Methods for improving the aerodynamic characteristics of railroad cars and railroad cars embodying the same

Abstract

A railroad car adapted for open-top transport of materials including a receptacle for receiving a selected material. The receptacle is defined vertically by a floor, defined laterally by first and second sidewalls having a height and extending at an angle from the floor and defined longitudinally by first and second end-walls having a height and extending at an angle from the floor. A lateral baffle disposed within the receptacle between the first and second sidewalls laterally partitions the receptacle into a plurality of cavities for reducing aerodynamic drag during open-top motion of the railroad car.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates in general to the design and construction of railroad cars, and in particular, to methods for improving the aerodynamic characteristics of railroad cars and railroad cars embodying the same. BACKGROUND OF INVENTION [0002] The railroad system is one the most efficient means for transporting bulk materials, such as coal, iron ore, coke, rock, cement, and the like. One particular railway-based transportation technique which has evolved for efficiently transporting such bulk materials utilizes open-top gondola railroad cars and rotary car dumpers. In this system, the material being transported is simply directly dumped or poured into the open-top of the required number of gondola cars at the departure point, such as a coal mine, transfer dock, or shipping terminal. The filled gondola cars, which remain open-topped, are then coupled into trains and the material transported via the railway system in a conventional fashion. At the des...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is about reducing the aerodynamic drag of a railroad car with an open-top configuration. It introduces a design that includes a receptacle for receiving a selected material, which is divided into multiple cavities by a lateral baffle to reduce aerodynamic drag during motion. This results in decreased fuel consumption and reduced loading on train engines. The use of baffles not only reduces drag but also provides structural strength to the car, allowing for the elimination or modification of external drag-generating appendages to achieve further drag reductions.

Problems solved by technology

Among other things, current gondola cars, as well as other open-topped railway cars, are aerodynamically inefficient.

The result is the creation of significant aerodynamic drag during movement, particularly when the cars are empty, and therefore an increased burden on the train engines.

This increased burden directly translates to increased fuel consumption and increased costs.

To increase the aerodynamic efficiency, normally open-topped gondola cars could be covered; however, covering increases the size and weight of each car.

Moreover, the addition of covers makes the process of loading and unloading each car more expensive and time consuming, and potentially more hazardous, if additional human interaction is involved.

These external ribs only further increase the problem of achieving aerodynamic efficiency by increasing aerodynamic drag during both loaded and empty operations of the railroad car.

For example, similar problems are encountered in the design and construction of bottom-dump and hopper railroad cars, which are operated in an open-top configuration.

Images