Terminal design

• US 6,439,128 B1
• Filed: 05/26/2000
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canadian Pacific Railway Company (Canadian Pacific Railway Limited)
• Original Assignee: Canadian Pacific Railway Company (Canadian Pacific Railway Limited)
• Inventors: Miller, Douglas J., Parry, Alan O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gordon, Stephen T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLANKENSHIP, GREGORY A
• Application Number:
  US09/579,557
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 104/27, 104/28, 104/29
• US Class Current: 104/27
• CPC Class Codes: B61B 1/005 Rail vehicle marshalling systems; Rail freight terminals transferring or trans-shipping at storage areas or railway yards; marshalling yard installations B65G63/00
• CPC Class Codes: B61D 47/005 Loading or unloading devices combined with road vehicles carrying wagons, e.g. ramps, turntables, lifting means wagons for carrying road vehicles in general: B61D3/18

Abstract

A railway terminal having a parking area, an access restriction system adjacent to the parking area and a railroad track adjacent to the parking area. The access restriction system limits access to said parking area. The railroad track includes a first section, a second section and a loading pad, wherein the first and the second sections each accommodate a plurality of intermodal railcars, each railcar designed to transport a truck trailer, wherein the first section is coupled to a main rail line. The loading pad links the first section of the railroad track to the second section of the railroad track. The loading pad is designed to support tractor-trailers.

Claims

1. A railway terminal, comprising:

a parking area;

an access restriction system adjacent to the parking area, wherein the access restriction system limits access to said parking area; and

a railroad track adjacent to the parking area, wherein the railroad track includes a first section, a second section and a loading pad, wherein the first and the second sections each accommodate a plurality of intermodal railcars, each railcar designed to transport a tractor-trailer, wherein the first section is coupled to a main rail line; and

wherein the loading pad links the first section of the railroad track to the second section of the railroad track, wherein the loading pad is designed to support tractor-trailers and wherein the loading pad provides access to intermodal railcars in the first and second sections.

2. The railway terminal of claim 1, wherein the access restriction system includes a wireless communication system which provides wireless communication within the railway terminal.

3. The railway terminal of claim 1, wherein the access restriction system comprises an entrance gate and an exit gate.

4. The railway terminal of claim 1, wherein the parking area comprises parking spaces for at least sixty tractor-trailers.

5. The railway terminal of claim 1, wherein the parking area comprises a prepared surface that is capable of supporting fully loaded tractor-trailer trucks with minimal wear.

6. The railway terminal of claim 5, wherein the prepared surface comprises a bottom layer of gravel and a top layer of recycled asphalt.

7. The railway terminal of claim 1, wherein the loading pad is paved.

8. The railway terminal of claim 1, wherein the railroad track comprises a first end coupled to the main line via a first switch and a second end opposite the first end coupled to the main line via a second switch.

9. The railway terminal of claim 1, wherein the loading pad is no less than 300 feet in width to enable loading and unloading of truck trailers concurrently from the first and second railroad track sections.

10. The railway terminal of claim 1, wherein the parking area comprises a road to rail parking area and a rail to road parking area.

11. The railway terminal of claim 1, wherein the parking area comprises a long term parking area.

12. A railway terminal, comprising:

an access restriction system;

a parking area adjacent to the access restriction system;

a railroad track adjacent to the parking area wherein the railroad track is split into a first section, a second section and a loading pad, wherein the first and second sections each accommodate a plurality of intermodal railcars, each railcar designed to transport a truck trailer, wherein the first section is coupled to a main rail line, wherein the loading pad links the first section of the railroad track to the second section of the railroad track and provides access to intermodal railcars in the first and second sections and wherein the loading pad is designed to support fully loaded tractor-trailers; and

a run-around track substantially parallel to the railroad track, wherein the run-around track is coupled to the main line at both ends.

13. The railway terminal of claim 12, wherein the access restriction system includes a wireless communication system which provides wireless communication capability within the railway terminal.

