Abstract: 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, and 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.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: 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.