Patent ID: 7543367

Claim:
A method for assembling a railway car comprising: forming a railway car underframe defined in part by a center sill having a plurality of cross ties, cross bearers and body bolsters extending therefrom along with a first end sill and a second end sill disposed adjacent to opposite ends of the center sill; forming a pair of sidewall assemblies and a pair of endwall assemblies with each sidewall assembly and each endwall assembly having an exterior metal surface and an interior surface of fiber reinforced material with foam insulation disposed therebetween; forming each sidewall assembly with an opening for loading and unloading lading; attaching a first sidewall assembly with one side of the railway car underframe; attaching a second sidewall assembly with the other side of the railway car underframe; attaching a first endwall assembly with the first end sill of the railway car underframe; attaching a second endwall assembly with the second end sill of the railway car underframe; attaching a roof assembly to the sidewall assemblies and the endwall assemblies opposite from the railway car underframe; attaching a primary floor assembly to the railway car underframe; applying insulating material to respective joints formed between the endwall assemblies and the sidewall assemblies, the primary floor assembly and the sidewall assemblies and the endwall assemblies, and the roof assembly and the endwall assemblies and the side assemblies; attaching a door assembly adjacent to the respective opening formed in each sidewall assembly to control access to the railway car; and installing a secondary floor assembly on the primary floor opposite from the railway car underframe.