US3866545A

US3866545A - High side gondola car

Info

Publication number: US3866545A
Application number: US472351A
Authority: US
Inventors: James C Heap
Original assignee: Thrall Car Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Thrall Car Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1974-05-22
Filing date: 1974-05-22
Publication date: 1975-02-18
Anticipated expiration: 1992-02-18

Abstract

A high side gondola car having reinforced end portions including an end wall reinforced with transversely and horizontally extending beam members. Each side wall unit includes a reinforced end portion combining the end wall beams with vertically extending wall posts and with the car corner post with a horizontally disposed bracer beam overlying the associated corner post to thereby form a continuous reinforcing structure encircling the end of the car. An improved side wall sill to underframe connection is provided by utilization of a channel shaped side sill having inwardly extending leg portions and the upper leg being used as a mounting surface for a connecting angle used to provide a force transmitting connecting member between the side wall sheets and the floor sheets.

Description

United States Patent [191 Heap I HIGH SIDE GONDOLA CAR [75] Inventor: James C. Heap, Munster, Ind. [73] Assignee: Thrall Car Manufacturing Company, Chicago Heights, 111. [22] Filed: May 22, 1974 [21] Appl. No: 472,351

Primary Examiner-Lloyd L. King Assistant Examiner-Richard A. Bertsch Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Merriam, Marshall, Shapiro & Klose [4 1 Feb. 18,1975

[57] ABSTRACT A high side gondola car having reinforced end portions including an end wall reinforced with transversely and horizontally extending beam member s. Each side wall unit includes a reinforced end portion combining the end wall beams with vertically extending wall posts and with the car corner post with a horizontally disposed bracer beam overlying the associated corner post to thereby form a continuous reinforcing structure encircling the end of the car. An improved side wall sill to underframe connection is provided by utilization of a channel shaped side sill having inwardly extending leg portions and the upper leg being used as a mounting surface for a connecting angle used to provide a force transmitting connecting member between the side wall sheets and the floor sheets.

9 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENIED FEB 1 81975 sum '2 0F 3 HIGH SIDE GONDOLA CAR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I. Field of the Invention This invention pertains to railway gondola cars and, in particular, high side gondolas for carrying large loads and having reinforced end sections adapted to adsorb longitudinal loading.

2. Description of the Prior Art Previous high side gondola cars which have dealt with the problems of high impact loads on the end wall have sought to overcome rupture and fracturing of the end wall unit by corrugating the end wall sheets and providing reinforcing in the form of vertically extending corner posts which have large flange sections interconnecting the end wall with the side wall unit. Traditionally, because of the extreme loads which are oftentimes impressed on both the end wall and the side wall units, it has often been necessary to increase the thickness of the wall sheets to provide increased resistance to loading which'is impressed on both the end and side wall units. Increasing the thickness of the wall sheets is always undesirable because the small increase in shear resistance is always outweighed by the disproportionate increase in cost and weight of the vehicle.

This invention provides an end wall unit having and end sheet overlapping associated side wall portions and also including reinforcing bracer beams of both the end wall and the side wall units which interconnect, thereby forming a continuous force-transmission structure reinforcing the end of the vehicle. Additionally, this invention provides a side wall girder beam whereinthe side plate and side sill combine with the interconnecting side wall sheet, which forms a beam web, to resist both vertical loading within the car and also bulging loads which tend to push the side wall unit outward.

SUMMARY This invention pertains to high side gondola cars and in particular to a gondola car having both a reinforces. end wall section and a side wall unit forming a beam which has high resistance to bulging loading as well as vertical loading. The side wall unit also includes structure for facilitating ease of connection and efficient force transmission between the side wall sheet and the floor sheet of the vehicle.

A railway vehicle constructed with the elements of the present invention will include a reinforced end section at each end of the vehicle provided by the end bracer beams of each side wall unit in combination with the end wall girder arrangement which is structurally interconnected to the side wall. Additionally, the end wall unit includes a wall sheet which overlaps the outside corner post and an inside corner angle, thereby forming an improved attachment and improving the force transmission characteristics between the end wall sheet and the associated corner posts.

