TM 55-203
secure the required camber or curvature of the sills
ture. This is generally accomplished by riveting and/or
before laying a new floor, since this enables the car to
welding. Since many CONUS flatcars have wooden
withstand concentrated loads on its center.
decks or flooring and many foreign flatcars are partly of
wood construction, repairs to both types will be
c. Repairs to Steel Flatcars. Steel flatcars are of
discussed.
three general types: the ordinary flatcar with steel sills
b. Repairs to Wooden Flatcars. The repair of
and wood or steel floor, the depressed center flatcar,
and the well-hole car. Cars of the latter types are
underframes was discussed in chapter 5, so this
generally equipped with riveted steel floors. When steel
discussion is limited to superstructure repairs only. The
floors are used, they are riveted to the sills with soft iron
only superstructure on the average flatcar is the
rivets. These rivets have large flat heads and are
platform or flooring. The wood flooring normally used is
inserted from the top and driven from the lower side of
of 1 3/4-inch lumber, squared or provided with a shiplap
the car floor. The floors generally are made of steel
Joint. The floorboards are cut out for the side and end
plate, riveted directly to the side, center, and
stake pockets. When renewing a car floor, all old nails
intermediate sills of the car Defects developing in these
and spikes should be removed and the car structure
floors usually are caused by the lading they carry In
repaired if needed. When old flooring is relaid or new
some cases, the floors warp and buckle; in others, holes
flooring is applied, it should be fastened with 30or 40-
may be punched through the floor sheets. Often rivets
penny spikes, depending on the thickness of the lumber
are sheared off by lading sliding across the floor. Holes
Flooring usually is milled In widths that lie with a face of
in a steel floor may be repaired with patches, or the
5 1/4, 7 1/4, or 9 1/4 inches. Two spikes should be used
entire sheet can be replaced, if necessary. Floors that
in each end of the board where it Is affixed to the side
have buckled may be removed and straightened ,or
sills, two more in the area over each center sill, and one
relaid It is often necessary to weld over old rivet holes
where the board is affixed to the intermediate nailing
and punch or drill new ones, because buckled members
strips. This applies when 5 1/4-inch boards are used,
tend to stretch when straightened Sheared rivets should
additional spikes may be necessary when wider boards
be replaced whenever found.
Other repairs to
are laid Flooring should project about 1 inch beyond the
depressed-center
and
well-hole
flatcars
are
outer edge of the side sill. It must be laid In alinement if
accomplished in accordance with methods applicable to
the boards are presawed to length. If random and mill
ordinary steel flatcar repair.
lengths are used, they may be marked with a chalk line
and sawed straight across after they are nailed into
place. Any sill that is slightly tipped or twisted must be
blocked straight before the flooring is applied. It is also
necessary to see that the car is properly trussed to
9-17
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