Railcar fixtures for transportation of wind turbine blades and method involving same

摘要

A transport system for transporting a wind turbine blade on first and second railcars that serve as load cars. A root end fixture on the first railcar is connected to a root end portion of the wind turbine blade. A mid-frame fixture on the second railcar supports a reinforced midsection of the wind turbine blade using a pair of support saddles. A tip end fixture restrains a tip end portion of the wind turbine blade against lateral movement outside of a preselected range of movement in opposite lateral directions and causing bending of the blade about the mid-frame fixture when the restraint device imparts sufficient restraining force to the tip end portion of the blade.

主权项

1. A transport system for transporting a wind turbine blade along a railroad, said transport system comprising:
a first railcar and a second railcar coupled together; a root end fixture mounted to the first railcar for connecting with and supporting a root end portion of the wind turbine blade so that the wind turbine blade extends longitudinally along at least the first and second railcars; a mid-frame fixture mounted to the second railcar for supporting a midsection of the wind turbine blade; and a tip end fixture mounted to the second railcar, the tip end fixture comprising a pair of uprights having upper ends that are spaced apart from each other, a halo for mounting on a tip end portion of the wind turbine blade, and a restraint device interconnecting the halo with both of the uprights for exerting a restraining force on the halo to stop movement of the tip end portion outside of a preselected range of movement in opposite lateral directions.