The side sill members are continuous channel shaped beams having inwardly extending leg portions with the top leg portion forming a mounting surface for an attaching bracket used to join the side sill to the side sheet member. Additionally, the side sill top legprovides a mounting surface for the associated outer ma"- gin of the floor sheet which is attached directly thereto. The mounting surface thus provided by the side sill top flange eliminates the requirement of strict adherence to dimensional tolerances along the side edge of the floor sheet thereby simplifying assembly.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a gondola car having reinforced end sections to resist longitudinal loading and having a generally skeletonized interconnected girder structure with overlapping portions to provide for efficient force transfer between the end wall unit and the side wall units.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved side wall unit having a side sill memher with inwardly extending leg portions and a top flange adapted to provide a mounting and attaching surface for the side margin of the vehicle floor sheet.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a side wall unit including a plurality of vertically extending and longitudinally spaced side wall posts joined to an associated side wall sheet which is in a plane with the web of the side sill, thereby forming a continuous beam web for the side wall unit.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a gondola car having a reinforced end wall including transversely extending beam members extending between spaced corner posts having outwardly extending flange portions connected to a body or web portion which forms an attaching surface for the beam members.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved connection between the end wall and side wall units of a gondola car by including overlapping reinforcing members and overlapping wall sheets in combination with a vertically extending channel connecting the end wall sheet with an adjacent side wall sheet.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from reference to the following description, attached drawings and appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the high side gondola car of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the gondola car which is illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the gondola car with'the supporting truck and safety appliances removed for purposes of clarity; I

FIG. 4 is a removed cross sectional view taken generally along lines 4--4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a removed sectional view taken generally along lines 5-5 of FIG. 1; 7

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the end wall taken generally along lines 6-6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the end sill to end wall connection illustrated in FIG. 6",

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, removed sectional view showing the connection between the side sill, floor sheet, and side wall connecting angle depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5; and,

FIG. 9 is an enlarged, removed sectional view taken generally along lines 9-9 of FIG. 1 and showing in particular the structural connection between the end wall and side wall units.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring once again to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. l,there is illustrated a high side gondola 10, which embodies the structure of the present invention. The car 10 is supported on the usual railway type trucks 12 shown in phantom. The car 10 includes a pair of longitudinally extending and spaced side wall units designated by the numeral 13 which are interconnected at their end portions by the end wall units 14. The side wall and

end wall units

13 and 14, are connected to a floor and underframe unit designated by the numeral 15.

The side wall unit 13 includes a continuous side wall sheet member 16 which extends the length of the vehicle and is generally formed by butt welding a number of sheets together to thereby form the continuous wall sheet. A plurality of longitudinally spaced and vertically extending wall posts 17 are attached along the outside of the side wall sheet 16 to form a reinforced wall beam unit. The wall posts 17a are positioned at the car bolster to improve the vertical force distribution between the bolster and the side wall unit 13. Each side wall unit 13 also includes a longitudinally extending side sill 18 which, in this instance, is a channel shaped member having inwardly extending leg portions and having a web 18a securely welded to the bottom adjacent portion of each associated

wall post

17, or 17a, see FIGS. 4, 5, 8.

Forming the top of each side wall unit 13 is a longitudinally extending top chord or side plate 19 which extends the entire length of the vehicle, and as illustrated in FIGS. 3 through 5, is contemplated as being an enclosed member securely welded to the top of the

side wall posts

17, 17a and also welded to the top margin of the associated side wall sheet 16. The side plate 19 is a continuous, enclosed member, thereby providing beam strength to the top of the side wall unit to resist vertical loading. Additionally,-the top chord 19 has lateral strength to withstand transversely directed bulging loads which are caused by the weight of cargo being transported forcing the walls outward as generally occurs both during coupling and during transport.

As noticed in FIG. 8, a seam 20 is provided between the bottom of the side wall sheet 16 and the top leg of the side sill 18. Positioned adjacent this seam 20 is connecting angle 21 which has vertically and horizontally extending legs attached to form a rigid connection between the side wall sheet and the side sill.

At each of the four corners of the vehicle are the corner posts 22 which are also channel shaped members having leg portions extending transversely outwardly of the vehicle. A horizontally extending bracer beam member 23 is fitted between the upper and lower parts of each corner pose 22 and extends inwardly through the associated vertical wall post 17a and into an abutting connection with the next vertical wall post 17 as is illustrated in FIG. 1.

