Patent ID: 7950891

Claim:
A method for loading and unloading rail cars, comprising the steps of moving at least one car having a car frame ( 40 ) and a car superstructure ( 1 ) and traveling on a rail track ( 43 ), supported on a track bed having an inter-rail track bed portion located between the rails of the rail track and lateral track bed portions adjacent to each rail beyond said inter-rail track bed portion, into a loading and unloading position, and: for unloading the rail car, lifting, by means of lifting devices ( 101 , 111 ) anchored directly to the lateral track bed portions, the car superstructure ( 1 ) off from the car frame ( 40 ) to an unloading level, and moving the car superstructure ( 1 ) at the unloading level in a transverse direction with respect to a longitudinal plane ( 7 ) of the car and seating the car superstructure ( 1 ) completely on a loading and unloading face ( 140 ), and for loading the rail car, moving the car superstructure ( 1 ) from the loading and unloading face ( 140 ) in a transverse direction with respect to the longitudinal plane ( 7 ) of the car to above the car frame ( 40 ) and lowering, by means of lifting devices ( 101 , 111 ) anchored directly to the lateral track bed portions, the car superstructure ( 1 ) onto the car frame ( 40 ) which is located in the loading and unloading position.