Abstract: A material handler is disclosed that is adapted to travel along the top of an open top railroad car, like a gondola car, to load or unload the railroad car. The material handler may include an excavator connected to an assembly frame, the assembly frame being adapted to ride on the top of the side walls of the open top railroad car. The assembly frame may include a front wheel mount and a rear wheel mount that moves the material handler along the top of the open top railroad car. The material handler may include hydraulic links that connect the wheel mounts to the frame assembly. The hydraulic links may provide the vertical movement of the wheel mounts with respect to the frame assembly. The vertical movement of the wheel mounts may allow the material handler to travel between adjacent open top railroad cars having differing wall heights.