Tilting Railcar Flatbed Loading for Remote Storage Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Railcar storage is expensive and inefficient due to the need for complex rail infrastructure and maintenance, limiting accessibility and flexibility, especially when railcars are not in use.
Innovation Solution
A system featuring a tiltable flatbed trailer with a track assembly and alignment device for loading railcars onto the trailer, combined with field-deployable stands that support railcars without contact with the ground, allowing for remote storage and transportation without dedicated rail infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional rail infrastructure is used for storage, then railcars can be moved in and out by rail, but the system becomes expensive and complex requiring complex rail switches and regular maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the railcar from the traditional rail infrastructure environment and places it on a flatbed trailer for storage. This removes the dependency on complex rail switches and track systems, allowing storage at any location accessible by truck while maintaining the ability to load and unload railcars efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The flatbed trailer serves as an intermediary between the railcar and the ground, enabling storage without direct contact between the railcar wheels and the ground. This intermediary platform allows for simplified infrastructure while maintaining railcar functionality.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional rail storage facilities are used, then railcars can be stored near existing rail infrastructure, but the system becomes expensive and requires complex rail switches
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the railcar from the rail infrastructure system entirely for storage purposes, placing it on a flatbed trailer instead. This extraction eliminates the need for rail switches, complex track layouts, and associated maintenance infrastructure, while allowing storage at any location that can be accessed by truck.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a temporary, movable storage solution using flatbed trailers instead of permanent, expensive rail infrastructure. The trailers can be deployed as needed and moved or removed without significant investment in fixed infrastructure, providing a cost-effective alternative for railcar storage.
3Ease of manufacture
If railcars are stored on the ground, then storage is simple, but the railcar wheels contact the ground causing potential damage and contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The flatbed trailer acts as an intermediary platform between the ground and the railcar wheels. This prevents direct contact between the wheels and the ground, avoiding contamination and damage while maintaining storage simplicity. The trailer bed provides a clean, stable surface for wheel placement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical support system (ground直接接触) with an elevated platform system (flatbed trailer). This substitution maintains the simplicity of storage while protecting the railcar components from ground-related issues such as moisture, debris, and physical damage.
Data Source
AI summary
In one or more arrangements, a system is presented for transportation and/or storage of a railcar. The system includes a trailer having a flatbed configured to move between a tilted position and a horizontal position. The flatbed has a track assembly that when the flatbed is tilted and the track assembly is aligned with a set of rail tracks, a railcar may be loaded by rolling the railcar from the AAR approved rail tracks onto the track assembly of the flatbed. The system also includes an alignment device operably connected to the flatbed and configured to automatically align the track assembly of the flatbed with the set of rail tracks as the flatbed is tilted downward towards the track. In one or more arrangements, the system is configured to optionally use field deployable stands for storage of a car thereon.