US2811932A - Double-deck railway train and car - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 5, 1957 J. F. CLARY YDQUBLE-DECK RAILWAY TRAIN AND CAR 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 1. 1952 A TTORNE Y TOE 2 w 2 v Q I j m 11 V m or 3 0 o G O B Z A u u U F\||U t H. H. WW WWWH U n 8 3 Q a 00. u v m o X J. cLARY DOUBLE-DECK RAILWAY TRAIN AND CAR Nov. 5, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 1. 1952 /N VE N TOR A TTO R N E Y Q 0w Q0 U U H P W. N mm mm mm G mm mm qw j Q1 u n h n s U. n m H mo 5 3 3 Q @m w; Q m UE,

m m m f Q ww hm U\ Q I] III. ll Il M +J +w-+ AU-Q+-+ D:- m m Q+ L U:- mm? 13 mm mm om h I. i QB in j QB QB QT 1 Q? Q i Q8 n 5 9L mi Q m of Q5 a a 3U;

Nov. 5, 1957 J. F. cLARY DOUBLE-DECK RAILWAY TRAIN AND CAR 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 1. 1952 PIC). iO

a u 11 I .rlfIl/flllll llhu I 1 169 WU I: 13m

n a b INVENTOR. Josepk F. Clary ATTORNEY Nov. 5, 1957 Filed March 1. 1952 J. F. CLARY DOUBLE-DECK RAILWAY TRAIN AND CAR 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 PIC-nil INVENTOR United States Patent DOUBLE-DECK RAILWAY TRAIN AND C Joseph F. Clary, Glencoe, Ill., assignorto The Budd Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 1, 1952, Serial'No. 274,423

6 Claims. Cl. 105- 40 The invention relates to improvements in double-deck railway cars and to a new concept of a train tobe made up of the improved cars;

Double-deck railway cars have many generally recognized advantages, such as great seating capacity, quiet ride and good visibility on the upper deck. Coupled with the advantages are certain disadvantages .of known doubledeck cars.

Some designs have no provisions for passage from one car to the next, while in other designs the passengers and train conductors have to climb repeatedly up and down flights of stairs before reaching a remote car such as the dining car.

The known designs with their disadvantages are rooted in the necessity of holding the height of the cars down so that they may pass under bridges and through tunnels and clear other installations of existing railroads, while on the other hand keeping the height of the floor at the end of the cars above a certain level so as to clear the supporting trucks.

The invention retains the advantages of known car designs, overcomes the above briefly outlined .disadvantages and still complies with the above-indicated necessities in regard to the overall height and the floor level.

A train in accordance with the invention is composed of double-deck cars having a lower deck with entrance doors between the trucks, an upper deck extending the full length of the car, a step-free passageway withend doors on the upper deck, and an intermediate deck below the upper deck above each truck location of less-thanstanding height for baggage and equipment.

One embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the attached drawing and described in the following, from which the above and other objects, advantages, and fea-' tures of the invention will become apparent or more clearly understood, respectively. a

In the drawing: I

Fig. 1 is a small scale side elevation of part of a train composed of the new double-deck cars; I

Fig. 2 is, on a larger scale, a sectional plan viewof the upper deck of the left hand car of Fig. 1, the section being taken substantially along line XX of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a corresponding plan view of the lower deck substantially along line YY of Fig. 1;

Figs. 4 and S are sectional plan views through the right hand complete car of Fig. 1 and corresponding 'to Figs. 2 and 3, respectively;

Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional plan views through the central car of Fig. 1 and corresponding to Figs. 2 and 3,

respectively; Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal central section through one further complete car and through fragmentary por-.

tions of two adjoining cars;

Figs. 9 and 10 are diagrammatic, transverse sections taken substantially along lines 99 and 111-10, respec- Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic vertical longitudinal central section through a number of cars which are partly of tively, of Fig. 8;

"ice

normal design, partly of the new design in accordance with the preceding figures and partly of a modified new design establishing transition between the two first-named types of cars; and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary horizontal section on a larger scale along line 12-12 of Fig. 11.

In their basic design, the different cars A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H and J, shown in the drawing as forming part of one train, may be substantially identical. They have: supporting end trucks 15 diagrammatically indicated by their wheels; end floors or decks 16 at the normal level of ordinary cars but restricted to the regions above and adjacent the trucks 15; a low-level central deck or floor 17 downwardly ofiset with respect to the end floors 16 and restricted to the space between the trucks 15; a highlevel deck or'floor 18 arranged at full standing height above floor 17 and extending over the full length of the respective car from one end wall 19 to the other end wall 19; side walls 20; a roof 21; and transverse partitions 22 extending from the low-level floor 17 to the high-level floor 18 and adjoining the inboard margins of the end floors 16. I

The compartments 23 between floors 16 and 18 are provided with access doors 24 in the side walls and may have additional (not shown) doors, windows or the like.

