Patent ID: 6920829

Claim:
A center beam rail road car comprising: a rail car boy including a deck structure carried by railcar trucks, said rail car body having first and second ends, said rail car body having structural members mounted at either end thereof to define first and second draft pockets; respective first and second couplers mounted in said draft pockets; said first coupler having a coupler centerline height; one of said structural members being a horizontal plate defining an upper wall of said first draft pocket; first and second end bulkheads extending upwardly from opposite ends of said deck structure; a center beam assembly running lengthwise between said bulkheads, said center beam assembly standing upwardly of said deck structure; said deck structure having first and second end portions and a medial portion lying between said first and second end portions; said first and second end portions of said deck structure being stepped upwardly relative to said medial portion of said deck structure; said first end portion of said deck structure having a load bearing interface upon which to place lading; said coupler centerline height being lower than said horizontal plate by a first distance; said horizontal plate being lower than said load bearing interface of said first end portion of said deck structure by a second distance; and said second distance being greater than said first distance.