Patent ID: 7337727

Claim:
A center beam rail road car comprising: a center beam car body mounted on a pair of first and second spaced apart rail car trucks, said body having a deck structure, a central upstanding web assembly running along said car, said web assembly extending upwardly of said deck structure, and an upper beam assembly surmounting said vertical web assembly; said deck structure including first and second end decking portions mounted over said respective first and second trucks, and a medial decking portion lying between said trucks, said first and second end decking portions being stepped upwardly relative to said medial decking portion; said center beam car body being selected from the group consisting of (a) a center beam car body in which said central upstanding web assembly includes an array of upwardly extending posts, said posts having a lower region adjacent said deck structure and an upper region adjacent said upper beam assembly; and a skirt member extending longitudinally between said upper regions of said posts, said skirt member having a laterally outwardly oriented face against which lading can seat, said face of said skirt member lying in a position chosen from the set of positions consisting of (i) a position flush with said posts and (ii) a position proud of said posts; said array of posts being free of any member obstructing said face, and (b) a center beam car body in which said central upstanding web assembly includes an array of upwardly extending posts, said posts having a lower region adjacent said deck structure, and an upper region adjacent said upper beam assembly, and said upper beam assembly has a lengthwise extending, laterally outwardly facing member against which lading can seat, said laterally outwardly facing member being mounted in a position that is chosen from the set of positions consisting of (i) flush with said posts; and (ii) proud of said posts; said array of posts being free of any member obstructing said outwardly facing member, wherein said car has a center sill, said deck structure being supported thereby; said upper beam assembly includes a top truss and a beam stem, said top truss being mounted upon said beam stem and said beam stem being mounted to said upper region of said web assembly; and said beam stem includes said lengthwise extending, laterally outwardly facing member.