PROTECTIVE COVER FOR RAILCARS

Abstract

A protective cover for a truck assembly of a railcar comprises a first end portion, a second end portion, and a middle portion. The first end portion is molded to fit over a first section of the truck assembly. The second end portion is molded to fit over a second section of the truck assembly. The middle portion is molded to fit over a middle section of the truck assembly. The first end portion and the middle portion are coupled to one another using at least one fastener. The second end portion and the middle portion are coupled to one another using at least one fastener. The first end portion, the second end portion, and the middle portion are molded such that when coupled together, the protective cover corresponds to a frame structure of the truck assembly.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to railcars and, more particularly, to a protective cover for railcars.

BACKGROUND

Railcars are used for transporting commodities. Over time, parts or components of a railcar suffer from corrosion and rust. Such parts of the railcar may be painted or coated to protect those parts from the outside environment and prevent corrosion and rust. Prior to painting or coating a part of the railcar, the part is blasted with media (e.g., pressured air, pressured water) to remove scale, rust, and other contaminants that may affect the adhesion of the new paint or coating.

In some cases, the part of the railcar that is desired to be painted or coated may be adjacent to other parts of the railcar where it is undesirable to be exposed to the blast media such that the blast media contacts or lodges in those parts. Similarly, the part of the railcar that is desired to be painted or coated may be adjacent to areas of the railcar that need to be protected from paint or coating particles.

One potential approach to cover areas of the railcar that need to be covered during painting or coating is to use maintenance, repair, and operation (MRO) materials, such as rubber materials, tarps, tapes, and plastic cloths to cover such areas. However, this process is labor-intensive, suffers from human error, is unreliable, and produces a significant amount of non-recyclable waste.

SUMMARY

To address the foregoing problems, various embodiments are disclosed herein for providing a protective cover for railcars. The protective cover is configured to cover areas and components of the railcar that need to be protected from blast media (e.g., compressed air), paint particles, and coating particles.

In certain embodiments, the protective cover may be molded according to the dimension of the component(s) that need to be covered during blasting and painting operations. For example, assume that a truck assembly of the railcar needs to be covered during blasting and painting operations. The truck assembly may include any number and combination of a side frame, railcar wheels, wheel bearings, wheel axles, among other components. The protective cover may be molded according to the frame structure of the truck assembly.

The protective cover may be constructed to have any number of portions as needed to cover at least a portion of the surface of the desired area, e.g., the truck assembly. Portions of the protective cover may be coupled to one another using one or more fasteners, such as mechanical fasteners, rubber latches, gate latches, built-in catches, and the like.

Certain embodiments may provide one or more technical advantages. In certain embodiments, the protective cover may be formed of a partially or completely recyclable material. Thus, the protective cover may not produce non-recyclable waste and reduce expenses related to using maintenance, repair, and operation (MRO) materials, such as rubber materials, tarps, tapes, and plastic cloths for covering the desired area that needs to be covered during blasting and painting.

In certain embodiments, the protective cover may be constructed such that it can be easily installed over the desired area that needs to be covered during blasting and painting. Thus, using the protective cover may reduce expenses related to the labor-intensive process of covering the desired area.

In certain embodiments, the protective cover may be constructed such that it can be used for different types and sizes of railcars. For example, adjacent portions of the protective cover may be overlapped with each other with various overlapping distances to allow installation on different types and sizes of railcars.

In certain embodiments, the protective cover may be used on new railcars for initial paint application.

Several embodiments are elaborated on in this disclosure. In accordance with a particular embodiment, a protective cover for a truck assembly of a railcar comprises a first end portion, a second end portion, and a middle portion. The first end portion is molded to fit over a first section of the truck assembly. The second end portion is molded to fit over a second section of the truck assembly. The middle portion is molded to fit over a middle section of the truck assembly. The protective cover further comprises at least a first fastener configured to couple the first end portion and the middle portion at one or more locations where the first end portion meets the middle portion. The protective cover further comprises at least a second fastener configured to couple the second end portion and the middle portion at one or more locations where the second end portion meets the middle portion. The first end portion, the second end portion, and the middle portion are molded such that when coupled together, the protective cover corresponds to a frame structure of the truck assembly.

