A mechanism for operating one or more hinged doors on a hopper car including an elongated operating shaft having a fixed axis of rotation and a linkage system for operably connecting the operating shaft to the hinged doors on the railroad hopper car. The linkage system includes an actuating link operably connected to and rotatable with the operating shaft and a connecting link for operably connecting the actuating link to each door. The linkage system links includes a primary lock for holding each door in the closed position. A selectively operated secondary lock is rotatable about a fixed axis disposed above the fixed axis of the operating shaft assembly. The secondary lock rotates between a first condition, wherein a stop engages with at least one link of the linkage assembly, and a second condition, wherein each door is permitted to move to the open position. A release mechanism is provided for releasing the primary lock by moving at least one of the links of the linkage system relative to the other thereby allowing the door to be forcibly moved toward their open position under the influence of the columnar load being placed thereon by the lading in the hopper.

A mechanism for operating one or more hinged doors on a hopper car including an elongated operating shaft having a fixed axis of rotation and a linkage system for operably connecting the operating shaft to the hinged doors on the railroad hopper car. The linkage system includes an actuating link operably connected to and rotatable with the operating shaft and a connecting link for operably connecting the actuating link to each door. The linkage system links includes a primary lock for holding each door in the closed position. A selectively operated secondary lock is rotatable about a fixed axis disposed above the fixed axis of the operating shaft assembly. The secondary lock rotates between a first condition, wherein a stop engages with at least one link of the linkage assembly, and a second condition, wherein each door is permitted to move to the open position. A release mechanism is provided for releasing the primary lock by moving at least one of the links of the linkage system relative to the other thereby allowing the door to be forcibly moved toward their open position under the influence of the columnar load being placed thereon by the lading in the hopper.

A system, method and assembly for detecting the operational status of one or more discharge gates on one or more railcars. The system and method monitor parameters that include whether the discharge gate is open or closed, whether the railcar is in motion or not, and whether the railcar is in a location where it is acceptable for the discharge gate to be open. Sensors carry out the monitoring, and the information obtained by monitoring the parameters are used to determine if a notification event has taken place and if so, a notification of such event can be transmitted to a remote receiver. A change in the status of any one of the monitored parameters can trigger the determination of whether a notification event has occurred.

A system, method and assembly for detecting the operational status of one or more discharge gates on one or more railcars. The system and method monitor parameters that include whether the discharge gate is open or closed, whether the railcar is in motion or not, and whether the railcar is in a location where it is acceptable for the discharge gate to be open. Sensors carry out the monitoring, and the information obtained by monitoring the parameters are used to determine if a notification event has taken place and if so, a notification of such event can be transmitted to a remote receiver. A change in the status of any one of the monitored parameters can trigger the determination of whether a notification event has occurred.

A railroad hopper car having a single cargo-receiving hopper extending over substantially the length of a car body having a cargo discharge portion occupying most of the available distance between the wheeled trucks supporting opposite ends of the car body. The car has no pair of slope sheets separating longitudinally-adjacent hoppers and defining unusable space beneath the slope sheets, and so the overall length of such a hopper car capable of carrying a desired volume of cargo can be less than that of one with multiple separate hoppers. Cargo discharge openings are arrayed along the length of the cargo discharge portion, and a unitary multi-gate assembly is supported within the cargo discharge portion of the car body so as to be movable longitudinally of the car body to open or close all of the cargo discharge openings simultaneously.

A railroad hopper car having a single cargo-receiving hopper extending over substantially the length of a car body having a cargo discharge portion occupying most of the available distance between the wheeled trucks supporting opposite ends of the car body. The car has no pair of slope sheets separating longitudinally-adjacent hoppers and defining unusable space beneath the slope sheets, and so the overall length of such a hopper car capable of carrying a desired volume of cargo can be less than that of one with multiple separate hoppers. Cargo discharge openings are arrayed along the length of the cargo discharge portion, and a unitary multi-gate assembly is supported within the cargo discharge portion of the car body so as to be movable longitudinally of the car body to open or close all of the cargo discharge openings simultaneously.

An outlet gate/gate assembly having a trough section having opposing slanted sheets, and an end sheet at ends thereof, the trough section defining a trough, and each end sheet providing a discharge opening fluidly connected with the trough; and an end tube/end adapter assembly fluidly connected with each end sheet, the end tube/end adapter assembly comprising an end adapter, an outlet cap, and an end tube seal/end adapter gasket, the end tube seal/end adapter gasket positioned between the end sheet and the end adapter or within the end adapter, wherein the end tube seal/end adapter gasket comprises a base plate and a primary/main flap, the base plate defining a discharge opening, and the primary/main flap biased to, when closed, completely cover the discharge opening.

An outlet gate/gate assembly having a trough section having opposing slanted sheets, and an end sheet at ends thereof, the trough section defining a trough, and each end sheet providing a discharge opening fluidly connected with the trough; and an end tube/end adapter assembly fluidly connected with each end sheet, the end tube/end adapter assembly comprising an end adapter, an outlet cap, and an end tube seal/end adapter gasket, the end tube seal/end adapter gasket positioned between the end sheet and the end adapter or within the end adapter, wherein the end tube seal/end adapter gasket comprises a base plate and a primary/main flap, the base plate defining a discharge opening, and the primary/main flap biased to, when closed, completely cover the discharge opening.

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.