Hopper cars are rail cars designed to transport loose bulk products such as grain, coal, and sugar. They have sloped floors and hinged openings for unloading, using gravity. Covered and uncovered cars are available, and personnel at loading yards are familiar with their operation.
A hopper car, sometimes known historically as a jimmie, is a style of car used when transporting freight by rail. These cars are designed to transport bulk products left in a loose state, such as grain, coal, and sugar, among many other things. A number of companies make hopper cars and undertake repairs and refurbishments of older cars, and numerous freight railroads continue to use them for transportation.
The design of a dump truck allows the use of gravity for unloading. The car has a sloped floor and hinged openings near the bottom or at the bottom. When the discharge doors open, the contents of the hopper come out. Tools known as vibrators can be used to shake the hopper car to encourage the contents to empty completely, leaving no pockets or deposits. Many dump trucks have up to four separate loading compartments, each with their own dump doors, allowing for very fast unloading as all four doors can be opened at the same time.
The design is similar to that of the gondola, another type of rail car designed for loose cargo. However, gondolas do not necessarily have sloped floors and cannot be unloaded through the hopper doors; instead, the car must be tilted to deliver the load, or it must be unloaded manually. The key distinction between hopper car and gondola car is that hopper cars unload with the help of gravity.
It is possible to find covered and uncovered cars. Some loads do not require much protection, in which case they are loaded into an open or uncovered bin. Other cargoes, such as sugar, need to be protected from the elements so that the cargo is not compromised, in which case a covered hopper will be used to seal the cargo inside from getting wet.
Personnel at loading yards are generally familiar with the operation of hopper cars and can safely load and unload them. If there are special precautions with a specific load, they can be noted on the packing manifest or in the car so people are familiar with any issues that need to be addressed when handling the load. People who are inexperienced with dump trucks should be sure to keep clear during loading and unloading operations to reduce the risk of injury.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