14. The railway terminal of claim 12, wherein the first section and the second section of the railroad track are each no less than 2200 feet in length.

15. The railway terminal of claim 12, wherein the parking area includes a road to rail parking area and a rail to road parking area.

16. The railway terminal of claim 12, wherein the parking area includes a rail to rail parking area and a road to road parking area.

17. The railway terminal of claim 12, wherein the loading pad is no less than 300 feet in width to enable loading and unloading of truck trailers concurrently from the first and second railroad track sections.

18. The railway terminal of claim 12, wherein the access restriction system comprises an entrance gate and an exit gate.

19. The railway terminal of claim 12, wherein the parking area comprises parking spaces for at least sixty tractor-trailers.

20. The railway terminal of claim 12, wherein the parking area comprises a prepared surface that is capable of supporting fully loaded tractor-trailer trucks with minimal wear.

21. The railway terminal of claim 20, wherein the prepared surface comprises a bottom layer of gravel and a top layer of recycled asphalt.

22. The railway terminal of claim 12, wherein the loading pad is paved.

23. A method of loading an intermodal train having a plurality of train sections, including a first and a second train section, comprising:

driving the intermodal train onto a single track, wherein the single track includes a first section, a second section and a loading pad and wherein the first section is linked to the second section via the loading pad;

positioning the first train section on the first section of the single track;

separating the first train section from the train;

positioning the second train section on the second section of the single track;

aligning a first portable ramp, on the loading pad, with the first train section;

aligning a second portable ramp, on the loading pad, with the second train section;

loading selected trailers onto rail cars of the first train section via the first portable ramp;

loading selected trailers onto rail cars of the second train section via the second portable ramp;

securing the trailers onto the rail cars of the first and second sections of the train; and

coupling the first section of the train with the second section of the train.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein aligning includes coupling and securing the first portable ramp to the first train section and the second portable ramp to the second train section.

25. A method of unloading an intermodal train, comprising:

separating the intermodal train into a plurality of train sections;

positioning the train sections adjacent to a loading pad such that two or more train sections can be unloaded at once;

driving a hostler truck onto the train via the loading pad;

coupling the hostler truck to a trailer;

driving the trailer off of the train; and

parking the trailer in a transfer parking location.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein driving a hostler truck onto the train includes positioning a portable ramp adjacent to one of the train sections.

27. An intermodal transportation terminal, comprising:

an access restriction system that selectively restricts access to the intermodal transportation terminal;

a parking area adjacent to the access restriction system, wherein the parking area accommodates a plurality of trailers and provides access to each trailer for pick-up and drop-off;

at least one railroad track adjacent to the parking area, wherein at least one track comprises a plurality of track sections, including a first and a second track section, and wherein at least one track is coupled to a main rail line; and

a loading pad which interconnects the first and second track sections, wherein trailers are moved across the loading pad when loaded on rail cars positioned on the first and second track sections.

28. The terminal according to claim 27, wherein the loading pad is designed to support a trailer with minimal wear.

29. The terminal of claim 27, wherein the access restriction system includes a wireless communication system which provides wireless communication within the terminal.

30. The railway terminal of claim 27, wherein the access restriction system comprises an entrance gate.

31. The railway terminal of claim 27, wherein the access restriction system comprises an exit gate.

32. The railway terminal of claim 27, wherein the parking area comprises parking spaces for at least sixty tractor-trailers.

33. The railway terminal of claim 27, wherein the parking area comprises a prepared surface that is capable of supporting fully loaded tractor-trailer trucks with minimal wear.

34. The railway terminal of claim 33, wherein the prepared surface comprises a bottom layer of gravel and a top layer of recycled asphalt.

35. The railway terminal of claim 27, wherein the loading pad is paved.

36. The railway terminal of claim 27, wherein the railroad track comprises a first end coupled to the main line via a first switch and a second end opposite the first end coupled to the main line via a second switch.

