A bottom door of a carriage includes a telescoping cylinder and at least two sets of door bodies, each set of the door body is provided with one set of driving mechanisms, each of the driving mechanisms includes a rotating shaft and a driving rod, and the rotating shaft is connected with the respective door body by the driving rod, to allow the door body to be driven to rotate when the rotating shaft rotates; each of the rotating shaft is driven to rotate by the telescoping cylinder, and at least two of the rotating shafts are configured to be driven to rotate successively by the telescoping cylinder.

A railcar hatch control system and method for operating railcar hatches of a multi-railcar train is disclosed. A multi-railcar train may have a locomotive and a plurality of railcars having railcar hatches that can be opened and closed. The system and method may include displaying railcar identification information for the railcars on an operator display device, and receiving selections of railcars from an operator that will have a railcar hatch operation performed thereon, such as opening or closing the hatches. The railcar hatch operation is input, and the system and method control the railcar hatch operation being performed only on the selected railcars, and not on the railcars that have not been selected by the operator. The system and method may have operator interfaces devices at an operator station of the train, or at a remote location or on a remote device that communicates wirelessly with the train.

A railcar hatch control system and method for operating railcar hatches of a multi-railcar train is disclosed. A multi-railcar train may have a locomotive and a plurality of railcars having railcar hatches that can be opened and closed. The system and method may include displaying railcar identification information for the railcars on an operator display device, and receiving selections of railcars from an operator that will have a railcar hatch operation performed thereon, such as opening or closing the hatches. The railcar hatch operation is input, and the system and method control the railcar hatch operation being performed only on the selected railcars, and not on the railcars that have not been selected by the operator. The system and method may have operator interfaces devices at an operator station of the train, or at a remote location or on a remote device that communicates wirelessly with the train.

A railcar system that includes a railcar having a first longitudinal gate and a second longitudinal gate. The system further includes a first beam and a second beam configured to move longitudinally with respect to the railcar. The system further includes a driving system configured to transition the first beam from a first position to a second position. The first longitudinal gate and the second longitudinal gate are both closed when the first beam is in the first position. The first longitudinal gate is at least partially open and the second longitudinal gate are closed when the first beam is in the second position. The driving system is also configured to transition the first beam from the second position to a third. The first longitudinal gate and the second longitudinal gate are both at least partially open when the first beam is in the third position.

According to some embodiments, a railcar comprises an underframe and at least two hoppers coupled to the underframe. Each hopper is configured to transport a lading and comprises a transverse slope sheet and a discharge gate. The transverse slope sheet is coupled to a first side of the hopper and extends at an angle downward towards the center of the hopper forming a transverse discharge opening. The discharge gate is coupled to a second side of the hopper. The discharge gate is operable to move between a closed position where the discharge gate extends downward towards the transverse slope sheet restricting discharge of lading arid an open position where the discharge gate facilitates lading discharge. The orientation of the discharge gate is non-horizontal.

According to some embodiments, a railcar comprises an underframe and at least two hoppers coupled to the underframe. Each hopper is configured to transport a lading and comprises a transverse slope sheet and a discharge gate. The transverse slope sheet is coupled to a first side of the hopper and extends at an angle downward towards the center of the hopper forming a transverse discharge opening. The discharge gate is coupled to a second side of the hopper. The discharge gate is operable to move between a closed position where the discharge gate extends downward towards the transverse slope sheet restricting discharge of lading arid an open position where the discharge gate facilitates lading discharge. The orientation of the discharge gate is non-horizontal.

According to some embodiments, a railcar comprises an underframe, a pair of sidewall assemblies, a pair of end wall assemblies, and one hopper bay formed between the pair of sidewall assemblies and the pair of end wall assemblies. The one hopper bay includes a longitudinal discharge opening extending the length of the hopper bay. The one hopper bay may extend the length of the railcar. The railcar may further comprise one or more longitudinal discharge gates coupled to the hopper bay and configured to cover the longitudinal discharge opening. The one or more longitudinal discharge gates are movable away from the longitudinal discharge opening, thereby allowing lading within the hopper to discharge through the longitudinal opening.

A railroad hopper car body includes a set of hopper and hopper discharges. Egress of lading from the discharges is governed by movable doors that swing between a closed position and an open position. The motion is driven by a mechanical transmission that is itself driven by an actuator. Each pair of doors is driven by a single actuator. The actuator is mounted to act through the center sill. A portion, or substantially all, of the actuator may be mounted in a predominantly squat, vertical orientation within the center sill. In alternate embodiments, the transmission output may be bifurcated. The center sill bottom flange may be narrower adjacent to the doors. The mechanism may have a secondary lock. The mechanism may have an auxiliary manual release.

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.