According to some embodiments, a railcar comprises an underframe and at least one hopper. The hopper is configured to transport a lading material. A longitudinal sliding gate assembly is coupled to the hopper and comprises: a pair of side walls coupled to a pair of end walls forming a discharge opening; a pair of tracks, one coupled to each end wall; a sliding gate slidably coupled to the pair of tracks; and a threaded drive screw coupled to the sliding gate and to the pair of side walls. Rotation of the threaded drive screw in a first direction moves the sliding gate along the tracks to an open position that permits the lading material to discharge, and rotation of the threaded drive screw in an opposite direction moves the sliding gate along the tracks to a closed position that restricts the lading material from discharging.

According to some embodiments, a railcar comprises an underframe and at least one hopper. The hopper is configured to transport a lading material. A longitudinal sliding gate assembly is coupled to the hopper and comprises: a pair of side walls coupled to a pair of end walls forming a discharge opening; a pair of tracks, one coupled to each end wall; a sliding gate slidably coupled to the pair of tracks; and a threaded drive screw coupled to the sliding gate and to the pair of side walls. Rotation of the threaded drive screw in a first direction moves the sliding gate along the tracks to an open position that permits the lading material to discharge, and rotation of the threaded drive screw in an opposite direction moves the sliding gate along the tracks to a closed position that restricts the lading material from discharging.

A gondola car has a body for lading carried on an underframe. The underframe includes a center sill and cross-bearers. The car has deep side beams having top chords, side sills, and side sheets. The lower portion of the car includes tubs that seat between the cross-bearers. The car may have an internal volume of more than 8000 cu. ft. The car may have rotary dump claw sockets. The car has opposed internal and external stiffeners aligned at the longitudinal stations of the cross-bearers. The internal stiffeners may be triangular cantilevers extending upwardly inside the side sheets. The side sheet lies intermediate the stiffeners and their flanges. The top chords may be wider in cross-section than the side sills. The side sills may define torque tubes that co-operate with the sidewall stiffeners and the top chords to resist lateral deflection. The car may include a false deck, or dog-house at one end to accommodate the brake reservoir and brake valve, such that the car is longitudinally asymmetric.

A gondola car has a body for lading carried on an underframe. The underframe includes a center sill and cross-bearers. The car has deep side beams having top chords, side sills, and side sheets. The lower portion of the car includes tubs that seat between the cross-bearers. The car may have an internal volume of more than 8000 cu. ft. The car may have rotary dump claw sockets. The car has opposed internal and external stiffeners aligned at the longitudinal stations of the cross-bearers. The internal stiffeners may be triangular cantilevers extending upwardly inside the side sheets. The side sheet lies intermediate the stiffeners and their flanges. The top chords may be wider in cross-section than the side sills. The side sills may define torque tubes that co-operate with the sidewall stiffeners and the top chords to resist lateral deflection. The car may include a false deck, or dog-house at one end to accommodate the brake reservoir and brake valve, such that the car is longitudinally asymmetric.

A maintenance system is disclosed for assisting in maintaining an automated carrier system for moving objects to be processed. The maintenance system includes a plurality of automated carriers that are adapted to move on an array of discontinuous standard track sections, each said automated carrier including a carrier body that is no larger in either a length or width direction that a standard track section, and an automated maintenance carrier that is adapted to move on the array of discontinuous track sections, said automated maintenance system including a maintenance body that is larger in at least one of a length or width direction than the standard track section.

An automated carrier system is disclosed for moving objects to be processed. The automated carrier system includes a discontinuous plurality of track sections on which an automated carrier may be directed to move, and the automated carrier includes a base structure on which an object may be supported, and at least two wheels assemblies being pivotally supported on the base structure for pivoting movement from a first position to a second position to effect a change in direction of movement of the carrier.

An automated carrier system is disclosed for moving objects to be processed. The automated carrier system includes a discontinuous plurality of track sections on which an automated carrier may be directed to move, and the automated carrier includes a base structure on which an object may be supported, and at least two wheels assemblies being pivotally supported on the base structure for pivoting movement from a first position to a second position to effect a change in direction of movement of the carrier.

A maintenance system is disclosed for assisting in maintaining an automated carrier system for moving objects to be processed. The maintenance system includes a plurality of automated carriers that are adapted to move on an array of discontinuous standard track sections, each said automated carrier including a carrier body that is no larger in either a length or width direction that a standard track section, and an automated maintenance carrier that is adapted to move on the array of discontinuous track sections, said automated maintenance system including a maintenance body that is larger in at least one of a length or width direction than the standard track section.

An automated carrier system is disclosed for moving objects to be processed. The automated carrier system includes a discontinuous plurality of track sections on which an automated carrier may be directed to move, and the automated carrier includes a base structure on which an object may be supported, and at least two wheels assemblies being pivotally supported on the base structure for pivoting movement from a first position to a second position to effect a change in direction of movement of the carrier.

According to some embodiments, a discharge door locking system for a railcar discharge door comprises a lock piston configured to move between a first position (not engaged with an operating beam coupled to a discharge door) and a second position (engaged). The locking system comprises a first and second input. Activation of the first input moves the lock piston to the first position, and activation of the second input moves the lock piston to the second position. The first input of the locking system is coupled to a first input of an operating cylinder coupled to the operating beam. The first input of the operating cylinder is configured to move the discharge door to the open position. The second input of the locking system is coupled to a second input of the operating cylinder. The second input is configured to move the discharge door to the closed position.