A railroad hopper car has a hopper carried between two trucks. The hopper has convergent end and side slope sheets that feed a flat bottom discharge. It has a rectangular frame at least half as wide as the car, and at least half as great as the truck center distance. The car capacity is over 5000 cu. ft. The bottom discharge is lower than the center sill. There are ring frames having a bottom reinforcement that passes clear under the center sill. The car has flat bottom discharge gates having multiple arrays of louvers. The side sheets extend downwardly beyond the side sills, so that the side slope sheets terminate at a transition below the side sills. The louvers have curved edges. The louvers move together. The gate may include two opposed sliding doors separated by a beam that runs under the center sill.

A railroad hopper car has a hopper carried between two trucks, and has convergent end and side slope sheets that feed a bottom discharge. The bottom discharge has a rectangular frame. The bottom discharge is lower than the center sill. The car has a flat bottom discharge having multiple arrays of louvers. All of the lading discharges through the flat bottom. The side sheets extend downwardly beyond the side sills, so that the side slope sheets terminate below the side sills. The car has laterally extending shear force transfer members that provide a shear connection between the side walls of the car. The shear force transfer members have openings to permit lading from the main containment volume of the car to pass therethough to the lading discharges. The louvers are joined to move together. Alternatively, the gate may include two opposed sliding doors separated by a beam that runs under the center sill.

An automated hatch system tor a hopper railcar having a central longitudinal trough with coaming, having a unitary hatch cover; a plurality of guide rail, assemblies connecting one, side of the top of the railcar perpendicular to and adjacent a corresponding longitudinal edge of the coaming to the hatch, cover, wherein one guide rail assembly is positioned at each end of the trough and one or, more guide rail assemblies, are evenly spaced between the outermost guide rail assemblies; a cable network connecting the guide rail assemblies to the hatch and external coaming of the trough; and means for activating the cable network, to open and close, the hatch and to align the opposing ends of the hatch cover during opening and closing.

An automated hatch system tor a hopper railcar having a central longitudinal trough with coaming, having a unitary hatch cover; a plurality of guide rail, assemblies connecting one, side of the top of the railcar perpendicular to and adjacent a corresponding longitudinal edge of the coaming to the hatch, cover, wherein one guide rail assembly is positioned at each end of the trough and one or, more guide rail assemblies, are evenly spaced between the outermost guide rail assemblies; a cable network connecting the guide rail assemblies to the hatch and external coaming of the trough; and means for activating the cable network, to open and close, the hatch and to align the opposing ends of the hatch cover during opening and closing.

An direct drive automated hatch system for a hopper rail car with a central longitudinal trough with coaming and a unitary hatch cover; a plurality of guide rail assemblies connecting one side of the top of the railcar perpendicular to and adjacent a corresponding longitudinal edge of the coaming to the hatch cover, wherein one guide rail assembly is positioned at each end of the trough and one or more guide rail assemblies are evenly spaced between the outermost guide rail assemblies; a cable network connecting the guide rail assemblies to the batch and external coaming of the trough; and means for activating the cable network to open and close the hatch and to align the opposing ends of the hatch cover during opening and closing. A hatch cover open/closed indicator visible from the side of the railcar is provided.

A railroad hopper car has a hopper carried between two trucks, and has convergent end and side slope sheets that feed a bottom discharge. The bottom discharge has a rectangular frame. The bottom discharge is lower than the center sill. The car has a flat bottom discharge having multiple arrays of louvers. All of the lading discharges through the flat bottom. The side sheets extend downwardly beyond the side sills, so that the side slope sheets terminate below the side sills. The car has laterally extending shear force transfer members that provide a shear connection between the side walls of the car. The shear force transfer members have openings to permit lading from the main containment volume of the car to pass therethough to the lading discharges. The louvers are joined to move together. Alternatively, the gate may include two opposed sliding doors separated by a beam that runs under the center sill.

A railroad hopper car has a hopper carried between two trucks. The hopper has convergent end and side slope sheets that feed a flat bottom discharge. It has a rectangular frame at least half as wide as the car, and at least half as great as the truck center distance. The car capacity is over 5000 cu. ft. The bottom discharge is lower than the center sill. There are ring frames having a bottom reinforcement that passes clear under the center sill. The car has flat bottom discharge gates having multiple arrays of louvers. The side sheets extend downwardly beyond the side sills, so that the side slope sheets terminate at a transition below the side sills. The louvers have curved edges. The louvers move together. The gate may include two opposed sliding doors separated by a beam that runs under the center sill.

A rail car key adaptor tool made of a shank piece with width less than 1 inches is connected to another durable material piece in which one material piece is longer than the other at 90 degree on the long side. Top plate with two arms is connected to the shank piece at the edge at 90 degree. A durable triangle piece connecting the two arms next to the shank piece; and a round handle connected at both of arms of the top plate.

A rail car key adaptor tool made of a shank piece with width less than 1 inches is connected to another durable material piece in which one material piece is longer than the other at 90 degree on the long side. Top plate with two arms is connected to the shank piece at the edge at 90 degree. A durable triangle piece connecting the two arms next to the shank piece; and a round handle connected at both of arms of the top plate.

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.