EP1434708B1 - Mixed-use railway unit for combined rail/road transport of road vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a mixed-use railway unit characterized in that it comprises a pivoting railway structure (1) consisting of a low-frame base (11) forming a lower loading floor (12) and two flank lateral walls (15) and (16), comprising each support means (17) combined with means for supporting directly transported vehicles, retractable or foldable in inactive position and brought in horizontal working position to form an upper floor for road vehicles to be transported, the lateral walls (15) and (16) being optionally prolonged by a retractable, detachable or foldable covering structure (25). The invention is applicable to mixed rail/road transport of road vehicles either directly or by loading vehicle-carrying trucks on the railway car.

Description

The present invention relates to a unit mixed-use rail for combined transport rail / road of road vehicles or other loads and their loading / unloading, see for example US-A-3,584,584.

Delivery of road vehicles such as, without this list being exhaustive, automobiles, tractors, trucks, chassis-cabins, etc. since their place of production to delivery points in the clientele is currently organized in the way next.

Vehicles out of the chains of manufacturing are stored on outdoor areas of storage of the manufacturer until their support for kidnapping. To enable the dissemination of this significant amount of vehicles in conditions acceptable, the sites of the builders were traditionally connected to the rail network. The vehicles to be removed are loaded from the areas of storage on trains with a succession of specialized wagons each having a double stage of loading and transportation. During the phases of loading and unloading of the train, the footbridges linking the floors of the same level successive specialized wagons of the train. The vehicles are moved then loaded onto one of floors from the rear of the train, by their own means, one after another in line until filling of the wagon estate over its entire length. We then load the other stage of the train in the same way. The unloading operations of the train are carried out in the reverse order.

Unloading is done only by the rear of the train, this mode of transport does not allow in practice to unload selectively and so optimal, throughout the railway journey, some of the vehicles transported by the train in according to their final destination. That's why builders have organized near certain railway stations of the regrouping zones intended to accommodate large quantities of vehicles transported by train. When the train arrives at railway station, the vehicles are all unloaded from the train one after the other on their own, in the reverse order of their loading on the train, possibly transported by road to units or road transport assemblies of designed vehicles specifically for this type of transport known as generic name of car carrier vehicles, and finally parked on the grouping areas. We will give this term car transporter the most general to know a carrier of any type of vehicles road.

After storage on the grouping area, the vehicles are distributed and loaded according to their final destinations on car transporter vehicles. They are then sent, depending on the case, either to their final destination, ie to zones secondary grouping from where they will eventually be routed by road to other car carriers to the point of delivery to the customer.

In the end, the vehicles delivered make subject of at least three cycles of loading and unloading that inevitably generate each of the risk of damage to transported vehicles. The wagons for the transport of vehicles by the way on the lower loading plane a non-planar roadway due to the presence of bogies of wagons. Vehicle ground clearance manufactured today being lower, especially in the front, this also generates during loading and unloading of the risks of interference during crossing of elevated taxiways above the bogies of the wagon. Between cycles of unloading the vehicles to be delivered are parked at outside on areas generally neither covered nor closed. Until delivery to the customer, the vehicles thus remain exposed to significant risks of degradations. They are also subject to dirt. To ensure better preservation, manufacturers package vehicles for protect against minor damage. Prior to delivery, it is necessary to remove the protections of the conditioning and washing the vehicle, which involves additional costs.

Moreover this mode of routing traditional needs to manage and maintain the infrastructure of the storage and grouping, which increases the cost price of the transport. The multiplication of transfers from one loading vehicle to another, whether it be rail or road, requires effective management of availability and presence within the deadlines of all vehicles used for transportation. This logistics does not shorten nor easily nor significantly the time elapsing between the manufacture of vehicles and their final delivery to customers, while in the competitive context exacerbated currently lived by the builders he it is essential to reduce costs to which they are exposed, and in particular the costs incurred by transportation, shorten delivery times and the downtime of manufactured products, and to improve the prevention of the risks of deterioration some products.

To avoid some of these disadvantages, he could be considered to load the vehicles to transport directly to road vehicles, which they themselves would be transported by train. It is known in particular to transport road vehicles on railway highways consisting of succession of flat wagons on which the vehicles access directly from the wharf by their own means. As in the case of wagons car carriers described above, the train can not be loaded and unloaded only in file by one of his ends which leads to the same disadvantages as in the first case. Arrived at the destination station transported road vehicles leave the train by their own means one after another while rolling on the successive platforms of the train then access the platform of the same height and join the next destination by the road network.

