Hopper car

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A hopper car (NAm) or hopper wagon (UIC) is a type of railroad freight car that has opening doors or gates 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. Plastic pellets and some finely ground material, similar to flour, are transported in hopper cars that have pneumatic unloading. The bottom gates on the pneumatic hoppers connect to a hose attached to industrial facilities' storage tanks. Air is injected to fluidize the railcar contents for unloading. The hopper car was developed in parallel with the development of automated handling of such commodities, including 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...

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