Systems and methods for actuating automatic sliding doors on railroad hopper cars are disclosed. The system includes a cylinder having a first cap end mounted on a hopper car, and a second rod end having a clevis. The cylinder has a piston rod which extends, causing an actuating reinforcer coupled to the clevis to rotate around a coupled main shaft. The rotational motion of the actuating reinforcer causes an operating lever, also coupled to the main shaft, to rotate. A connecting link translates the rotational motion of the operating lever to a door pan fulcrum mounted to a sliding door, causing the door pan fulcrum to pull the sliding door open. The system also enables automatic locking in an analogous way, with the door pan fulcrum pushed to close the sliding door, when the cylinder piston rod returns to its original position.

A centering apparatus for bi-directionally pivotable hopper doors. The apparatus is coupled between a frame of a hopper car and a bell crank of a hopper door. The apparatus includes a housing with a piston extending from one end. An end of the piston within the housing includes a piston head. A pair of coil springs are disposed within the housing on opposite sides of the piston head and counteract one another to bias the piston head toward the center of the housing and thus bias the hopper door toward a closed state. In a second configuration the apparatus includes a double-acting actuator with a pair of independent piston assemblies. An actuation system coupled to the actuator maintains the actuator and an associated hopper door in a closed position in a normal state and returns the hopper door to the closed position upon a failure in the system.

A centering apparatus for bi-directionally pivotable hopper doors. The apparatus is coupled between a frame of a hopper car and a bell crank of a hopper door. The apparatus includes a housing with a piston extending from one end. An end of the piston within the housing includes a piston head. A pair of coil springs are disposed within the housing on opposite sides of the piston head and counteract one another to bias the piston head toward the center of the housing and thus bias the hopper door toward a closed state. In a second configuration the apparatus includes a double-acting actuator with a pair of independent piston assemblies. An actuation system coupled to the actuator maintains the actuator and an associated hopper door in a closed position in a normal state and returns the hopper door to the closed position upon a failure in the system.

A hatch cover assembly for a hopper railroad car includes a door configured to move from an open position to a closed position, a running track configured to support the door in the open position, a roller assembly attached to the door and configured to move along the running track, a locking clip configured to engage a leading edge of the door, and an actuator configured to move the door between the open position and the closed position.

Disclosed is a railway hopper car comprising a car body (6), a top cover (1, 2), a bogie (24), a braking device (21), a coupler buffer device (22), and a bottom door (25, 28) and a bottom door opening and closing mechanism (23) mounted at a discharge port at the bottom of a chassis. The railway hopper car further comprises a longitudinal saddle (31) disposed in the center of the car body (6) in the length direction thereof and arranged along the longitudinal direction of the car body (6). By providing the longitudinal saddle (31), the sequential requirement to close the left bottom door (25) and the right bottom door (28) is eliminated, thereby simplifying the structure of the linkage bottom door opening and closing mechanism and reducing manufacture and maintenance costs thereof.

Disclosed is a railway hopper car comprising a car body (6), a top cover (1, 2), a bogie (24), a braking device (21), a coupler buffer device (22), and a bottom door (25, 28) and a bottom door opening and closing mechanism (23) mounted at a discharge port at the bottom of a chassis. The railway hopper car further comprises a longitudinal saddle (31) disposed in the center of the car body (6) in the length direction thereof and arranged along the longitudinal direction of the car body (6). By providing the longitudinal saddle (31), the sequential requirement to close the left bottom door (25) and the right bottom door (28) is eliminated, thereby simplifying the structure of the linkage bottom door opening and closing mechanism and reducing manufacture and maintenance costs thereof.

A method of modification of a railcar which includes providing an existing railcar with a cold formed center sill; removing an upper portion of the railcar; Cutting and splicing the center sill; Forming an upper railcar body having top chord sections and a pair of end walls and side walls coupled to the top chord structure, wherein each sidewall includes a side sheet, a plurality of side stakes and side sill; Forming an underframe construction including the spliced center sill, bolsters configured to be above truck assemblies and coupled to the center sill and a plurality of lateral I-Beam cross bearers that extend from the center sill toward and stopping short of the inside of the side sheet, and wherein the cross bearers include vertical connection plates configures for coupling to side stakes which are positioned between the bolsters; and Coupling the upper body to the underframe.

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.

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.

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.