Railways are thus suitable for transporting trucks and assemblies but do not allow in the condition, the transport of a trailer alone. These achievements, on the one hand, have the disadvantage of see immobilized the motor vehicle sets during the entire duration of the journey. By elsewhere, car transporter units and combinations adapted to ensure optimal transport or at least cost-effective vehicles present in transport configuration of loading heights incompatible with the use of motorways rail. A loaded car transporter on a railroad highway car exceeds the jig dedicated to these highways. The highways railways have no design element protection of transported vehicles and the risk degradation to these vehicles remains important. This guy transport does not provide the necessary flexibility because all articulated road vehicles are all transported on the same train to a main train station serving other destinations by road. The railway highways are organized in such a way general in shuttles on railway lines predefined, which does not serve to efficiently all destinations. Train stations specialized ferrorewerts require important infrastructures and spaces for maneuvers and often find themselves substantially away from the final destination. To reuse the train, it must be unloaded in its entirety because it is consisting of vehicles loaded one behind the other other. In practice, the sites of the builders have not been adapted or organized so far to allow, using road vehicles, factory removal of vehicles manufactured.

A third alternative would be to use wagons specially designed for the rail transport of semi-trailers. A big part of the corresponding achievements is incompatible with car carrier combinations offering the most useful load volume performance: these include harnesses consisting of a truck and a trailer or a removable body on which is articulated a trailer. But achievements according to this third alternative are also not compatible with the current organization of the factories of the builders of vehicles that are only equipped for removal by traditional train. In addition, many achievements do not allow, when transporting a car transporter semi-trailer to comply the railway gauge imposed for the circulation of train. In addition, the wagons do not include general, vehicle protection equipment transported.

For reasons of optimization in flexibility, in terms of cost and time, we wish to remedy all these disadvantages and, in this sense, reduce the number of intermediate loading / unloading operations to the final destination, operations that represent a risk of deterioration, deaths, expensive parking and complex logistics and therefore difficult to improve.

It is thus necessary to introduce the maximum of flexibility in the organization of convoys and in transport, but also in the composition and structure of these. We must also spare the possibility of remaining compatible in use with the organization and the current means of the builders of vehicles.

For this purpose, the railway transport unit mixed use according to the invention lies in the road vehicles and has the aim to serve the direct rail transport of road vehicles on removable media retractable or erasable adapted and in another configuration to be able to be used to transport a unit or a car transporter set, preferably without his motor unit. We mean indifferently road or road unit, without this list is exhaustive, a truck, a trailer, a semi-trailer, a removable body, a body mobile, a container or an assembly coupled or coupled of these road vehicles.

The railway unit has a structure pivoting carrier by means of lifting and pivoting known, allowing the oblique wagon for loading / unloading. Thereby, in a train with railway units of according to the invention, it is possible to load and unload the units independently any of the other. In addition, since it is the railway unit is loaded, the vehicles do not have to cross raised areas of bogie passage as it is the case in conventional car carriers. This puts end to one of the sources of deterioration inherent in these wagons.

Thus, it becomes possible to transport in the best conditions of flexibility and profitability the road vehicles from their place of manufacture to the point of delivery to the customer, all taking into account the existing installations of factories with which is currently organized this transport.

We can optimize in all cases the loading / unloading operations and reduce their number. It thus becomes possible, at different destinations, to empty or load, partially or totally, only some of the wagons, without having to evacuate or load the entire train as in the case of rail highways or car carriers traditional. Logistics becomes easier and more discreet. It offers new opportunities for planning the distribution of vehicles to deliver.

In addition, the load shedding needs of the road network amplify the specific advantages of the present invention.

