Patent ID: 8096739

Claim:
A rail system for transporting a set of one or more wind turbine blades, comprising: at least a first railcar and a second railcar coupled together; a pivoting support structure pivotally coupled to the first railcar, the pivoting support structure being configured to support a portion of the set of one or more wind turbine blades; and a pivoting-sliding support structure pivotally and slidingly coupled to the second railcar, the pivoting-sliding support structure being configured to support another portion of the set of one or more wind turbine blades; and at least one anti-rotation strap attached to the first railcar for limiting the rotation of the pivoting support structure about a generally transverse axis; wherein the pivoting support structure pivots in a generally horizontal plane relative to the first railcar; and wherein the pivoting-sliding support structure pivots in a generally horizontal plane relative to the second railcar and slides in a longitudinal direction relative to the second railcar.