Jump Rail System

Abstract

A jump rail system is provided for use with a rail car of the type having a substantially flat, open upper deck surface and a pair of parallel, spaced apart deck rails mounted along a length thereof. For each deck rail, an associated jump rail is mounted for rotational movement in relation to the upper deck surface. Each jump rail has a first end disposed in an end-to-end configuration with a first end of the associated deck rail, and a second end extending beyond a terminus of the length of the upper deck surface. A power source is configured to drive rotation of at least one of the jump rails between first and second positions of the jump rail.

Having thus described the aforementioned invention, what is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A jump rail system for selectively joining and disjoining a first section of railroad track along a first surface with a second section of railroad track along a second surface, the jump rail system comprising:
 a pair of jump rails rotatably mountable at respective first ends thereof to the first surface adjacent the first section of railroad track such that the jump rails are rotatable between a horizontal position, in which the jump rails span between the first and second sections of railroad track, and an inclined position, in which the jump rails are disjoined from the second sections of railroad track; and   at least one power source coupled to the jump rails for effecting controlled rotation of the jump rails between the first and second positions.   
     
     
         2 . The jump rail system of  claim 1 , the at least one power source comprising a linear actuator in mechanical engagement with at least one of the pair of jump rails and configured to extend to drive the jump rails toward the second position and to retract to allow the jump rails toward the first position. 
     
     
         3 . The jump rail system of  claim 2 , the at least one power source comprising a first piston/cylinder device having a cylinder component mounted beneath the first surface and a piston component extendable through a first opening in the first surface, the piston component being coupled to a lower surface of a first one of the pair of jump rails. 
     
     
         4 . The jump rail system of  claim 3 , the at least one power source further comprising a second piston/cylinder device having a cylinder component mounted beneath the first surface and a piston component extendable through a second opening in the first surface, the piston component being coupled to a lower surface of a second one of the pair of jump rails. 
     
     
         5 . The jump rail system of  claim 4  further comprising a plurality of guide members, each guide member being mountable along the first surface to position and maintain a corresponding one of the pair of jump rails in substantially parallel, end-to-end alignment with a corresponding rail of the first section of railroad track when the jump rails are moved to the first position, the plurality of guide rails further being mountable along the first surface to cooperate to maintain the pair of jump rails in a substantially parallel, spaced-apart relationship with one another when the jump rails are moved to the first position. 
     
     
         6 . The jump rail system of  claim 5  further comprising at least one chock mountable beneath at least one of the pair of jump rails to selectively secure the at least one jump rail toward the second position. 
     
     
         7 . The jump rail system of  claim 6 , the at least one chock comprising a pair of chocks, each chock being mountable beneath a corresponding one of the pair of jump rails to secure the corresponding jump rail toward the second position. 
     
     
         8 . The jump rail system of  claim 7  further comprising a pair of mounting sleeves, each mounting sleeve being mountable along the first surface beneath a corresponding one of the pair of jump rails, each mounting sleeve being configured to receive one of the pair of chocks to mount the received chock beneath the corresponding one of the pair of jump rails when the corresponding jump rail is in the second position to secure the corresponding jump rail toward the second position 
     
     
         9 . The jump rail system of  claim 8  further comprising at least one fastener mountable along the second surface and configured to secure a corresponding one of the pair of jump rails in substantially parallel, end-to-end alignment with a corresponding rail of the second section of railroad track when the corresponding jump rail is moved to the first position. 
     
     
         10 . A rail car having a length of railroad track comprising first and second parallel base rails mounted along an upper surface thereof, the rail car incorporating a jump rail system for selectively joining and disjoining the base rails with a pair of base rails of an adjacent rail car, the jump rail system comprising:
 a first jump rail rotatably mounted at a first end thereof to the upper surface in an end-to-end configuration with the first base rail;   a second jump rail rotatably mounted at a first end thereof to the upper surface in an end-to-end configuration with the second base rail; and   a power source coupled to at least one of the first and second jump rails and configured to effect controlled rotation of the jump rails between a first position, in which the jump rails are in parallel alignment with the first and second base rails, and a second position;   wherein the first and second jump rails each have respective second ends extending beyond an edge of the upper surface.   
     
     
         11 . The rail car of  claim 10 , wherein the second position defines an orientation in which the second ends of the first and second jump rails extend at an upward incline to the first and second base rails. 
     
     
         12 . The rail car of  claim 11 , wherein the power source comprises a linear actuator. 
     
     
         13 . The rail car of  claim 11 , the power source comprising a first piston/cylinder device having a cylinder mounted beneath the upper surface and a piston configured to extend through a first opening defined in the upper surface beneath the first jump rail. 
     
     
         14 . The rail car of  claim 13 , the power source further comprising a second piston/cylinder device having a cylinder mounted beneath the upper surface and a piston configured to extend through a second opening defined in the upper surface beneath the second jump rail. 
     
     
         15 . The rail car of  claim 14  further comprising a plurality of guide members mounted along the upper surface, each guide member being positioned to guide and maintain a corresponding one of the pair of jump rails into substantially parallel, end-to-end alignment with a corresponding one of the first and second base rails when the corresponding jump rail is are moved to the first position. 
     
     
         16 . The rail car of  claim 15  further comprising at least one mounting fastener mounted along the edge of the upper surface, the at least one mounting fastener configured to engage and mount at least one chock along the upper surface beneath a corresponding one of the first and second jump rails to secure the corresponding jump rail toward the second position. 
     
     
         17 . The rail car of  claim 16  further comprising a first rail fastener mounted to the upper surface proximate an end of the first base rail opposite the first jump rail, the first rail fastener configured to engage and secure a second end of a first jump rail of an adjacent rail car in parallel, end-to-end alignment with the first base rail. 
     
     
         18 . The rail car of  claim 17  further comprising a second rail fastener mounted to the upper surface proximate an end of the second base rail opposite the second jump rail, the second rail fastener configured to engage and secure a second end of a second jump rail of an adjacent rail car in parallel, end-to-end alignment with the second base rail. 
     
     
         19 . In a rail car of the type having a substantially flat, open upper deck surface and a pair of parallel, spaced apart deck rails mounted along a length thereof, the improvement comprising:
 for each deck rail, an associated jump rail mounted for rotational movement in relation to the upper deck surface, each jump rail having a first end disposed in an end-to-end configuration with a first end of the associated deck rail, each jump rail having a second end extending beyond a terminus of the length of the upper deck surface; and   a power source configured to drive rotation of at least one of the jump rails between first and second positions of the jump rail.   
     
     
         20 . The rail car of  claim 1 , the power source comprising a linear actuator mounted to a carriage beneath the upper deck surface and configured to drive rotation of a first of the jump rails.