• la figure 1 est une vue de profil de la structure ferroviaire transporteuse vide dans une de ses versions,
• la figure 2 est une vue en coupe de la structure ferroviaire transporteuse vide dans une de ses versions,
• la figure 3 est une vue de profil de la structure ferroviaire transporteuse chargée en voitures du type monospace,
• la figure 4 est une vue frontale de la structure transporteuse chargée en voitures du type monospace,
• la figure 5 est une vue de profil de la structure ferroviaire transporteuse contenant un ensemble routier articulé chargé en voitures,
• la figure 6 est une vue frontale de la structure ferroviaire transporteuse de la figure 5,
• les figures 7 et 8 sont deux vues en perspective illustrant le chargement ou le déchargement en voitures de la structure ferroviaire transporteuse,
• les figures 9 et 10 sont deux vues en perspective illustrant l'entrée ou la sortie d'un ensemble routier articulé de la structure ferroviaire transporteuse.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear in the description which follows, given by way of example and accompanied by the drawings which represent:

• FIG. 1 is a profile view of the empty conveyor rail structure in one of its versions,
• FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the empty conveyor rail structure in one of its versions,
• FIG. 3 is a side view of the transported railway structure loaded with minivan cars,
• FIG. 4 is a front view of the transport structure loaded with minivan cars,
• FIG. 5 is a side view of the rail transport structure containing an articulated truck assembly loaded with cars,
• FIG. 6 is a front view of the transport rail structure of FIG. 5,
• Figures 7 and 8 are two perspective views illustrating the loading or unloading in cars of the railway structure,
• Figures 9 and 10 are two perspective views illustrating the entry or exit of an articulated road assembly of the rail transport structure.

The rail transport unit mixture according to the invention consists of a structure carrier rail 1 hung or fixed or otherwise lockably and releasably connected by means of minus one of its ends 2 and 3 to the rolling assembly adjacent end, front 4 or rear 5. Each end rolling assembly consists of a platform end 6 or 7 mounted on one or more bogie (s) or on one or more axles (x).

The carrying railway structure 1 is type with lateral release by pivoting either end directly around a center of end pivoting or supported by a crossbar end mounted on the next car, either central by any suitable means.

It can be a pivot center, central or end, associated with a rectilinear element junction and retaining end platforms 6 and 7 in combination with motorized means of lifting-pivoting provided for example on the tracks in loading and unloading stations.

It can also be a center of end pivoting allowing the structure the railways to offset their misalignment, but condemning in operation the pivoting end and this around a pivoting cross carried by the next car.

More generally, one can use a any set of oblique lateral clearance but preferably by pivoting.

The supporting railway structure 1 according to the invention presents means adapted to achieve the direct transport of road vehicles for example of cars such as 8 or pickup trucks or vans such as 9 or the transport of units or road assemblies 10 specifically designed for the transport of road vehicles.

We will first describe the railway structure carrier 1 as a whole as shown on Figures 1 to 6.

This is a structure presenting a background lowermost 11 for example to the minimum allowable by rail regulations and shape profile general concave.

This low floor 11 constitutes a floor lower loading 12 reinforced as needed locally by stiffeners. This floor is preferably thin to gain in useful volume of loading and thus admit two levels of loading in road vehicles or a road combination 10 carrier of road vehicles without his unit driving. It's even made in a favorite version the finest possible.

It can present in the underside as one can see more specifically in Figure 6 a channel 13 resulting from a longitudinal cavity in shrinkage serving as a housing for a mechanical connection 14 of constant length between the two platforms 6 and 7 in order to keep them in a fixed distance from each other during operations loading / unloading.

One end, 2 or 3 only or the two ends 2 and 3 of the railway structure carrier 1 has (s) attachment means and dissociable and lockable fasteners on the face in look or on the top of the platform (s) -form (s) corresponding to 6 or 7 or 6 and 7 with a view to assembly-association after loading and disassembly-dissociation before unloading.

The carrying railway structure 1 continues on one side for example forward, by a protruding end cantilevered for example snap into a complementary structure of stabilization as described in a protection parallel.

The lowered bottom 11 extends upwards by flank side walls 15 and 16 connected mechanically to this one and constituting with the bottom lowermost 11 the bulk of his bodywork and his structural elements. These flank sidewalls 15 and 16 serve as support structures on which are fitted with adjustable support means 17 in height and removable, retractable or erasable, intended to constitute an upper floor of loading 18 supporting a plurality of vehicles in the transport position as shown in Figures 2 and 4 and which disappears from this space in the transport configuration of a road assembly (Figure 6).

These support means 17 are formed of support elements intended to support each of them and each time with his counterpart in look at him alone or a road vehicle or a part of it. These support means (17) are retractable, removable or erasable for example against or in each of the flank side walls (15) and (16).