As noticed in FIGS. 2 and 4, a pair of triangular side brace assemblies 24 form a rigid connection between the associated side wall unit 13 and floor unit 15. Each side brace assembly 24 includes a generally diagonally extending support beam 25 having gusset plates 26 attached thereto and to the adjacent floor and side wall portions, thereby rigidifying the side wall to floor unit connection.

The underframe or floor unit assembly includes a continuous floor sheet 27 having longitudinally extending side edge portions which overlie a part of the side sill 18 and may be fixedly connected thereto by a weld. As noticed in FIG. 8, the floor sheet 27 may be spaced from the associated connecting angle 21 as can occur during assembly of a vehicle when dimensional variations occur along the length of a large car such as a gondola car. These dimensional variations are minimized because a continuous force transmitting connection is maintained between the side wall sheet 16 and the floor sheet 27 by utilization of the connecting angle 21 and the inwardly extending flange of the side sill 18.

The floor unit and underframe 15 also include the longitudinally extending center sill unit 28 which may be of a conventional hat-shaped construction having a top plate and downwardly extending web portions terminating at outwardly extending flanges. Positioned at each end of the gondola car and included in the underframe assembly, are the body bolsters 29 which include the general box-shaped cross section having a top plate 30 and a vertically spaced bottom plate 31, being interconnected by the web portions 32. Reinforcing

gussets

33 and 34 may be used to rigidify the web 32 and to keep the principal surfaces of the top and bottom cover plates parallel and equidistance from one another; thereby, increasing the overall strength of the bolster assembly 29. As noticed in FIGS. 3 and 5, a sole plate 35 may extend across the bottom flanges of the center sill 28 and interconnect the spaced bottom plates 31 of each arm of the body bolster 29. Positioned withinthe center sill at the body bolster area 29 is a center filler 36 which may be of any adequate design. A center plate 37 is attached to the bottom of the sole plate 35 and forms a connection with the associated supporting trucks 12.

The underframe also includes a plurality of crossbearers such as those illustrated in FIG. 4 and designated by numeral 38. These crossbearers are spaced along the length of the gondola car 10 and include a vertically extending web 39 extending between the associated web of the center sill 28 and the side sill 18. Cross-bearers 38 also include a bottom flange 40 extending from the side sill 18 to a point adjacent the center sill 28. A top flange 41 is also included with the crossbearer assembly 38 and extends from the side sill 18 across the top of the center sill 28 and terminates at the opposite side of the vehicle with a connection to the other spaced side sill 18. A crossbearer sole plate 42 interconnects the spaced bottom flanges 40 and extends under the bottom flanges of the side sill 28, thereby forming a rigid connection between the spaced side sill 18 and the center sill 28 (see FIG. 4). Longitudinally extending stringers may also be provided to interconnect the transversely extending underframe members such at the bolster portions 29 and the crossbearers 38. Positioned atop the center sill 28 between the top flange 41 of each crossbearer are filler plates 41b.

Located at each end of the crossbearers 38 in addition to the side sill channels 18 are the vertical extending wall posts 17 which upon welding together form U- frames. These U-frames in conjunction with the side sheets provide a positive restraint to the latter movement of the lading.

Thus it is noticed that with the side wall unit and underframe or floor unit disclosed in FIGS. 4, 5 and 8, this invention has provided a novel means for interconnecting a large side wall girder with a reinforced underframe and simplified the components used to achieve such a rigid structure. This invention provides the structural features of having directly connected side wall sheets with floor sheets without actually providing such a connection. By providing a connecting angle disposed atop the side sill member and having a vertically extending leg directly attached to a side wall sheet and having a horizontally extending leg extending toward but not necessarily connected with the associated edge of the floor sheet 27, a continuous force transmitting connection is provided between the wall sheet 16 and the floor sheet 27. The continuous connection is maintained by using a portion of the side sill top leg for transmitting forces between the floor sheet 27 and the side wall sheet 16. By providing a continuous connection between the floor sheet 27 and the side sill l8, stress concentrations customarily encountered where floor sheets are notched around wall posts have been eliminated thus increasing the overall strength of the side wall unit 13 and floor unit 15.

