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 thread box assembly includes a framing body coupled with a moveable arm of a thread box system that positions rails of a track. The framing body includes external framing walls with an upward facing open side. The framing body includes framing supporting walls between the external walls. Supporting walls may couple the framing walls with each other. The assembly includes a closing body that can be removably coupled with the framing body. The closing body includes opposing elongated bars and opposing internal coupling walls. The elongated bars are oriented perpendicular to the coupling walls. The closing body is fastened to the framing body to define and surround a central opening of the thread box assembly through which the rails extend during installation or replacement of the track without the closing body moving relative to the framing body.

A thread box assembly includes a framing body coupled with a moveable arm of a thread box system that positions rails of a track. The framing body includes external framing walls with an upward facing open side. The framing body includes framing supporting walls between the external walls. Supporting walls may couple the framing walls with each other. The assembly includes a closing body that can be removably coupled with the framing body. The closing body includes opposing elongated bars and opposing internal coupling walls. The elongated bars are oriented perpendicular to the coupling walls. The closing body is fastened to the framing body to define and surround a central opening of the thread box assembly through which the rails extend during installation or replacement of the track without the closing body moving relative to the framing body.

A system and method are used for transporting a plurality of tower sections of a wind turbine on beds of transport devices, such as flat railcars. Supports affix at support locations on beds to accommodate at least one of the tower sections on each of the transport devices. The supports can include bed supports, such as tabs, extending from the beds, and can include cradle supports with slots that engage on the tabs. A circumferential dimension of a cradle is adjusted on each of the supports against which the tower section rests. Each of the tower sections is then supported with at least two of the supports by loading the tower sections on the transport devices. An end of each of the tower sections is then affixed to a flange on at least one of the supports on each of the transport devices.

An apparatus, a vehicle and a method for securing intermodal cargo containers is provided. Couplers include pins and bottom supports to engage apertures and bottom surfaces of corner fittings for intermodal cargo containers. The couplers may also include sidewall supports to engage forward facing side surfaces of the corner fittings. The pins, bottom supports, and sidewall supports hold an intermodal cargo container in place through a relatively large range of acceleration forces without damaging the corner fittings of the intermodal cargo containers. The couplers are selectively movable from a retracted position to an extended position to engage the corner fittings of the intermodal cargo containers.

An apparatus, a vehicle and a method for securing intermodal cargo containers is provided. Couplers include pins and bottom supports to engage apertures and bottom surfaces of corner fittings for intermodal cargo containers. The couplers may also include sidewall supports to engage forward facing side surfaces of the corner fittings. The pins, bottom supports, and sidewall supports hold an intermodal cargo container in place through a relatively large range of acceleration forces without damaging the corner fittings of the intermodal cargo containers. The couplers are selectively movable from a retracted position to an extended position to engage the corner fittings of the intermodal cargo containers.

A system for immobilizing a semi-trailer kingpin on a transport vehicle includes a balance arm and a substantially horizontal rigid linking structure designed to guide the vertical movement of the receiving nacelle, hold it in position above the lifting system in a horizontal plane and take up the forces exerted thereon. The longitudinal rigid linking structure is hingedly linked to the receiving nacelle and to the transport vehicle in order to take up the longitudinal forces from same, and the balance arm includes preloaded springs that take up the forces exerted on the balance arm when the receiving nacelle is temporarily inclined relative to the horizontal plane. The lifting system for lifting the receiving nacelle is mounted pivoting on the railway unit at a pivot pin transverse to the longitudinal axis of the transport vehicle.

A system for immobilizing a semi-trailer kingpin on a transport vehicle includes a balance arm and a substantially horizontal rigid linking structure designed to guide the vertical movement of the receiving nacelle, hold it in position above the lifting system in a horizontal plane and take up the forces exerted thereon. The longitudinal rigid linking structure is hingedly linked to the receiving nacelle and to the transport vehicle in order to take up the longitudinal forces from same, and the balance arm includes preloaded springs that take up the forces exerted on the balance arm when the receiving nacelle is temporarily inclined relative to the horizontal plane. The lifting system for lifting the receiving nacelle is mounted pivoting on the railway unit at a pivot pin transverse to the longitudinal axis of the transport vehicle.

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.

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.