One example is a plurality support carriers such individual carriers such only 19 whose position is adjustable in height. he This is, for example, trays made of elements of decking or other made removable or retractable between an erased position of rest and a position active work in which the trays 20 counterparts are drawn horizontally and can come to junction or overlap by their edges sides, allowing to constitute by their succession a horizontal plane of rolling and support over which vehicles pass during phases of loading or unloading and on which rest the vehicles in the transport position. The inner longitudinal edges facing these trays 20 are either contiguous as shown on the figures be spread apart to reduce the width of these trays 20.

These trays 20 carrying vehicles transported directly are called shots because of their overall flat shape. It is of course that these may have protrusions or withdrawals or any other specific conformation.

An alternative embodiment consists of provide these planar supports 19, in particular those trays 20 articulated each by one of its sides longitudinals on for example a longitudinal element, edge or other profile of the adjacent side wall 15 or 16 or on one or two successive amounts 21 or vertical zone (s) of reinforcement, for example by pivot joints of the hinge type or other allowing the carrier planar supports 19, in particular to the trays 20, to come to fade by draw against the inner side of the side wall adjacent and stand in a horizontal position for be immobilized in this position by means appropriate.

For this purpose, it can be provided according to a variant as a non-limiting example, amounts or lifting posts for example of the type of those known for car transporter vehicles or more generally vehicle carriers. For each pole, where the forces are transmitted to the wall adjacent side and frame are reinforced mechanically by doubling, by stiffeners or other means.

To adapt to differences of the road vehicles transported, the height of these flat supports especially of these trays 20, with respect to the lower plane of loading is adjustable by a mechanism known by example rack, screw and drive nut or any other appropriate means.

Of course, the width of these supports bearing planes 19 or trays 20 will be chosen the most low possible to make them lighter and therefore easier to transport, handle and store, and to facilitate their erasure when they are not used.

Flank side walls 15 and 16 can extend vertically upwards to the limit authorized by the applicable railway gauge, which allows to protect during their transport the loaded vehicles on both floors of the structure carrying rail 1.

Flank side walls 15 and 16 can be presented in many different ways shapes and variants. Not being able to describe them all, one A limited number of examples have been chosen and developed below.

There are first side walls flank 15 and 16 without any intermediate amount. these consist of a general framework defining a circumscribed area covered by a or several sheets juxtaposed sheet. The areas to the right of the joints with the carrier trays retractable or erasable removable, are reinforced. If necessary, the sheet is reinforced on its back side on along a vertical zone extending between each articulation to a carrier plate and connection corresponding to the carrying railway structure 1.

Then there are sidewalls of sidewall 15 and 16 with thin protection for example a veil of sheet metal or a sheet of flexible material of an element textile or plastic, for example a tarpaulin covering the entire lateral surface and building on 21. Indeed, this type of side walls 15 and 16 requires a minimal frame to support, at the right of each articulation or point of attachment, the weight of the loaded trays. Amounts, poles or other suitable means must be provided for this effect.

There is finally another category that we could call heavy which is meant to carry in upper stage of loading of road vehicles of a greater weight. This variant will present of course a reinforced structure in frame with a adapted number of posts or booster posts 21 arranged at regular intervals for example all the along the supporting railway structure. These amounts or poles will be placed at the places to be supported at know the points of application and transfer of the weight of the vehicles transported on the upper floor of loading

More particularly, the side walls sides 15 and 16 can be formed each of each of which is mechanically connected to the edges or edge profiles 22 of the lower floor 12 of loading. If necessary, the amounts 21 will be stabilized and mechanically braced and assembled at their upper part by a mechanical connection which may constitute the mechanical basis of the roof structure.

Depending on the type of pivoting of the structure carrier 1 and embodiment of the side walls 15 and 16, but especially for the mechanically variant protected from external aggression, a closing door on one of the front faces. The case where appropriate, the door equips the only front face accessible. It is intended for the passage of operators and anyone having access to inside. The opposite end face is closed For safety reasons.

It is furthermore planned on the lower plane 12 loading means for immobilization and means for securing, these being specific the road combinations transported or road vehicles transported. It is the same on the upper floor 18 loading for the road vehicles.

Road vehicles are displaced by their own means by operators up to the place they will occupy for their transport.

