END DOOR STRUCTURE FOR AN ALUMINUM VEHICLE CARRIER RAILCAR

摘要

A bi-level aluminum vehicle carrier railcar (10) utilizes an end door system for attachment to a vehicle carrier railcar (10) for opening and closing an end of the cargo space of the railcar (10). The door system includes a pair of end doors (34) that pivot about a vertical pivot axis (40). Each door (34) includes an inner door member (36) and an outer door member (38). The door members (36 and 38) are connected for movement from an aligned side-by-side position closing the cargo space when the door (34) is in the closed position to an overlapping, nested position exterior and adjacent to a side of the railcar (10) when the door (34) is in the open position. A pair of linkage assemblies (42) are provided with each extending from the pivot axis (40) to the inner door member (36) and the outer door member (38). Each linkage assembly (42) includes a main linkage arm pivotable about the vertical pivot axis (40), an inner door linkage arm extending from the main linkage arm to the inner door member (36) and an outer door linkage arm extending from the main linkage arm to the outer door member (38). Guide members (50 and 60) extend between the inner door member (36) and the outer door member (38) and between the outer door member (36) and the railcar (10) to guide the relative motion of the door members (36 and 38) during opening.