TM 55-203
CHAPTER 9
CAR SUPERSTRUCTURE
Section I. PASSENGER CARS
to each other to resist abnormal impact. The two main
9-1. General
vertical end members are required to have an ultimate
shear value of not less than 300,000 pounds each at a
a. Superstructure Assembly. Car superstructure
point even with the top of the underframe to which they
has been generally defined in paragraph 3-9 as
are attached.
everything installed above the car floor. Passenger type
car bodies are constructed of plates or sheets of steel or
9-2. Guard Cars
some other metal of equivalent strength. Many modern
passenger cars have aluminum superstructure or bodies
The standard gage domestic service railway guard car
Both the inner and outer finish sheets are riveted,
bolted, or welded to a steel skeleton framework, which in
transport Army security personnel when accompanying
turn is secured to the car underframe.
classified shipments over commercial railroads within
CONUS. It is mounted on two four-wheel trucks that
b. Heating, Lighting and Ventilation. Modern
have coil spring suspension. Seven of these cars are
passenger car equipment has one or more of the
equipped with roller bearing trucks and type A2A quick-
following systems: heating, lighting, pressure or gravity
service valves in the airbrake system. The other 14
water supply, and air conditioning. Equipment for
have plain friction-bearing type trucks and are not
heating, lighting, and ventilation will be installed on
equipped with the type A-2A air valves. These cars,
Army-owned passenger cars only when specified by the
designed for high-speed passenger service, are 50 feet
procuring agency.
6 inches long, 9 feet 1 1/2 inches wide inside, and air
conditioned throughout. They are divided into three
c. Specifications for CONUS-Type Cars. The
main sections. The front section contains a completely
Railway Mall Service Specifications for 1938 were used
equipped kitchen. It also has a dining area and a
as the basis for accepted specifications for cars which
lavatory with one wash basin, shower, and toilet. The
may be used in domestic trains of over 600,000 pounds
center section contains nine folding bunks arranged in
lightweight. Trucks are required to be locked to the car
tiers of three and a wardrobe closet. The third section,
body. A car structure is required which resists a static
separated from the sleeping compartment by double
end load of 800,000 pounds applied to the centerline of
sound-reducing doors contains a diesel-engine-driven
draft without developing any permanent deformation in
generator set, air conditioning unit, oil-fired hot water
any member of the car structure. In meeting this
heater, temperature control panel, and miscellaneous
requirement, it is important that vertical deflection be
electrical controls and instruments. This car is equipped
kept to a minimum. Normal vertical deflections of cars
with hydraulic draft gear, train steam line system for
having approximately a 60-foot distance between truck
heat, and AB-1-B airbrake system. Water tanks with a
centers range from 1/2 to 3/4 inch for steel construction.
total capacity of 400 gallons are suspended from the
Cars must be designed to resist a horizontal load of
ceiling in the kitchen dining end of the car. Water
500,000 pounds applied on the buffer beam at a point
pressure is maintained by an electric motor-driven
12 inches above the centerline of draft. The buffer
shallow well jet pump.
Detailed instructions for
beam construction, and anticlimbing arrangement, and
operator's and organizational maintenance of the guard
the coupler-carrier arrangement are designed to resist
cars are contained in TM 55-2220-210-12.
vertical loads of 100,000 pounds. These requirements
enable coupled car ends moving vertically with respect
9-1
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