Patent ID: 6941875

Claim:
A side wall assembly for use in forming a composite box structure mounted on a railway car underframe comprising: a side wall frame having a generally elongated rectangular configuration defined in part by a top chord extending along an upper edge of the side wall assembly and a side sill assembly extending along a bottom edge of the side wall assembly; a plurality of support posts disposed between and attached to the top chord and the side sill assembly; the top chord and side sill assembly extending longitudinally from a first end of the side wall assembly to a second end of the side wall assembly; a plurality of metal sheets with each metal sheet having an interior surface and an exterior surface; the interior surfaces of the metal sheets attached with the side wall frame whereby the exterior surfaces of the metal sheets cooperate with each other to form an exterior surface of the side wall assembly; the side sill assembly having a generally “J” shaped cross section; a support member attached to an interior surface of the side sill assembly and extending longitudinally from proximate a first end of the side sill assembly to proximate a second end of the side sill assembly; one end of each support post attached to and secured with the support member; a first layer of fiber reinforced plastic disposed on the support posts opposite from the metal sheets; foam insulation disposed between and bonded with the interior surfaces of the metal sheets, adjacent portions of the support posts and the first layer of fiber reinforced plastic; and isolators attached to each support post opposite from the metal sheets; and the first layer of fiber reinforced plastic disposed on the isolators.