Container carrying railroad car with walkways for access to containers

Claim 1

A railroad car capable of carrying stacked containers which form stacks of different lengths comprising: a car body having opposing car ends supported by rail truck means adapted for movement over a railroad; the car body having opposing side walls and an end wall near each end connected to the side walls with said side walls and end walls defining a well in which a container can be received; means for supporting the bottom of a container, when in the well; each side wall including a side top chord member; walkway means in fixed non-movable position on top of each side top chord member along each end of the well and accessible from the adjoining car end; the walkway means extending in each longitudinal direction form the longitudinal end of the well; the walkway means comprising a substantially flat running board having parallel longitudinal inner and outer side edges parallel with the side wall top chord; the inner edge of the running board being spaced horizontally outwardly of the well longitudinal edge; and a transverse walkway means located adjacent but past each well end and extending to the two running boards at the car sides.