Hopper car

Covered hopper cars carrying frac sand on the BNSF Railway through La Crosse, Wisconsin
Hopper cars may carry hazardous materials, such as this one in the Midwestern United States. Its payload of ammonium nitrate is indicated by the UN number on the diamond-shaped U.S. DOT placard.[1]

A hopper car (US) or hopper wagon (UIC) is a type of railroad freight car that has opening doors on the underside or on the sides to discharge its cargo. They are used to transport loose solid bulk commodities such as coal, ore, grain, and track ballast.[2][3][4] The hopper car was developed in parallel with the development of automated handling of such commodities, with automated loading and unloading facilities.

Hopper cars are distinguished from gondola cars, which do not have opening doors on their underside or sides. Gondola cars are simpler and more compact because sloping ends are not required, but a rotary car dumper is required to unload them. Some "dual-purpose" hoppers have a rotary coupler on one or both ends, so they can be used in both rotary and bottom-dump operations.

  1. ^ Beaucham, Catherine C. (August 2023). "Evaluation of Potential Exposures to Railway Hazardous Material Inspectors" (PDF). U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Health Hazard Evaluation Report). Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Covered Hopper Railcars". GATX Corporation. Archived from the original on 16 September 2010. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
  3. ^ "Small Cube Open-Top Hoppers and Gondolas". GATX Corporation. Archived from the original on 16 September 2010. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
  4. ^ "Covered Hopper Cars". Chicago Freight Car Leasing Company. Archived from the original on 16 April 2012. Retrieved 11 September 2012.