These compartments are of less than standing height and may serve for the storage of baggage, water tanks 25, Y

The compartments 29 between lower floor 17 andupper' floor 18, and enclosed by the side walls 20 and partition walls 22 are accessible through doors 30 in the side walls. These doors may, as shown for the different cars, be arranged at different convenient locations between the sup- "porting trucks.

The compartments 29 may serve for a number of different purposes.

Car A, Fig. 3, has oppositely arranged entrance doors 30 leading to a vestibule 31 and thence on the one side to a passenger compartment 32 with seats 33 and to washrooms 34, and on the other side to a foyer or lobby 35 with lockers 36 and baggage shelves 37. A staircase 38 leads from lobby 35 to the upper deck 18, where it is partly enclosed by partition walls or railings 39, leaving an opening to a center aisle 40.

Cars E, F, and G (Figs. 8, 9, 10) show the same gen eral arrangement as car A in regard to the lower deck and the stair with its partitions and center aisle 40,'so that the same reference numerals are used.

The upper deck floor portions 41 between side walls 20 and center aisle 40 are raised one step above the main level of deck 18 and carry seats 42. Ducts 43 for air, heating and wiring are formed between deck 18 and its portions 41. Further ducts 44 are provided under. roof 21 and are arranged at the sides of center aisle 40 so as not to decrease the standing height. Also in regard to the upper deck with its raised side portions and ducts 43, 44,

the different illustrated cars may be substantially alike so.

that Figs. 9 and 10 fully illustrate the situation.

Car B is a combination sky-lounge and dormitory car. The entrance doors 30 lead again to a vestibule 45 and thence to a small foyer 46 with locker 47, rest room 48, and stair 49. On the other side of the vestibule 45 is a deck is equipped substantially in the same manner as previously described, with a center aisle 40, raised side-j,

portions 41, 'andseats 42.

The roof of this car maybe formed with observation 7 March. ;18; -1-952, under Patent No.- 2,5 89',99,

' Car C isequipped asa diningjcar, its do'orsi3 are-generally not used by the public but lead t'orthekitchen in stallation on! the lower deck. 'It' is equipped withfall facilities of a modern railway kitchen. andhas-lockers refrigerating facilities, etc;,' as; diagrammatically. shown in Fig, 5.- :A staircase 55-,jcomple'tely enclosed and provided attop and bottom with doorsjfi, leads from the lower dcktotheupper deck; Further comrr unicationtv between lower fand upper; decks is; established; bydunihwaiters 57, Tables and chairs 5&-are arrangedaonzthe raised portions 41 of the upper'deck on both sides ofithe center aisle; V 1 i f Cars E; F, and G are high-capacityircoaehes. and differ froin'the arrangement? illustrated: for observation: car A inl-Fig 2 mainly in the closer longitudinal spacinggofi theseats. I Communication between all; cars 59 provided at the level of deck118'in'the end walls-19.

The. door openings of adjoining cars'are' interconnected and sealed off by diaphragms 60 of appropriate construc.- tion such as customarily used for standard cars with communicating passages at normal floor level.

Center aisle 40 provides in cars A, C, and- F a straight connection between opposite end doors 59. In car B, the center aisle connects with a side aisle 61 near the left hand end (Fig. 6), center aisle 62 adjoining door 59. Side aisle 61 is raised andconnects with the center aisles 40, 62'by steps 63.

For different cars, closets 64 or spaces 65 for baggage may be provided near the ends of the cars at the sides of vestibule-like formations of the center aisles.

Evidently, the advantages of the new design are best realized when a large part or all of the cars of a train have high-level passage doors. Communication. between carsof the new design and cars having the passage doors at normal level is ordinarily not possible unless, as shown in Figs. 11 and- 12, transit units or cars, such as car J, be provided which have at one end a high-level passage door 59 registering with a similarly arranged door 59-of an adjoining car H of the same type as car F shown in Fig.v 8, while on the other end a normal-level passage door 67 isprovided, which registers with the normal-level.

passage door 68 of a conventional low-level car K adjoined by another low-level car L.- Door 67 communicates. with high-level aisle 40' of car I by steps 69 arranged in. a vestibule 70. For the rest, car I is identical with car F shown in Fig. 8 so that the same numerals and the same description apply. Conventional cars Kand L require no detailed description. 7

The constructional details of the newdesign may follow in large part the construction disclosed in Patent No. 2,589,997, mentioned above.

A car according tothe invention is, of course, more expensive than an ordinary coach car or a car with a short-length dome, as disclosed in the aforesaid application. In the final analysis, however, the expense per revenue seat for a train equipped with the new cars is about within the same range as the expense for a train composed of ordinary cars and a number of short-length dome cars.

The new design presents additional advantages.

Firstly: For the short-length dome car, it was found desirable to maintain a certain ratio between non-revenue dome seats and seats at the normal level. In cars of the new design, all seats at the high levelmay, of,course, be revenue seats, and additional revenue spaceisproyided bythe lower deckcompartments or by theremoval of kitchen, rest room and other facilities to the lower decks; or a much smaller number of these dome cars mayv be is established by doors and it againconnects with short used. for a train of a. certain length mainly composed ofordinary cars.