37. The railway terminal of claim 27, wherein the loading pad is no less than 300 feet in width to enable loading and unloading of truck trailers concurrently from the first and second railroad track sections.

38. An intermodal transportation terminal, comprising:

an access restriction system;

a parking area, wherein the parking area includes a road to rail parking area and a rail to road parking area;

a first railroad track adjacent to the parking area, wherein the first railroad track comprises a plurality of track sections, including a first track section and a second track section;

a second railroad track substantially parallel to the first railroad track, wherein the second railroad track comprises a plurality of track sections, including a third track section and a fourth track section; and

a loading pad which crosses the first and second railroad tracks and which couples the first track section to the second track section and the third track section to the fourth track section, wherein the loading pad provides access to intermodal railcars in the first, second, third and fourth track sections;

wherein the first railroad track and the second railroad track are each coupled to a main rail line.

39. The terminal according to claim 38, wherein the access restriction system includes a wireless communication system that operates within an area of the intermodal transportation terminal.

40. An intermodal transportation terminal, comprising:

an access restriction system;

at least one parking area adjacent to the access restriction system, wherein the at least one parking area is capable of accommodating a plurality of trailers;

at least one railroad track adjacent to the at least one parking, wherein each railroad track is coupled to a main rail line and wherein each railroad track includes a plurality of track sections, including a first track section, a second track section, a third track section and a fourth track section;

a first loading pad coupled between the first and second track sections, wherein the first loading pad provides access to intermodal railcars in the first and second track sections;

a second loading pad coupled between the second and a third track sections, wherein the second loading pad provides access to intermodal railcars in the second and third track sections; and

a run around track substantially parallel to the at least one railroad track, wherein the run-around track is coupled to the main rail line.

41. The terminal of claim 40, wherein the access restriction system includes a wireless communication system that operates within the intermodal transportation terminal.

42. The intermodal transportation terminal of claim 40, wherein each railroad track is coupled to the main line via a switch at each end of the railroad track.

43. The intermodal transportation terminal of claim 40, wherein each track section is at least 1000 feet in length.

44. The intermodal transportation terminal of claim 40, wherein the first and third track sections are at least 1000 feet in length and the second track section is at least 2000 feet in length.

45. The intermodal transportation terminal of claim 40, wherein the first and second loading pads are each at least 300 feet in length.

46. The intermodal transportation terminal of claim 40, wherein at least one railroad track is no less than 2300 feet in length.

47. The intermodal transportation terminal of claim 40, wherein the loading pad is reinforced to support fully loaded trailers.

48. The intermodal transportation terminal of claim 47, wherein the loading pad is paved.

49. The intermodal transportation terminal of claim 40, wherein the parking area includes a bottom layer of rock and a top layer of recycled asphalt.

50. The terminal of claim 40, wherein the access restriction system comprises an entrance gate and an exit gate.

51. The terminal of claim 40, wherein the terminal further comprises a track for parking railway engines.

52. The terminal of claim 40, wherein the terminal further comprises a way station.

53. An intermodal transportation system, comprising:

a plurality of terminals, wherein each terminal includes;

an access restriction system that selectively restricts access to the terminal;

a parking area adjacent to the access restriction system, wherein the parking area accommodates a plurality of trailers and provides access to each trailer for pick-up and drop-off;

at least one railroad track adjacent to the parking area, wherein the track comprises a plurality of track sections, including a first and a second track section, and wherein the track is coupled to a main rail line; and

a loading pad which interconnects the first and second track sections, wherein trailers are moved across the loading pad when loaded on rail cars positioned on the first and second track sections;

an intermodal train having a plurality of rail cars, wherein each rail car accommodates a trailer; and

a truck, wherein the truck moves each trailer onto its respective rail car.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein the truck is a hostler equipped to couple to any of a variety of trailers and to move the trailers from the parking area onto the rail cars.

55. The system of claim 53, wherein the system further comprises at least one portable ramp, wherein each ramp can be coupled to a rail car.