A system for removing and refitting rigid covers on rail wagons including a rubber tyred gantry crane with a laterally moving trolley from which a spreader for attaching to a cover is attached via skewed cables to reduce sway and rotation. The spreader engages the covers via electromagnets and moves the covers to hinge on a side lip of the wagon for loading. The cover is replaced by the reverse procedure. Optionally the electromagnets are used to activate a latching mechanism for securing the covers.

A system for removing and refitting rigid covers on rail wagons including a rubber tyred gantry crane with a laterally moving trolley from which a spreader for attaching to a cover is attached via skewed cables to reduce sway and rotation. The spreader engages the covers via electromagnets and moves the covers to hinge on a side lip of the wagon for loading. The cover is replaced by the reverse procedure. Optionally the electromagnets are used to activate a latching mechanism for securing the covers.

Intermodal vehicles may be loaded with items and an aerial vehicle, and directed to travel to areas where demand for the items is known or anticipated. The intermodal vehicles may be coupled to locomotives, container ships, road tractors or other vehicles, and equipped with systems for loading one or more items onto the aerial vehicle, and for launching or retrieving the aerial vehicle while the intermodal vehicles are in motion. The areas where the demand is known or anticipated may be identified on any basis, including but not limited to past histories of purchases or deliveries to such areas, or events that are scheduled to occur in such areas. Additionally, intermodal vehicles may be loaded with replacement parts and/or inspection equipment, and configured to conduct repairs, servicing operations or inspections on aerial vehicles within the intermodal vehicles, while the intermodal vehicles are in motion.

A bridge-supported tool for opening and closing lids located on top of railcars. The bridge has two sides and a cross member between the sides that moves along the sides, the cross member supports a tool carriage that moves along the cross member, the tool carriage has a tool engagement interface for retaining a selected tool and the interface is vertically moveable, such that the tool is moveable to any selected location in the space defined by the bridge. A controller can be used to direct the positioning of the tool by controlling the movements of the cross member, tool carriage and tool engagement interface.

Transportation methods, systems and covers for transporting hot ingots or sows are disclosed. The transportation system includes a base, at least one stack of ingots, and at least one cover positioned over the at least one stack of ingots. The transportation system may also include a securement assembly configured to secure the at least one stack of ingots and at least one cover to the base. A transportation method using the transportation system to deliver hot ingots to a processing facility is also disclosed.

A railcar has a pair of sidewalls, a cover, a take up spool, and a motor. The take up spool may store panels of the cover, and the motor moves the cover between a retracted position and an extended position.

The present railway car hatch cover latch assembly includes a latch plate. One end of the latch assembly rod is affixed to a bracket, with the adjustable end usually comprising an eye at the end of a threaded shaft. The threaded shaft is received in a keeper. The keeper in turn supports and holds a coil spring between the eye and the keeper cap. A bent hooking rod has two upturned ends that hold the end of the coil spring nearest the eye. The center of the bent hooking rod extends from the keeper to form a receiver. A latch plate includes a pivot rod that extends through the receiver of the bent hooking rod. The latch paddle itself contacts and holds the hatch cover is a compressively closed position against the railway car hatch ring.

A railcar may include a pair of opposed sidewalls, and a support disposed on the top of each sidewall. The supports are configured to engage clamps to rotate the railcar.

A vehicle includes a base, a pair of wheel sets mounted underneath the base in a spaced apart relationship to each other, at least one coupling members mounted on at least one end of the base along longitudinal axis of the vehicle, an enclosure upstanding on the base and having a pair of side wall structures, a pair of end wall members and a roof member joining upper edges of each of the pair of side wall members and the pair of end wall structures, the enclosure defining an interior compartment of the railway freight car and an apparatus configured to move the enclosure in a vertical direction relative to the base.

A vehicle includes a base, a pair of wheel sets mounted underneath the base in a spaced apart relationship to each other, at least one coupling members mounted on at least one end of the base along longitudinal axis of the vehicle, an enclosure upstanding on the base and having a pair of side wall structures, a pair of end wall members and a roof member joining upper edges of each of the pair of side wall members and the pair of end wall structures, the enclosure defining an interior compartment of the railway freight car and an apparatus configured to move the enclosure in a vertical direction relative to the base.