Because of the increased volume of cargo which can be carried by this high side gondola car, it is important to provide a reinforced end wall and end section, and thereby increase the resistance to surge or impact loads which occur both from pulverulent ladings, such as taconite, coal, or other types of cargo which may be transported, such as steel scrap bundles, steel pipes, or coils of steel. Because of the wide variety of cargoes which are transported within a high side gondola car, it is important to provide a reinforced end structure having resistance to various types of end loads which may be imposed upon the end wall unit. To achieve this increased resistance to surge or impact loading, the present invention provides a reinforced car end section wherein a plurality of side wall posts are interconnected by means of a horizontally extending bracer beam which ties into the reinforced end wall unit. Such a connection provides for dissipation of end wall forces into the side wall unit and minimization of local stresses at the point of connection or corner of the side wall and end wall units.

As noticed in FIGS. 6 and 9, the end wall of the present invention includes an end sheet 44 which extends vertically from the associated end sill member 45. The end sill member 45, as shown in FIG. 7, extends across the end of the car and is mounted atop the side sill 18. The end sill 45 abutts the associated corner post 22 and is securely attached thereto as by a weld. Also associated with the end sill 45 is an end angle member 46 which is positioned on the adjacent floor sheet 27 and forms a force transmitting connection between the erid sheet 44 and the floor sheet 27. Filler plate 41a supports the side sheet 27 at the center sill 28. As noticed from FIG. 7, the bottom margin of the end sheet 44 is securely sandwiched between the end sill 45 and the end angle 46. The end sill 45 is mounted above the draft sill portion 48 of the center sill 28.

Extending transversely of the vehicle in a horizontal plane are a plurality of reinforcing beams designated generally by the numeral 49 and which are disclosed as having a I-shaped cross section, but could have a channel or hat-shaped cross section or other convenient form. These beams 49 include center connecting beam 49a and extend continuously between the associated corner post 22 and are welded to each corner post 22. As noticed in FIG. 9, the corner post is a channel shaped member and includes a body portion which abutts the reinforcing beams 49 and thereby provides a flat surface for facilitating a quick and reliable connection thereto.

Positioned atop the end wall unit 14 is a channel shaped end plate 50 which connects the top of the end wall unit with the spaced side plates 19, thereby forming an integral connection between the end wall unit 14 and the associated side wall unit 13.

Gusset plate 51, illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 6, are positioned between each of the reinforcing beams 49, and attached to beams 49 and to the end wall sheet 44, thereby forming a force transfer connection for dissipation and distribution of forces applied to the end wall sheet through the end wall and into the side wall unit, where it may be most efficiently and adequately absorbed.

As noticed in the top plan view of FIG. 2, corner stiffener plates may be positioned at the junction of the side plate 19 and the end plate 50 of the end wall units.

The side wall unit to end wall unit connection also includes a corner angle 53 which extends vertically from the floor sheet 27 and interconnects the side wall sheet 16 with the end wall sheet 44. As: can be noticed from FIG. 9, the end wall sheets 44 have an overlapping portion 44a which extends on to a leg of the corner post 22. This corner angle 53 functions in a manner similar to the function of the side sill mounted connecting angle 21 and forms a continuous force transfer connection between the side wall sheets 16 and the floor sheet Thus it is noticed that this invention provides a large capacity high side gondola car which is easy to fabricate and structurally sound due to the unique connection provided between the side wall and floor unit as semblies, thereby increasing the strength of the car by utilizing the shear and tensile resistance properties of sheet members. The gondola car 10 of the present invention also is capable of carrying a large volume of material because of the improved end configuration wherein a skeletonized bracer structure is used in combination with end wall sheets and side wall sheets which transfer longitudinal end loads into the side wall unit 13. The present invention has provided a reinforced end wall to resist longitudinal forces by dumping these longitudinal forces into the side wall beam which is capable of withstanding high tensile forces. By providing an end wall having: a top end plate 50 connected to side plates 19; end sill 45 connected to side sill members 18; as well as reinforcing beam 49a connected into the horizontal bracer beams 23; longitudinal loads applied to the end wall unit 14 may be efficiently andreliably distributed into the side wall units 13. Additionally, by overlapping the end sheet 44 with the associated corner post 22, and using corner angles 53 for interconnecting the end sheets 44 with the side wall sheets 16, a continuous sheet structure is provided surrounding the interior of the vehicle, thereby providing for additional even force dumping from the end wall sheets 44 into the side wall sheets 16, thus eliminating stress concentration at the corner areas which oftentimes results in premature failures at that point.

