Train boxcar connectors?

[brickyard]

Found these right near the abandoned rail line. They are the newest looking things I've seen out there. In the woods you come to a very steep gravel hill. It's about a 30 foot difference in elevation to get to the tracks, if you can make it up a constant rock slide with all the gravel. Looks like the railroad just tosses their pig iron/broken pieces down there.

I googled these and gathered they have something to do with boxcars, but would love more info.




Again, Thanks in advance for your time/info!

 

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[NOLA_Ken]

I'm pretty sure those are twist locks for stacking shipping containers, similar to the ones on this site : Catalog: Container Twist Locks

 

[Ant]

It is called a pineapple or twist lock, used to secure the four corners of a sea container or conex box to a flatbed train car, 18 wheel trailer, etc.

 

[Ant]

These twist locks are also used to lock SIX CONTINER fuel, water tanks and or SIXCON fuel and water pumps togather or to the bed of a truck. You can see the holes in the cornor of this SIXCON water tank that they mate with at this link:
http://www.marcorsyscom.marines.mil/Portals/105/pdmeps/docs/WATER/B2086.pdf

Here's another like that may have enough info for you to mark this one solved:
http://www.google.com/search?q=sea+...h&sa=X&ei=MfxTVJvZEoGqgwSVzoLQAg&ved=0CAUQ_AU