Autorack railroad car improved bridge plate support structure

Claim 1

A railroad car for transporting vehicles such as automobiles and trucks, comprising: a floor and two side walls defining an interior space and terminating in an opening at each end; at least one elevated deck spaced above the floor and extending the length of the railroad car and terminating in an end at each of said openings; an end closure at each end of the car adapted to be displaced between a closed position overlying the end opening and an opened position which provides access to the entire end of the car; the closure comprising a pair of door assemblies movable horizontally toward each other into closed position and away from each other into open position; an elongated closure support member at each end of the car disposed within the car interior in a horizontal plane and joined to the end of the deck with the deck elevation being at least as high as that of the closure support member; bridge plate supports, for a pair of bridge plates, located at the front of the closure support member such that bridge plates removably attached thereto are at essentially the same level as the deck; the bridge plate supports being between the closure support member and the door assemblies; and the door assemblies being suspended from the closure support member by brackets which position the door assemblies outwardly beyond the bridge plate supports.