Certain embodiments of the present disclosure may include some, all, or none of these advantages. These advantages and other features will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of this disclosure, reference is now made to the following brief description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and detailed description, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts.

FIG. 1A illustrates a side view of an embodiment of a railcar;

FIG. 1B illustrates a side view of an embodiment of a side frame of the railcar of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2 illustrates an isometric view of one embodiment of a protective cover with three portions;

FIG. 3 illustrates an isometric view of one embodiment of a protective cover with overlapping portions;

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate an embodiment of a protective cover with various overlapping distances installed on different types of railcars;

FIG. 5 illustrates an isometric view of one embodiment of an installed protective cover;

FIG. 6 illustrates isometric views of various embodiments of protective covers used for different types of railcars;

FIGS. 7A and B illustrate an embodiment of a protective cover with two portions; and

FIG. 8 illustrates an example flowchart of a method for using a protective cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1A illustrates a side view of an embodiment of a railcar 100. Examples of the railcar 100 may include a railroad car, a hopper car, a freight car, and a tank car. The railcar 100 is configured to transport commodities, e.g., coal, sand, metal ores, ballast, aggregates, grain, and any other type of lading.

The railcar 100 is mounted on truck assemblies 110. The truck assemblies 110 enable the railcar 100 to travel along a rail. In the example of FIG. 1A, one truck assembly 110 is shown at one end of the railcar 100, and another truck assembly 110 is shown at the other end of the railcar 100. Each truck assembly 110 may include any number and combination of a side frame, railcar wheels, wheel bearings, roller bearings, springs, wheel axles, among other components.

Parts or components of the railcar 100 may need to be painted or coated with protective material to protect the components of the railcar 100 from the outside environment, such as dust, rust, water, ice, heat, and dirt. Painting or coating the components of the railcar 100 may reduce the corrosion of these components.

Prior to painting or coating a component of the railcar 100, the component of the railcar 100 is blasted with media (e.g., compressed air) to remove scale, rust, and other contaminants that may affect the adhesion of the new paint or coating. In some cases, components of the railcar 100 to be painted or coated may be adjacent to other components of the railcar 100 where it is undesirable to be exposed to the blast media (e.g., the truck assembly 110) such that the blast media contacts or lodges in those components. For example, components of the railcar 100 to be painted or coated may be adjacent to areas of the railcar 100 (e.g., truck assembly 110) that need to be protected from painting or coating particles.

One potential approach to cover areas of the railcar 100 that need to be covered during painting or coating is to use maintenance, repair, and operation (MRO) materials, such as rubber materials, tarps, tapes, and plastic cloths to cover such areas. However, this process is labor-intensive, suffers from human error, and is unreliable. For example, the MRO material may not be applied properly to cover the desired area, and the area is exposed to the blast media, paint, and/or coating particles. In addition, using the MRO material to cover an area of the railcar 100 produces a significant amount of non-recyclable waste. Furthermore, utilization of the MRO materials is inconsistent for every railcar—meaning that there is an opportunity for error in covering desired areas and/or components of a railcar by using the MRO materials. For example, certain desired areas and/or components may be left uncovered if the MRO materials are used.

The present disclosure contemplates a protective cover 120 (see FIG. 2) that is configured to cover areas and components of the railcar 100 that need to be protected from the blast media, paint, and coating particles, such as the truck assembly 110. Various embodiments of the protective cover 120 are described in greater detail in FIGS. 2-7 and a method for using the protective cover 120 is described in FIG. 8. The present disclosure contemplates a protective cover 120 that may be used for protecting the desired areas in both paint and blast operations, as described above. The protective cover 120 may provide ergonomic advantages. For example, certain embodiments of the protective cover 120 are easier on the operators as the installation of the protective cover 120 may be accomplished by at least two latches. In another example, the weight of each portion of the protective cover 120 (optionally with exception of the middle portion) is such that a person can easily carry it. The present disclosure contemplates various embodiments of protective covers that can be used to cover any component(s) and/or area(s) of the railcar 110 as desired according to guidelines used to design the embodiments of protective cover 120 described herein, including valves, brake wheels, and couplers.

