative movement of the first gear set  80  with respect to the second gear set  84 , as well as allowing vertical movement of the deck  22  of the rail car with respect to the first rail axle  26 . The second gear set  84   A  and  84   B  is disposed in meshing engagement with the first gear set  80   A  and  80   B  and is adapted to drive the first gear set  80   A  and  80   B  in response to power applied to the first floating shaft  82  as received by the third gear set  86   A  and  86   B . In this embodiment, the first rail axle  26  drives rail car  10  in response to power applied by tractor  50  to the third gear set  86   A  and  86   B . 
     Returning now to  FIG. 1 , a second over-the-road tractor  70  may be provided to supply power from engine  52  to rail car  10  via a second gear system  72 . The second gear system  72  is configured for receiving power via external rail driving gears  43   R  and  43   L , and transmitting power from the power source, tractor  50 , to a second rail axle  32  mounted on the second bogie  16 . The second gear system  72  includes a fourth gear set  81  (which may in an embodiment include at least two gears  80   A  and  80   B ) mounted on the second rail axle  32 . A second floating shaft  83  having a fifth gear set  85  which may in an embodiment include at least two gears  85   A  and  85   B  and a sixth gear set  87  (which may in an embodiment include at least two gears  87   A  and  87   B ) mounted thereon is provided. As seen in  FIG. 1 , the second floating shaft  83  may be pivotably mounted by arms  88  to the second bogie  16 . The fifth gear set  85  (which may include at least two gears  85   A  and  85   B ) is disposed in meshing engagement with the fourth gear set  81  (which may include at least two gears  81   A  and  81   B ) and is adapted to drive the fourth gear set  81   A  and  81   B  in response to power applied to the second floating shaft  83  as received by the sixth gear set  87  (which may include at least two gears  87   A  and  87   B ). It will be understood by those of skill in the art and to which this specification is directed that even though only an operational schematic is provided in the elevation view of  FIG. 1 , the various gear sets ( 81 ,  85 ,  87 ) mentioned in this paragraph may be provided in at least two gears in the same manner as was depicted for the companion first gear system  40  which was illustrated in  FIG. 4 . In any event, in this embodiment, the second rail axle  32  drives rail car  10  in response to power applied by second truck  70  to the sixth gear set  87   A  and  87   B . 
     In practice, the apparatus described herein may be utilized in a method for intermodal transport of goods by rail, where over-the-road trailers are utilized. In such methods, the rail car  10  may be employed to pull via coupling  90  one or more freight cars FC (not shown but for example may be as described in the patent or patent application referenced above). Freight cars FC are adapted for carriage of semi-trailers or trailers, for example, may be configured for over-the-road transport of shipping containers, when the shipping containers are mounted on a conventional over-the-road chassis. This in the instant method, the over-the-road tractors  50  or  70  may be unloaded from the rail car  10  by conventional means and then utilized at a specified end-of-rail destination for carriage of the over-the-road trailers to the final destination for the goods being transported. In a further refinement of the method, the freight cars FC may be configured to carry over-the-road trailers, and the over-the-road trailers may be organized by specified final destination and placed on said one or more freight cars FC. Then, the over-the-road trailers may be removed from the freight cars FC at specified destination end-or-rail yard. Subsequently, the over-the-road tractor  50  or  70  delivers over-the-road trailers to a specified final destination. 
     In the foregoing description, numerous details have been set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed exemplary embodiments for apparatus and method for driving short trains with over-the-road tractors, and to methods of their use in rail-road intermodal freight systems. However, certain of the described details may not be required in order to provide useful embodiments, or to practice selected or other disclosed embodiments. Further, the description may include, for descriptive purposes, various relative terms such as surface, at, adjacent, proximity, near, on, onto, and the like. Such usage should not be construed as limiting. Terms that are relative only to a point of reference are not meant to be interpreted as absolute limitations, but are instead included in the foregoing description to facilitate understanding of the various aspects of the disclosed embodiments. Various components are described which may be employed alternatively, yet be included in some designs or components for use in a particular situation. Accordingly, the method(s) described herein may be utilized in whole or in part in various discrete operations, in a manner that is most helpful in a particular circumstance. However, the order of description should not be construed as to imply that such alternatives are necessarily order dependent, or that use of various components is necessarily in the alternative. Also, the reader will note that the phrase “in one embodiment” has been used repeatedly. This phrase generally does not refer to the same embodiment; however, it may. Finally, the terms “comprising”, “having” and “including” should be considered synonymous, unless the context dictates otherwise. 
     Various aspects and embodiments described and claimed herein may be modified from those shown without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages provided by this invention, and may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Embodiments presented herein are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive or limiting. This disclosure is intended to cover methods and apparatus described herein, and not only structural equivalents thereof, but also equivalent structures. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, the protection afforded to this invention should be limited only by the claims set forth herein, and the legal equivalents thereof.