A railcar comprises a hopper coupled to a discharge assembly. The discharge assembly comprises a discharge gate, a sloped side sheet, a gasket bracket, and a seal gasket. The sloped side sheet longitudinally extends above the discharge gate when the discharge gate is closed. The gasket bracket coupled to the sloped side sheet. The gasket bracket extends longitudinally along a bottom end of the sloped side sheet. The seal gasket is positioned between the sloped side sheet and the gasket bracket. The seal gasket has a straight section and a rounded section, such that a portion of the round section of the seal gasket is left beyond the bottom end of the sloped side sheet. The seal gasket creates a seal between the sloped side sheet and the discharge gate such that the weight of a lading increases the seal.

A railcar comprises a hopper coupled to a discharge assembly. The discharge assembly comprises a discharge gate, a sloped side sheet, a gasket bracket, and a seal gasket. The sloped side sheet longitudinally extends above the discharge gate when the discharge gate is closed. The gasket bracket coupled to the sloped side sheet. The gasket bracket extends longitudinally along a bottom end of the sloped side sheet. The seal gasket is positioned between the sloped side sheet and the gasket bracket. The seal gasket has a straight section and a rounded section, such that a portion of the round section of the seal gasket is left beyond the bottom end of the sloped side sheet. The seal gasket creates a seal between the sloped side sheet and the discharge gate such that the weight of a lading increases the seal.

A railcar modification comprises a pair of spaced trucks; a multiple bay hopper railcar body on the pair of trucks; a hopper floor in the railcar body, wherein each bay of the hopper railcar body has hoppers formed of sloped floor sheets having a hopper floor slope; a plurality of gate adaptors, each gate adapter coupled to the floor sheets of a hopper, wherein the gate adapter includes a plurality of floor sheet panels, a plurality of transition panels and a plurality of gate panels, and wherein a difference in slope angles between the floor sheet panels, transition panels and gate panels combine to form a vertical offset; and a plurality of gates, each gate coupled to one gate adapter.

A railcar modification comprises a pair of spaced trucks; a multiple bay hopper railcar body on the pair of trucks; a hopper floor in the railcar body, wherein each bay of the hopper railcar body has hoppers formed of sloped floor sheets having a hopper floor slope; a plurality of gate adaptors, each gate adapter coupled to the floor sheets of a hopper, wherein the gate adapter includes a plurality of floor sheet panels, a plurality of transition panels and a plurality of gate panels, and wherein a difference in slope angles between the floor sheet panels, transition panels and gate panels combine to form a vertical offset; and a plurality of gates, each gate coupled to one gate adapter.

A covered hopper railcar includes a pair of spaced trucks; a three bay covered hopper railcar body on the pair of trucks; and a partition structure separating each bay from an adjacent bay, wherein each partition structure is extending vertically from sloped floor sheets to a roof structure and extending horizontally between side walls of the railcar body, wherein each partition includes a pair of horizontal ribs.

A door operating mechanism for operating longitudinal doors of a railroad hopper car. The mechanism includes operating members that are coupled to ends of the doors. These operating members are each actuated by a separate actuating device that is coupled to a top surface of a sill of the hopper car. Door supports have one end coupled to a door and an opposite end coupled for rotation to an actuating device. When a power cylinder coupled to the operating member is activated, the actuating devices are rotated. This rotation causes the door supports to shift in opposite directions and to open the longitudinal doors.

A door operating mechanism for operating longitudinal doors of a railroad hopper car. The mechanism includes operating members that are coupled to ends of the doors. These operating members are each actuated by a separate actuating device that is coupled to a top surface of a sill of the hopper car. Door supports have one end coupled to a door and an opposite end coupled for rotation to an actuating device. When a power cylinder coupled to the operating member is activated, the actuating devices are rotated. This rotation causes the door supports to shift in opposite directions and to open the longitudinal doors.

A railcar ballast delivery gate with first and second parallel side walls spaced apart by a center truss plate that extends between and is perpendicular to each of the two side walls, a center angled bar that straddles the center truss plate, first and second primary elongated tubes extending between the first and second side walls on opposing sides of the side walls, and a divider assembly. The primary elongated tubes are rotatably connected to first and second tube arms, which in turn are fixedly couple to first and second secondary elongated tubes that are configured to move relative to the primary elongated tubes while remaining parallel to them. The tube arms are rotatably connected to door linkages that are situated underneath and fixedly attached to door panels resting on trusses that extend from a center truss plate.

A railcar ballast delivery gate with first and second parallel side walls spaced apart by a center truss plate that extends between and is perpendicular to each of the two side walls, a center angled bar that straddles the center truss plate, first and second primary elongated tubes extending between the first and second side walls on opposing sides of the side walls, and a divider assembly. The primary elongated tubes are rotatably connected to first and second tube arms, which in turn are fixedly couple to first and second secondary elongated tubes that are configured to move relative to the primary elongated tubes while remaining parallel to them. The tube arms are rotatably connected to door linkages that are situated underneath and fixedly attached to door panels resting on trusses that extend from a center truss plate.

Apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed for transporting and dumping material. A hopper for receiving materials may include a bottom surface with a front portion, a central portion, and a rear portion. The central portion may be lower than the front portion and the rear portion. A bottom gate may be disposed in the central portion for discharging the materials from the hopper. Conveyors may be provided for moving material from the front portion and the rear portion towards the bottom gate. The conveyors may include a front conveyor coupled to the front portion and a rear conveyor coupled to the rear portion.