Patent ID: 7828118

Claim:
A rail vehicle step in combination with a rail vehicle, comprising: a rail vehicle comprising: a rail vehicle body; wheels supporting the rail vehicle body for movement along rails; handholds mounted to the rail vehicle body; and a stirrup mounted to the rail vehicle body beneath the rail vehicle body and inward of the handholds, and a rail vehicle step for releasably mounting to a stirrup, the rail vehicle step comprising: a plank having a width and a length, a hook mounted in relation to the plank, the hook extending beneath the plank wherein a space between the plank and the hook is defined for receiving the stirrup, a bar extending in the width direction of the plank, substantially parallel in relation to the hook, the bar being mounted so as to slide in relation to opposing sides of the plank, a screw thread being supported for rotational movement in a substantially fixed axial relation to the plank, whereby rotation of the screw thread in relation to the plank displaces the bar and applies force to the bar to force the bar into engagement with the stirrup to hold the stirrup in engagement with the hook, the length of the plank being dimensioned to extend from the stirrup to beyond the rail vehicle, a handle supported in relation to the screw thread to aid in rotating the screw thread in relation to the bar.