In certain embodiments, the protective cover 120 may be used on new railcars for initial paint application.

FIG. 1B illustrates a side view of an embodiment of a truck assembly 110 of the railcar 100 of FIG. 1A. To design a protective cover 120 for the truck assembly 110, the truck assembly 110 may be divided into two or more sections 112 or be considered as one portion 112 from one end to another. Each portion 122 of the protective cover 120 may be constructed or molded to fit over its respective section 112 of the truck assembly 110. In the illustrated embodiment, the truck assembly 110 is divided into sections 112a to 112c. Each section 112 may have any suitable length. The accumulation of the lengths of the sections 112 makes up the length of the truck assembly 110. In the illustrated embodiment, the two end portions 112a and 112c have the same length, and the middle section 112b has a different length compared to the end portions 112a and 112c. The length of each portion 112 may be set to ease the installation of the protective cover 120 on the truck assembly 110, reduce the installation time and labor cost, improve installation efficiency, improve the coverage of the truck assembly 110 (that is needed to be protected from the blast media, paint, and coating particles), and thus improve the overall operation of the railcar 100.

FIG. 2 illustrates an isometric view of one embodiment of the protective cover 120 with three portions. The protective cover 120 may be configured to cover (or house) at least a portion of the truck assembly 110. In the illustrated embodiment, the protective cover 120 is molded according to a frame structure of a truck assembly 110. For example, the portions 122 of the protective cover 120 may be molded such that when coupled together, the protective cover 120 corresponds to a frame structure of the truck assembly 110.

In other embodiments, the protective cover 120 may be molded according to any combination and number of components of the railcar 100. In other words, the protective cover 120 may be molded according to a frame structure of any combination and number of components of the railcar 100.

In certain embodiments, the portion(s) 122 of the protective cover 120 may be molded to provide a suitable clearance space from the truck assembly 110 and components immediately adjacent to any component of the truck assembly 110 to allow easy installation of the protective cover 120. The clearance space may provide room for a technician to install a portion 122 in its respective place. For example, the clearance space may be in the order of one to several inches. In certain embodiments, the protective cover 120 may be formed of plastic, plastic alloys, metal (such as aluminum), and any suitable material.

In certain embodiments, the protective cover 120 may be formed of partially or totally recyclable materials. In certain embodiments, the protective cover 120 may be formed of one or more materials to allow for durability, easy cleanup, and recyclability. In certain embodiments, the protective cover 120 may be formed by a casting machine, a molding machine, and/or any other suitable method. In certain embodiments, the protective cover 120 may be coated with a hydrophobic material to repel droplets of water, paint, and coating particles and to reduce the accumulation of such droplets and particles.

The protective cover 120 may include any suitable number of pieces or portions 122 to cover the truck assembly 110. In the illustrated embodiment in FIG. 2, the protective cover 120 includes a first end portion 122a, a middle portion 122b, and a second end portion 122c.

The first end portion 122a is molded according to a frame structure of a first section 112a (see FIG. 1B) of the truck assembly 110. For example, the first end portion 122a may be molded to fit over the first section 112a (see FIG. 1B). In other words, the first end portion 122a may be formed, molded, or constructed to accommodate (e.g., match or approximately match) edges, the shape, and the dimension of the first section 112a of the truck assembly 110.

The first end portion 122a may have various sections with various dimensions to accommodate edges, shape, and the dimension of the first section 112a (see FIG. 1B). In the illustrated embodiment, the first end portion 122a has a first part with a height 126a, a second part with a height 126b, and a third part with a height 126c. The height 126a may be greater than the height 126b. The height 126b may be greater than the height 126c. The height 126a may be set according to a height of the tallest components in the truck assembly 110, such as a railcar wheel. For example, the height 126a may be from one to several feet any suitable height that accommodates the height of the truck assembly 110. Each of the height 126b and 126c may be from one to several feet. The first end portion 122a may have a curved section according to a dimension of a railcar wheel of the truck assembly 110. For example, the curved section may fit over a railcar wheel of the truck assembly 110.

