Patent ID: 7069864

Claim:
A transition member for use in a railway freight car, the railway freight car comprising a truck assembly, an underframe assembly and a center sill, the underframe assembly includes a draft sill that provides connection between the underframe assembly and the truck assembly, an end sill, wherein the transition member connects between the end sill and the draft sill, the transition member comprising a generally rectangular in cross section elongated structure, including a top section, bottom section and two spaced wall sections that extend between the top section and the bottom section, wherein the transition member includes a first end and a second end, the first end is comprised of first edges of the top section, main part of the bottom section and two wall sections, and the second end is comprised of second edges of the top section, tapered part of the bottom section and the two wall sections, wherein the first end is received in an opening in the center sill and the second end is received in an opening in the draft sill, further comprising a second support rib structure extending inwardly from each of the top section, bottom section and the two wall sections to form a continuous support rib at the second end of the transition member, wherein the top section, bottom section and two wall sections each include a tapered protrusion that extends outwardly beyond the second support rib structure at the second end of the transition member.