Loading bricks onto a kiln car using a fork

A kiln car has horizontal support beams mounted to vertical supports to define multiple vertical levels and support crossbeams. The cross beams are configured for holding a low set stack of bricks - typically two bricks high - and adapted to accept a fork that can support the cross beams and bricks thereon. The fork moves to engage the cross beams in a brick loading area. The fork and cross beams are then maneuvered between the horizontal support beams to a selected one of the multiple levels, and the cross beams are placed on the horizontal support beams. An alternative method involves positioning the low sets of bricks on a first carriage having a conveyor, where a second carriage includes spaced-apart rollers that interfit between crossbeams for the level when the carriages are raised. The rollers convey bricks to a desired position, and the carriages are lowered to rest the bricks on the crossbeams.