The first end portion 122a may be formed or molded to have a pocket 136. The pocket 136 may correspond to a receding portion. In the illustrated embodiment, the pocket 136 is designed to fit and sit between a railcar wheel and a side frame of a railcar 100. The pocket 136 stabilizes the first end portion 122a. During the installation of the first end portion 122a on the first section 112a (see FIG. 1B) of the truck assembly 110, the first end portion 122a is slid into a designated position with respect to the first section 112a such that the pocket 136 sits between the railcar wheel and the side frame. The pocket 136 is formed to have a receding portion. The receding portion allows the first end portion 122a to sit on the component of the railcar such that the first end portion 122a is stabilized—i.e. a technician does not need to hold the first end portion 122a in place. In this manner, the pocket 136 holds up and stabilizes the first end portion 122a on the first section 112a (see FIG. 1B) of the truck assembly 110. The second end portion 122c may be formed or molded to have a pocket 136 (not explicitly shown) similar to the first end portion 122a.

The first end portion 122a may have a length 130 and a width 128. The width 128 may be equal to or more than a width of the widest component in the truck assembly 110. For example, the width 128 may be any suitable width that accommodates the width of the truck assembly 110. The length 130 may be any suitable length that accommodates a length of the first section 112a (see FIG. 1) of the truck assembly 110.

The middle portion 122b is molded according to a frame structure of a middle section 112b (see FIG. 1B) of the truck assembly 110. For example, the middle portion 122b may be molded to fit over the middle section 112b (see FIG. 1B). In other words, the middle portion 122b may be formed, molded or constructed to accommodate (e.g., match or approximately match) edges, shapes, and the dimension of the middle section 112b of the truck assembly 110.

The middle portion 122b may have various sections with various dimensions to accommodate edges, the shape, and the dimension of the middle section 112b of the truck assembly 110. In the illustrated embodiment, the middle portion 122b has a first part with the height 126a, a second part with the height 126b, a third part with the height 126c, and a fourth part with a height 126d. Aspects of the heights 126 to 126c are described above.

In the example of FIG. 2, the height 126d is smaller than the height 126a to accommodate (e.g., match or approximately match) a decrease or dip in the height of the middle section of the truck assembly 110.

The decreased height in the middle portion 122b allows fitting the top edge of the middle portion 122b under a bolster and over a side frame of a railcar 100. The height 126d may be any value from five to several inches or any suitable value. The middle portion 122b may have the width 128. Aspects of the width 128 are described above. The middle portion 122b may have a length 132. The length 132 may be any value from ten to several inches or any suitable length that accommodates a length of the middle section 112b (see FIG. 1B) of the truck assembly 110.

The second end portion 122c may be a flipped version of the design of the first end portion 122a. The second end portion 122c may be molded according to a frame structure of the second end section 112c (see FIG. 1B) of the truck assembly 110. For example, the second end portion 122c may be designed to fit over the third section 112c (see FIG. 1B) of the truck assembly 110. In other words, the second end portion 122c may be formed, molded, or constructed to accommodate (e.g., match or approximately match) edges, the shape, and dimensions of the third section 112c (see FIG. 1B) of the truck assembly 110. The second end portion 122c may have various sections with various dimensions to accommodate the edges, the shape, and the dimension of the third section 112c (see FIG. 1B) of the truck assembly 110. In the illustrated embodiment, the second end portion 122c has a first part with the height 126a, a second part with the height 126b, and a third part with the height 126c. Aspects of the heights 126 to 126c are described above.

The second end portion 122c may have the width 128 and length 134. Aspects of the width 128 and the length 134 are described above. The second end portion 122c may have a curved section according to a dimension of a railcar wheel of the truck assembly 110, similar to the first end portion 122a described above.

