Tank car top platform assembly closure plate

Abstract

According to some embodiments, a method of assembling a tank car comprises assembling a top platform. Assembling the top platform comprises coupling a first running board to a first handrail assembly such that it at least partially encloses the first running board; coupling a second running board to a second handrail assembly such that it at least partially encloses the second running board; and coupling the first handrail assembly to the second handrail assembly via at least one closure plate to form a passageway for a rail operator to pass between the first handrail assembly and the second handrail assembly. The method further comprises coupling the top platform to the tank. Particular embodiments include leveling the top platform on the top of the tank.

1 . A method of assembling a tank car, the method comprising:
 assembling a top platform for the tank car, the assembling comprising:
 coupling a first running board to a first handrail assembly such that the first handrail assembly at least partially encloses the first running board; 
 coupling a second running board to a second handrail assembly such that the second handrail assembly at least partially encloses the second running board; and 
 coupling the first handrail assembly to the second handrail assembly via at least one closure plate to form a passageway for a rail operator to pass between the first handrail assembly and the second handrail assembly; and 
   coupling the top platform to a tank of the tank car.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising leveling the top platform on the top of the tank. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 coupling a walkway platform to the top of the tank, the walkway platform extending longitudinally along the top of the tank between a first or a second end of the tank and the top platform, the walkway platform comprising a walking surface disposed above a line tangent to the top of the tank; and   coupling the at least one closure plate to an end of the walkway platform such that the closure plate extends below the walkway platform and generally covers access to a space between the walking surface of the walkway platform and the top of the tank.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein coupling the at least one closure plate to the end of the walkway platform comprises bolting the at least one closure plate to the end of the walkway platform. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein coupling the top platform to the tank of the tank car comprises:
 supporting a longitudinal side of the first handrail assembly and the second handrail assembly using one or more pads coupled to the tank; and   supporting a lateral side of the first handrail assembly and the second handrail assembly using the closure plate coupled to the walkway platform without using pads coupled to the tank.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein a width of the at least one closure plate is equal to or less than a width of the walkway platform. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first handrail assembly and the second handrail assembly each comprises a generally horizontal rail and a plurality of generally vertical supports; and   coupling the first handrail assembly to the second handrail assembly via the at least one closure plate comprises coupling a bottom portion of one of the plurality of generally vertical supports of the first handrail assembly to the at least one closure plate and coupling a bottom portion of one of the plurality of generally vertical supports of the second handrail assembly to the at least one closure plate.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a bottom of the closure plate is curved to correspond to a curve of a lateral circumference of the tank below the walkway platform. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the closure plate comprises a first flange for coupling the first handrail assembly and a second flange for coupling the second handrail assembly. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein coupling the first handrail assembly to the second handrail assembly via at least one closure plate comprises bolting the first handrail assembly to the first flange and bolting the second handrail assembly to the second flange. 
     
     
         11 . A method of assembling a tank car top platform, the method comprising:
 coupling a first running board to a first plurality of brackets for mounting to a tank of a tank car;   coupling a first handrail assembly to the first plurality of brackets such that the first handrail assembly at least partially encloses the first running board;   coupling a second running board to a second plurality of brackets for mounting to the tank of the tank car;   coupling a second handrail assembly to the second plurality of brackets such that the second handrail assembly at least partially encloses the second running board; and   coupling the first handrail assembly to the second handrail assembly via at least one closure plate to form a passageway for a rail operator to pass between the first handrail assembly and the second handrail assembly, the closure plate comprising a generally flat plate with a height corresponding to a height of a walkway platform above the tank of the tank car.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the first handrail assembly and the second handrail assembly each comprises a generally horizontal rail and a plurality of generally vertical supports; and   coupling the first handrail assembly to the second handrail assembly via the at least one closure plate comprises coupling a bottom portion of one of the plurality of generally vertical supports of the first handrail assembly to the at least one closure plate and coupling a bottom portion of one of the plurality of generally vertical supports of the second handrail assembly to the at least one closure plate.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 coupling the first handrail assembly to the first plurality of brackets comprises coupling a longitudinal side of the first handrail assembly to the first plurality of brackets without coupling a transverse side of the first handrail assembly to the first plurality of brackets; and   coupling the second handrail assembly to the second plurality of brackets comprises coupling a longitudinal side of the second handrail assembly to the second plurality of brackets without coupling a transverse side of the second handrail assembly to the second plurality of brackets.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the closure plate comprises a first flange for coupling the first handrail assembly and a second flange for coupling the second handrail assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first flange and the second flange comprise bolt holes. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein coupling the first handrail assembly to the second handrail assembly via the at least one closure plate comprises bolting the first handrail assembly and the second handrail assembly to the closure plate. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a bottom of the closure plate curves corresponding to a curve of a lateral circumference of the tank. 
     
     
         18 . A method of fabricating a closure plate, the method comprising:
 cutting a metal plate to a height equal to or less than a height of a walking surface of a walkway platform above a tank of a tank car;   forming a first side of the metal plate into a first flange; and   forming a second side of the metal plate into a second flange, wherein a width of a middle portion of the metal plate between the first flange and the second flange is equal to or less than a width of the walkway platform of the tank car.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising drilling at least one bolt hole in the first flange and the second flange. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising cutting a bottom edge of the metal plate to correspond to a curve of a lateral circumference of the tank of the tank car.