The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate the invention and the invention is not limited thereto, except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, as those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a railway vehicle having spaced side wall units interconnected with end wall units and each side wall unit including a longitudinally extending side sill and a vertically upwardly spaced side plate interconnected with the side sill through a side wall sheet and a plurality of vertically extending wall posts, and corner posts positioned at the corner junction of each side wall and end wall units, the improvement comprising:

each side wall unit having end portions with horizontally extending bracer members having a first end portion fixedly connected to the associated corner post;

said end wall unit including an end sill extending transversely of the vehicle and interconnecting portions of each spaced side sill;

an end plate positioned atop the end wall unit and including attaching end portions in interconnecting the adjacent side plate of each side wall unit;

a plurality of end wall reinforcing beams extending transversely of the vehicle from the associated corner posts;

an end sheet forming an enclosure for the end wall unit and being fixedly attached to the associated reinforcing beams, end sill, and end plate; and,

said reinforcing beams of the end wall unit including a connecting beam having side end portions attached adjacent the associated horizontally extending bracer member of the side wall unit and thereby combining with the end plate and end sill to trans mit end forces into the side wall units.

2. The railway vehicle of claim 1 which:

said vehicle includes a reinforced underframe having a pair of longitudinally spaced body bolsters and a plurality of crossbearers spaced along the length of the vehicle and being covered with a floor sheet member;

said side sill having a channel shaped cross section with inwardly extending upper and lower legs interconnected by a vertically extending web;

said side wall sheet extending vertically over the side wall unit and disposed in a plane with the web of the side sill;

a connecting angle mounted atop the upper leg of the side sill and having an inwardly extending portion and also having an upwardly extending portion re ceiving the bottom margin of side wall sheet; and,

said floor sheet overlapping and being attached to the upper leg of the side sill unit and adjacent the inwardly extending portion of the associated connecting angle.

3. The railway vehicle of claim 1 in which:

a corner angle extending vertically adjacent the interior corners of the railway vehicle and having perpendicular leg portions adapted for connection to the'vehicle in such a manner as to interconnect the associated side wall sheet and end wall sheet; and,

said end wall sheet also having an overlapping portion extending outwardly of the end wall unit and associated corner angle and overlying a portion of the corner post and fixedly attached thereto.

4. The railway vehicle of claim 1 in which:

said end wall unit includes a bottom angle member having mutually perpendicular leg portions extending upwardly and horizontally of each other interconnecting the end wall sheet with the vehicle floor sheet;

said end sill having downwardly extending leg portions attached to the top of the center sill and one of said leg portions spaced from the associated bottom connecting angle and abutting the bottom margin of the associated end wall sheet;

said bottom portion of the end wall sheet being sandwiched between the end sill and the associated bottom angle member and fixedly attached thereto.

5. The railway vehicle of claim 1 in which:

said horizontally extending bracer member also includes a second end portion abutting a vertical wall post and fixedly attached thereto, and having an intermediate portion extending through a second wall post and also including said first end portion fixedly attached to the associated corner post.

6. The railway vehicle of claim 1 in which:

each end wall reinforcing beam includes an attaching flange and a spaced flange joined with a connecting web thereby providing each end wall reinforcing beam with a generally I-shaped cross section.

7. The railway vehicle of claim 2 in which:

side bracer means are positioned at the junction of the underframe and each side wall unit and including a diagonal member extending from the floor sheet to the side wall sheet and also including a reinforcing gusset web.

8. The railway vehicle of claim 3 in which:

said corner post including a pair of leg portions extending outwardly of the railway vehicle from an attaching web;

said end wall reinforcing beams being attached to the attaching web of each pair of associated corner posts;

said overlapping portion of the end wall sheet being attached to one of the legs of said associated corner posts.