For this purpose, as shown in the figures 7 and 8, an inclined access ramp such as 23 adjustable in height to at least two positions of its inclined plane 24 allows access of road vehicles at the lower loading floor 12 and the plane higher 18 loading respectively in its low and high position.

Loading and unloading are done floor by floor, cars being arranged one after the other at appropriate locations along the useful place existing on the flat supports 19 or 20 trays of the upper floor on the upper floor 18 of loading and on the lower floor 12 of loading.

Loading or unloading takes place when the structure carrier rail 1 is offset obliquely by relation to the railway, that is to say in its position rotated loading or unloading.

As shown in the figures, the space superior of the carrying railway structure may to be opened or closed by a roofing structure 25. This can be flexible or rigid and articulated.

If chosen for the central space superior to remain open, there is no structure or predisposition to closure.

If it is open and predestined for closing, it can be bordered by two longitudinal edges protection, for example bodywork returns 26 and 27 inwards used for example as longitudinal displacement supports for sleepers with flexible protection for example a tarp (Figures 7 to 10).

In the case of a continuous roof 28 over the entire width of the structure, it must be able to open to facilitate maneuvers.

For this purpose, a roof 28 in the form of example of two folding hulls 29 and 30 coming close the upper space by juxtaposing their free edges, as shown in FIGS. 6, allows to proceed quickly to the operations of loading and unloading and to ensure sufficient protection against bad weather, dust and any disturbance coming from outside.

We notice that the profile of the hulls foldable 29 and 30 is such that their lower part stays up a certain length so as to offer a free space in prolongation of the walls flanks 15 and 16, sufficient space to not interfere with the posts 31 sets 10 articulated transported road.

These folding hulls of protection 29 and 30 serve in the open position of guard rail for. operators.

Of course, there are different kinds and different hull profiles according to the template railway in application.

The profile of the lower part 32 of the wagon is such that it makes the best use of the possibilities of rail gauge especially in its limit lower. The lower loading floor 12 is so located by construction at a low level and in general as low as the lower limit of the rail gauge as shown in Figure 6.

For reasons of compatibility with tracks, the lower longitudinal edges 33 and 34 of the wagon must be lifted to avoid interfering with track devices.

Profile of the railway unit conveyor according to the invention visible in FIG. 6 shows in its lower part an oblique lift 35 and 36 strong enough along each of the edges lower sides 33 and 34.

These side edges obliquely raised 35 and 36, however, represent a disadvantage for 10 vehicle road combinations used here as transported load. Indeed, the width of these may be greater than the width of the part bottom of the wagon. Because, moreover, lowered chassis more and more used currently there would be interference with the obliquely raised edges 35 and 36 of the wagon. For remedy, it is provided according to the invention, if necessary, means of rolling at a higher level, by example of longitudinal structures or supports of raises 37 and 38 called sidewalks on which roll and rest trailers and other loads roadways thus transported.

These structures or supports enhance 37 and 38 with staircase profile, are erasable by example by failover so as to clear a level low for the direct transport of road vehicles carried by the lower floor 12 loading.

Of course, these structures or supports enhances 37 are spaced inward from the carrier rail structure 1 from a distance compatible with the average track width of road transport vehicle combinations.

The supporting railway structure the invention may admit an articulated road assembly 10 carrier of road vehicles without his unit motor driven together for example a trailer and a removable body mounted on the truck.

Figures 9 and 10 represent the case of transport of an articulated road assembly 10 without sound truck.

Loading and unloading of this together 10 are carried out in the rotated position of railway structure 1 using the access ramp 23 with two adjustable height and group positions road tractor-motorcycle used for maneuvers of this articulated road unit 10.

First, the roof 28 is open entirely by folding the two outwards hulls 29 and 30 to allow the entrance of the whole road with inflated pneumatic suspensions at the driving state.

When the articulated truck set entered in the carrying railway structure and lies in the transport position, dissociation with the tractor-trailer group is carried out and the latter is released for other uses. We then fix the load-bearing body 1 of the road unit 10 articulated to the carrying railway structure and this of bodywork bodywork preference. In certain cases, to gain useful height of loading, one deflates the suspensions of the articulated truck. This operation must of course take place before stowage structures. Then we close the closing swivel hulls 29 and 30 roof to close entirely the transport unit.

