| 主权项 |
1. A top-loading railroad freight car for bulk commodity haulage, comprising:
an open-top containment structure to contain a bulk material within a containment volume open at the top to accommodate top-loading of the containment volume, the containment structure comprising vertically-projecting sidewalls disposed on opposing sides of the containment volume, each said sidewall having a top edge; opposing sideboards attached to the sidewalls, wherein the sideboards project at an elevation of least 0.1 meter higher than the top edges of the sidewalls at least along substantially all of a first portion of a length dimension extending from 3 meters from the first longitudinal end of the containment volume to 3 meters from the second longitudinal end of the containment volume, and wherein the sideboards comprise ramped portions at a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end of each of the sideboards that each extend from the elevation of the first portion toward the top edge of the sidewall at a corresponding longitudinal end of the containment structure; a cover moveable between an open position and a closed position, wherein when the cover is in the open position, access to the containment volume is free of obstructions at least along a majority of a length dimension of the containment volume such that the containment volume is accessible from above to accommodate open-top loading of bulk material, and when the cover is in the closed position at least a majority of the containment volume is covered from above, with the cover being supported by the sideboards above the containment volume with at least a portion of the cover at the elevation at least 0.1 meter higher than the top edges of the sidewalls; and the sideboards comprising tracks that guide movement of the cover between the open and closed positions, wherein the track of each said sideboard extends from at least adjacent a first longitudinal end of the containment volume to adjacent a second longitudinal end of the containment volume, and wherein the cover comprises a plow disposed at a leading edge of the cover that is engaged with the tracks to clear material from the track as the cover is advanced relative to the track; wherein the track extends along the sideboards a distance laterally offset from the sidewall of the containment structure in a direction inboard toward the center of the containment volume such that a shoulder portion of the sideboard is defined adjacent to the top edge of the sidewall to accept a clamp for engagement of the rail car in connection with rotary dump operation. |