Secondly: All dome or double-deck cars have the advantage that they give on the upper deck much quieter riding to the passengers, the space between the underframe and the high level floor acting as a sound insulator. This very noticeable advantage becomes available to a much greater number of passengers in a car of the new design than in trains with a relatively small number of dome seats asaccorded by a few short-length-dome cars interspersed in a majority of regular cars.

The invention is susceptible to modifications and adaptations without departing from its basic concept.

For instance, important advantages of the invention are also achieved if the high-level or top floor is less than standing height above the end or intermediate floors as well as the middle, low-level or bottom floor; indeed, the endi floor structure might in suchcase extend at one level: from one end of the car to the other.

Other conceivable modifications are: Lateral offsetting of the-registering end doors, establishing grade passage or'communication between the top floors. The side en- ,tranceldoors need not. necessarily lead to the bottom compartments. but might be arranged at about normal platform level and lead to a vestibule with a floor at appropriate; height and communicating by steps or stairs withthe high-level and/or the bottom floor.

The new deisgnis easily adaptable for self-propelled cars, in which case the low compartments over the trucks offer themselves for the arrangement of the driving installations; in' such case the end of the car might be similar to the left hand end of the observation car, illustrated in Figs. 1- to 3.

Such and other modifications and adaptations will easily occur to those skilled in the art upon having become familiar with. the invention.

What is claimed is:

1; A railway car of cross-sectional dimensions keeping substantially within established clearance lines, comprising: end walls; side walls; a roof; end compartments with normal-level floors. at about the floor level of customary single-deck passenger'cars in and adjacent the location of trucksfor supporting the car; a middle compartment with a bottom or low-level floor between said. truck locations at; a level below said normal-level floors; a top or highlevel floor extending over-the entire length of the car and being at full, standing height above said bottom floor I and below said,ro of, respectively, but less. than standing height above said normal-level floors; transverse partition walls interconecting said side walls and said bottom and top floors in the meeting regions, of said normal-level and bottom floors; an entrance doorin at least one of the side walls leading to said middle compartment; at least one stair leading from said middle compartment to said top floor; passage doors in said end'walls at the level of said top floor; and a passageway on said top floor interconnecting both said passage doors and establishing direct communication betweena series of, similar cars at the level of the top'floor.

2. A railway car comprising: end walls; side walls; a roof; end floors in and adjacentthe location of trucks for supporting the car; a compartment between said truck locations with a low-level floor at a level below said end floors; a high-level floor extending the entire length of the evel suflieient for clearing such a trucks; a compartment with a low-level floor between said truck locations at a level lower than said end floors; a high-level floor extending the length of the car at standing height above said low-level floor; and end walls provided with passage doors of standard dimensions on the level of said high-level floor.

4. A railway car keeping substantially within established clearance lines and comprising: a floor structure at a level sufiicient for clearing car-supporting trucks; a high-level floor extending the length of the car and constituting the bottom of a passenger compartment of full standing height; said high-level floor being arranged above said first-named floor structure at a distance providing a space of less than standing height between said floor structure and said high-level floor; and end walls provided with passage doors of full standing height on said high-level floor establishing grade communication between adjoining cars with high-level decks and passage doors.

5. A railway train including a series of cars coupled end-to-end, said cars corresponding approximately to established clearance lines and comprising: end walls; normal-level floor structures at about the floor level of customary single-deck passenger cars; high-level floors extending over the full length of the respective cars at a distance from but less than standing height above said normal-level floor structures; registering passage doors in said end walls at the level of said high-level floors providing direct communication between said cars on one levelj and intercommunicating side entrance doors and stairs provided in at least some of said cars leading to said high-level floors.

6. A railway car corresponding substantially to established clearance lines and comprising: a floor structure at a level suflicient for clearing car-supporting trucks; at highlevel floor extending over a major part of the length of the car adjoining one end thereof and constituting the bottom of a passenger compartment; said high-level floor being arranged above said first named floor structure at a distance providing a space of less than standing height between said floor structure and said high-level floor; end walls each provided with a passage door of full standing height, one of said end walls being provided in the wall at the end adjoined by said-high-level floor and arranged on the level thereof thereby establishing grade communication wtih an adjoining car with high-level floor and passage door; and the passage door in the other end wall being arranged at normal level to provide communication with an adjoining car having a passage at normal level.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 864,614 Crawford-Frost Aug. 27, 1907 2,143,827 Demarest Jan. 10, 1939 2,211,469 King Aug. 13, 1940 2,285,933 Ledwinka et al June 9, 1942 2,405,136 Dittrich Aug. 6, 1946 2,519,049 Jergenson Aug. 15, 1950 2,589,997 Dean et al Mar. 18, 1952 2,633,090 Murphy Mar. 31, 1953 2,690,141 King Sept. 28, 1954

Images