In the illustrated embodiment, the accumulation of the length 130 of the first end portion 122a, the length 132 of the middle portion 122b, and the length 134 of the second end portion 122c may be equal to or greater than the length of the truck assembly 110.

In the illustrated embodiment, the first end portion 122a, the middle portion 122b, and the second end portion 122c are molded such that they do not cover under the railcar wheels of the truck assembly 110. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the portions 122a to 122c cover the top and portions of the sides of the truck assembly 110. By designing or molding the portions 122a to 122 to not cover under the railcar wheels, it allows for the railcar to travel while the protective cover 120 is installed on the truck assembly 110. This is particularly advantageous because for blasting the railcar with blast media, the railcar is typically pulled into an area, such as a blast chamber where the desired area (e.g., the body of the railcar) is blasted with the blast media. As such, the protective cover 120 can be installed on the truck assembly 110 before the railcar is pulled into the blast chamber and the railcar can travel while the protective cover 120 is installed.

Although FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of the protective cover 120 with three portions 122a to 122c, the present disclosure is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. In certain embodiments, the protective cover 120 may have a single piece that is molded according to a frame structure of a truck assembly 110. In certain embodiments, the protective cover 120 may have two pieces or portions 122 that are molded according to a frame structure of a truck assembly 110 (see FIG. 6 for the description of the two-piece protective cover 120). In certain embodiments, the protective cover 120 may have any number of portions 122 as needed to house or cover the truck assembly 110.

In installing the protective cover 120 on the truck assembly 110, the portions 122a to 122c may be coupled to one another using one or more fasteners 310 at one or more locations where they meet. Examples of the fasteners 310 may include mechanical fasteners, rubber latches, gate latches, built-in catches, among other types of fasteners and latches. In the illustrated embodiment, the first end portion 122a may be coupled to the middle portion 122b using the fastener 310a during the installation. In other embodiments, the first end portion 122a and the middle portion 122b may be coupled to each other using any number of fasteners 310.

Further in the illustrated embodiment, the second end portion 122c may be coupled to the middle portion 122b using the fastener 310b during the installation. In other embodiments, the second end portion 122c and the middle portion 122b may be coupled to each other using any number of fasteners 310.

In certain embodiments, the fasteners 310 may be disposed on the portions 122 of the protective cover 120 such that they allow adjacent portions 122 to overlap with each other. For example, a receiving component of a fastener 310 may be disposed further away from an edge of a portion 112 by the order of one to several inches. Thus, adjacent portions 122 may overlap with each other by the order of one to several inches. An example illustration of the overlapping portions 112 is shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 3 illustrates an isometric view of a protective cover 120 of FIG. 2 with overlapping portions 122. In the illustrated embodiments, adjacent portions 122a and 122b are overlapped with a distance 320, and adjacent portions 122c and 122c are overlapped with the distance 320. The overlapping distance 320 may be from one to several inches. Designing the portions 122 to allow overlapping distance 320 allows the protective cover 120 to have different lengths and thus to accommodate different types and sizes of railcars 100 and truck assemblies 110.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate an embodiment of a protective cover 120 with various overlapping distances 320 installed on different types of railcars 100a and 100b. The length of a truck assembly 110 of the railcar 100a may be smaller than the length of a truck assembly 110 of the railcar 100b. Thus, adjacent portions 122 of the protective cover 120 may overlap with each other with distances 320a and 320b such that the protective cover 120 corresponds to the lengths of railcars 100a and 100b, respectively. The distance 320b is different from the distance 320a. The first type of railcar 100a is different from the second type of railcar 100b. The first type of railcar 100a may have a different size compared to the second type of railcar 100b. Truck assemblies 110 of the first type of railcar 100a may have a different size compared to truck assemblies 110 of the second type of railcar 100b. For example, the first type of railcar 100a may be a tank railcar, and the second type of railcar 100b may be a hopper railcar or a freight railcar. With respect to the railcar 100a, the portions 122a to 122c of the protective cover 120 may be installed on the railcar 100a such that the adjacent portions 122 overlap with each other with the distance 320a. The distance 320a is for use on the first type of railcar 100a. With respect to the railcar 100b, the portions 122a to 122c of the protective cover 120 may be installed on the railcar 100a such that the adjacent portions 122 overlap with each other with the distance 320b. The distance 320b is for use on the second type of railcar 100b.