9. The railway vehicle of claim 7 in which:

the railway vehicle has an open top and is a gondola P0405) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 9 CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,866,545 Dated February 18, 1975 Inventor) James C. Heap It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent .and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 7, change "adsorb" to --absorb--;

column 3, line 48, change "pose" to -post-; column 7, line 13, delete "in"; line 27, before "which" insert --in-.

and sealed this 15th day of April 127'.

Claims

1. In a railway vehicle having spaced side wall units interconnected with end wall units and each side wall unit including a longitudinally extending side sill and a vertically upwardly spaced side plate interconnected with the side sill through a side wall sheet and a plurality of vertically extending wall posts, and corner posts positioned at the corner junction of each side wall and end wall units, the improvement comprising: each side wall unit having end portions with horizontally extending bracer members having a first end portion fixedly connected to the associated corner post; said end wall unit including an end sill extending transversely of the vehicle and interconnecting portions of each spaced side sill; an end plate positioned atop the end wall unit and including attaching end portions in interconnecting the adjacent side plate of each side wall unit; a plurality of end wall reinforcing beams extending transversely of the vehicle from the associated corner posts; an end sheet forming an enclosure for the end wall unit and being fixedly attached to the associated reinforcing beams, end sill, and end plate; and, said reinforcing beams of the end wall unit including a connecting beam having side end portions attached adjacent the associated horizontally extending bracer member of the side wall unit and thereby combining with the end plate and end sill to transmit end forces into the side wall units.

2. The railway vehicle of claim 1 which: said vehicle includes a reinforced underframe having a pair of longitudinally spaced body bolsters and a plurality of crossbearers spaced along the length of the vehicle and being covered with a floor sheet member; said side sill having a channel shaped cross section with inwardly extending upper and lower legs interconnected by a vertically extending web; said side wall sheet extending vertically over the side wall unit and disposed in a plane with the web of the side sill; a connecting angle mounted atop the upper leg of the side sill and having an inwardly extending portion and also having an upwardly extending portion receiving the bottom margin of side wall sheet; and, said floor sheet overlapping and being attached to the upper leg of the side sill unit and adjacent the inwardly extending portion of the associated connecting angle.

3. The railway vehicle of claim 1 in which: a corner angle extending vertically adjacent the interior corners of the railway vehicle and having perpendicular leg portions adapted for connection to the vehicle in such a manner as to interconnect the associated side wall sheet and end wall sheet; and, said end wall sheet also having an overlapping portion extending outwardly of the end wall unit and associated corner angle and overlying a portion of the corner post and fixedly attached thereto.

4. The railway vehicle of claim 1 in which: said end wall unit includes a bottom angle member having mutually perpendicular leg portions extending upwardly and horizontally of each other interconnecting the end wall sheet with the vehicle floor sheet; said end sill having downwardly extending leg portions attached to the top of the center sill and one of said leg portions spaced from the associated bottom connecting angle and abutting the bottom margin of the associated end wall sheet; said bottom portion of the end wall sheet being sandwiched between the end sill and the associated bottom angle member and fixedly attached thereto.

5. The railway vehicle of claim 1 in which: said horizontally extending bracer member also includes a second end portion abutting a vertical wall post and fixedly attached thereto, and having an intermediate portion extending through a second wall post and also including said first end portion fixedly attached to the associated corner post.

6. The railway vehicle of claim 1 in which: each end wall reinforcing beam includes an attaching flange and a spaced flange joined with a connecting web thereby providing each end wall reinforcing beam with a generally I-shaped cross section.

7. The railway vehicle of claim 2 in which: side bracer means are positioned at the junction of the underframe and each side wall unit and including a diagonal member extending from the floor sheet to the side wall sheet and also including a reinforcing gusset web.

8. The railway vehicle of claim 3 in which: said corner post including a pair of leg portions extending outwardly of the railway vehicle from an attaching web; said end wall reinforcing beams being attached to the attaching web of each pair of associated corner posts; said overlapping portion of the end wall sheet being attached to one of the legs of said associated corner posts.

9. The railway vehicle of claim 7 in which: the railway vehicle has an open top and is a gondola car.