Unloading is done in reverse, the group motor-tractor comes to present itself in march rear at the entrance of the railway structure carrier. The articulated truck assembly 10 is ready to road transport after its association with the vehicle bodywork structure road and roof opening and if necessary inflation of the suspensions under the running conditions on the road.

Claims (20)

1. Mixed use rail unit for the rail/road transport of motor cars, car carrying road vehicles, or other road vehicles or road freight of any type or size constituting road vehicles which are transported directly or road vehicles which are transported on or in other road vehicles, which unit has a carrying and pivoting rail structure (1) which has a lowered base (11) and an upper loading floor, characterised in that:

   the lowered base (11) constitutes a lower loading plane for any road vehicle and in particular for road vehicles which transport motor cars according to a first use for which the motor cars are transported inside transporting road vehicles,

   the upper loading floor is detachable, collapsible or retractable and is supported by lateral flank walls (15) and (16) of the carrying rail structure, which walls are mechanically connected to the lowered base (11), in order to constitute an upper loading level which is intended for motor cars and road vehicles which are transported directly in the case of direct car transport according to a second use, for which the motor cars are transported directly by the rail unit,

   two end platforms (6) and (7) which are each mounted on a bogie or on one or more axles, on at least one of which one end of the carrying rail structure (1) is mounted so as to be able to be locked and dissociated,

   adjustable support means (17) for the upper loading floor (18), these support means being detachable, collapsible or retractable in a rest position and brought into a horizontal operating position in order to constitute the upper loading level in order to directly support a plurality of motor cars or road vehicles which are transported directly by rail according to the second use, these support means being mounted on the lateral flank walls (15) and (16) of the carrying rail structure (1),

   immobilising means which are carried by the carrying rail structure (1) in order to immobilise and secure the road vehicles or other road freight transported.
2. Rail unit according to claim 1, characterised in that it pivots about the centre thereof.
3. Rail unit according to claim 1, characterised in that it pivots about one of the ends thereof.
4. Rail unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the lowered base (11) which constitutes a lower loading floor (12) is thin.
5. Rail unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the lower loading floor (12) has, at the underside, a recessed longitudinal housing (13) for the passage of a mechanical connection (14) between the end platforms (6) and (7).
6. Rail unit according to claim 1, characterised in that each lateral flank wall (15) and (16) is closed by means of a protection against external influences.
7. Rail unit according to claim 1, characterised in that each lateral flank wall (15) and (16) is rigid.
8. Rail unit according to claim 1, characterised in that each lateral flank wall (15) and (16) is formed by a flexible material which acts as a transport cover or several transport covers.
9. Rail unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the adjustable support means (17) are adjustable in terms of height.
10. Rail unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the support means (17) for the vehicles transported on the upper level are articulated in a pivoting and collapsible manner against or in each of the lateral flank walls.
11. Rail unit according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the support means (17) for the vehicles transported on the upper level are carrying planes (19) or plates (20), two plates which are arranged beside each other forming a location for a vehicle or a part thereof.
12. Rail unit according to claim 1, characterised in that it is surmounted by a cover structure (25) which is collapsible, detachable or retractable.
13. Rail unit according to claim 12, characterised in that the cover structure (25) is formed by the return (26) and (27) of each of the longitudinal edges of the lateral walls (15) and (16) towards the inner side, the space which is delimited in this manner being closed by a removable flexible cover.
14. Rail unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the cover structure (25) is a roof (28) which can be opened.
15. Rail unit according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the roof (28) which can be opened is formed by two rigid shells (29) and (30) which are mounted in an articulated manner so as to pivot on the upper longitudinal edges of the lateral flank walls (15) and (16).
16. Rail unit according to claim 9, characterised in that the support means (17) are articulated on supports which are adjustable in terms of height.
17. Rail unit according to claim 11, characterised in that the longitudinal edges of the plates (20) facing each other are spaced apart from each other.
18. Rail unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the lower loading floor (12) comprises means for running for the road assemblies which are raising structures (37) and (38) having steps or walkways which are spaced at a distance less than the mean track width of the transported road assemblies, on which they move and are transported, which allows the level of these road assemblies to be raised relative to the surface of the lower loading floor (12).
19. Rail unit according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the raising structures (37) and (38) are retractable.
20. Rail unit according to claim 11, characterised in that the plates which constitute the support means for vehicles transported on the upper loading plane (18) comprise securing means and fixing means for each car transported.

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