FIG. 5 illustrates an assembled protective cover 120 of FIG. 2. In the illustrated embodiment, fasteners 310 are used to couple the first end portion 122a to the middle portion 122b, and couple the second end portion 122c to the middle portion 122b.

In installing the portions 122 of the protective cover 120, each end portion 122a and 122c are placed on its designated position with respect to the truck assembly 110. Once the end portions 122a and 122c are put in their designated positions, the middle portion 122b is placed in its designated portion with respect to the truck assembly 110, e.g., overlapping the end portions 122a and 122c. The adjacent portions 122 are coupled to one another by closing the fasteners 310. After the truck assembly 110 is covered, blasting, painting, or coating operation for a component next to the truck assembly 110 may begin.

FIG. 6 illustrates isometric views of various embodiments of protective covers 120a and 120b used for different types of railcars 110a and 110b, respectively. The illustrated embodiment of the protective cover 120a is used for a first type of railcar 100a. For example, the first type of railcar 100a may include a tank railcar. As can be seen, the illustrated embodiment of the protective cover 120a is formed to have portions 610 to cover at least a portion of the back of the wheels. This is because components of the truck assembly adjacent to the wheels of the tank railcars are exposed more than other types of railcars. The portions 610 allow covering the exposed components from the blast media, paint, and coating particles.

The illustrated embodiment of the protective cover 120b is used for a second type of railcar 100b. For example, the second type of railcar 100b may include a hopper railcar or freight railcar. As can be seen, the protective cover 120b does not have the portions 610. One reason for this is that components that are desired to be covered in hopper railcars and freight railcars are not exposed as much as in the tank railcars. Another reason is that some components of the hopper railcars and freight railcars may be in the way of installing the portions of the protective cover 120b. For example, in the case of a hopper car, a sloped sidewall of a hopper discharge structure may limit the space for a technician to slide a portion of the protective cover into its place over a wheel. In another example, a coupled release or a sill step of a freight or hopper railcar may limit the space for a technician to slide a portion of the protective cover into its place. Thus, to provide enough clearance and room to slide the portions of the protective cover 120b into their respective positions, the protective cover 120b for the second type of railcars 100b is molded to exclude the portions 610.

FIGS. 7A and B illustrate an embodiment of a protective cover 120 with two portions 510a and 510b. FIG. 7A illustrates a side view of an embodiment of the two-piece protective cover 120. FIG. 7B illustrates a top view of the two-piece protective cover 120 of FIG. 7A. The portion 510a of the two-piece protective cover 120 may be molded according to a frame structure of a first section of the truck assembly 110 of the railcar 100. The portion 510a may have a dimension (e.g., length, height, width) to accommodate the frame structure of the first section of the truck assembly 110. The portion 510b of the two-piece protective cover 120 may be molded according to a frame structure of a second section of the truck assembly 110 of the railcar 100. The portion 510b may have a dimension (e.g., length, height, width) to accommodate the frame structure of the second section of the truck assembly 110. The first and second portions 510a and 510b are molded such that when they are coupled together, the two-piece protective cover 120 corresponds to the frame structure of the truck assembly 110. The first and second portions 510a and 510b are coupled together by one or more fasteners 310. Aspects of the fastener 310 are described in FIG. 2. For installation, the first and second portions 510a and 510b are placed in their respective positions over a truck assembly 110 one after another. Then, the first and second portions 510a and 510a are coupled together with one or more fasteners 310.

FIG. 8 illustrates a flowchart describing an example method 800 for using a protective cover 120. In the example method 800, the protective cover 120 is used to cover a truck assembly 110 of a railcar 100. In other examples, the protective cover 120 may be used to cover any number and combination of components and/or areas of the railcar 100. In the example method 800, the protective cover 120 includes a first end portion 122a, a middle portion 122b, and a second end portion 122c. In other examples, the protective cover 120 may include any number of portions 122 as needed to cover the desired component(s) and area of the railcar 100.

Method 800 begins at 810 where the first end portion 122a of the protective cover 120 is installed over a first section 112a of the truck assembly 110. Aspects of the first end portion 122a are described in FIGS. 2-6.

At 820, the second end portion 122c of the protective cover 120 is installed over a second section 112c of the truck assembly 110. Aspects of the second end portion 122c are described in FIGS. 2-6.

At 830, the middle portion 122b of the protective cover 120 is installed over a middle section 112b of the truck assembly 110. Aspects of the middle portion 122b are described in FIGS. 2-6. The middle portion 122b may be installed such that it overlaps with the first and second end portions 122a and 122c.

At 840, the first end portion 122a and the middle portion 122b are coupled to each other by at least a first fastener 310. The first end portion 122a and the middle portion 122b are coupled to each other at one or more locations 124, similar to that described in FIGS. 2 and 3.

At 850, the second end portion 122c and the middle portion 122b are coupled to each other by at least a second fastener 310. The second end portion 122c and the middle portion 122b are coupled to each other at one or more locations 124, similar to that described in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Although particular embodiments and their advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alternations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments. Particular embodiments of the present disclosure described herein may be used or mounted for a railroad car, a semi-trailer, a truck, or any other transportations. The illustrations referred to in the above description were meant not to limit the present disclosure but rather to serve as examples of embodiments thereof and so the present invention should only be measured in terms of the claims, which follow.

While several embodiments have been provided in the present disclosure, it should be understood that the disclosed systems and methods might be embodied in many other specific forms without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. The present examples are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, and the intention is not to be limited to the details given herein. For example, the various elements or components may be combined or integrated in another system or certain features may be omitted, or not implemented.

In addition, techniques, systems, subsystems, and methods described and illustrated in the various embodiments as discrete or separate may be combined or integrated with other systems, modules, techniques, or methods without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Other items shown or discussed as coupled or directly coupled or communicating with each other may be indirectly coupled or communicating through some interface, device, or intermediate component whether electrically, mechanically, or otherwise. Other examples of changes, substitutions, and alterations are ascertainable by one skilled in the art and could be made without departing from the spirit and scope disclosed herein.

To aid the Patent Office, and any readers of any patent issued on this application in interpreting the claims appended hereto, applicants note that they do not intend any of the appended claims to invoke 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) as it exists on the date of filing hereof unless the words “means for” or “step for” are explicitly used in the particular claim.

Claims

1. A protective cover for a truck assembly of a railcar comprising: a first end portion molded to fit over a first section of the truck assembly;a second end portion molded to fit over a second section of the truck assembly;a middle portion molded to fit over a middle section of the truck assembly;at least a first fastener configured to couple the first end portion and the middle portion at one or more locations where the first end portion meets the middle portion; andat least a second fastener configured to couple the second end portion and the middle portion at one or more locations where the second end portion meets the middle portion,wherein the first end portion, the second end portion, and the middle portion are molded such that when coupled together, the protective cover corresponds to a frame structure of the truck assembly.

2. The protective cover of claim 1, wherein for a first type of railcar: when coupled together the middle portion overlaps the first end portion a first distance and the middle portion overlaps the second end portion the first distance.

3. The protective cover of claim 2, wherein for a second type of railcar different from the first type pf railcar: when coupled together the middle portion overlaps the first end portion a second distance;the middle portion overlaps the second end portion the second distance; andthe second distance is different from the first distance.

4. The protective cover of claim 1, wherein the protective cover houses at least a portion of the truck assembly to protect the truck assembly from being exposed to paint during a painting operation of a component of the railcar adjacent to the truck assembly.

5. The protective cover of claim 1, wherein: the first end portion is designed to fit over the first section of the truck assembly according to a surface of the first section of the truck assembly;the second end portion is designed to fit over the second section of the truck assembly according to a surface of the second section of the truck assembly; andthe middle portion is designed to fit over the middle section of the truck assembly according to a surface of the middle section of the truck assembly.

6. The protective cover of claim 1, wherein the protective cover is formed of a plastic or a plastic alloy.

7. The protective cover of claim 1, wherein the truck assembly comprises at least one of a side frame, a wheel, a wheel bearing, and a wheel axle.

8. A railcar comprising: a truck assembly; anda protective cover configured to cover the truck assembly, comprising: a first end portion molded to fit over a first section of the truck assembly;a second end portion molded to fit over a second section of the truck assembly;a middle portion molded to fit over a middle section of the truck assembly;at least a first fastener configured to couple the first end portion and the middle portion at one or more locations where the first end portion meets the middle portion; andat least a second fastener configured to couple the second end portion and the middle portion at one or more locations where the second end portion meets the middle portion,wherein the first end portion, the second end portion, and the middle portion are molded such that when coupled together, the protective cover corresponds to a frame structure of the truck assembly.

9. The railcar of claim 8, wherein for a first type of railcar: when coupled together the middle portion overlaps the first end portion a first distance and the middle portion overlaps the second end portion the first distance.

10. The railcar of claim 9, wherein for a second type of railcar different from the first type pf railcar: when coupled together the middle portion overlaps the first end portion a second distance;the middle portion overlaps the second end portion the second distance; andthe second distance is different from the first distance.

11. The railcar of claim 8, wherein the protective cover houses at least a portion of the truck assembly to protect the truck assembly from being exposed to paint during a painting operation of a component of the railcar adjacent to the truck assembly.

12. The railcar of claim 8, wherein: the first end portion is designed to fit over the first section of the truck assembly according to a surface of the first section of the truck assembly;the second end portion is designed to fit over the second section of the truck assembly according to a surface of the second section of the truck assembly; andthe middle portion is designed to fit over the middle section of the truck assembly according to a surface of the middle section of the truck assembly.

13. The railcar of claim 8, wherein the protective cover is formed of a plastic or a plastic alloy.

14. The railcar of claim 8, wherein the truck assembly comprises at least one of a side frame, a wheel, a wheel bearing, and a wheel axle.

15. A method for using a protective cover for a truck assembly of a railcar during a painting operation comprising: installing a first end portion of the protective cover over a first section of the truck assembly, wherein the first end portion of the protective cover is molded to fit over the first section of the truck assembly;installing a second end portion of the protective cover over a second section of the truck assembly, wherein the second end portion of the protective cover is molded to fit over the second section of the truck assembly;installing a middle portion of the protective cover over a middle section of the truck assembly, wherein the middle portion of the protective cover is molded to fit over the middle section of the truck assembly;coupling the first end portion to the middle portion by at least a first fastener at one or more locations where the first end portion meets the middle portion; andcoupling the second end portion to the middle portion by at least a second fastener at one or more locations where the second end portion meets the middle portion.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein for a first type of railcar: when coupled together the middle portion overlaps the first end portion a first distance and the middle portion overlaps the second end portion the first distance.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein for a second type of railcar different from the first type pf railcar: when coupled together the middle portion overlaps the first end portion a second distance;the middle portion overlaps the second end portion the second distance; andthe second distance is different from the first distance.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the protective cover houses at least a portion of the truck assembly to protect the truck assembly from being exposed to paint during a painting operation of a component of the railcar adjacent to the truck assembly.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein: the first end portion is designed to fit over the first section of the truck assembly according to a surface of the first section of the truck assembly;the second end portion is designed to fit over the second section of the truck assembly according to a surface of the second section of the truck assembly; andthe middle portion is designed to fit over the middle section of the truck assembly according to a surface of the middle section of the truck assembly.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the protective cover is formed of a plastic or a plastic alloy.