Abstract: A trackside device for closing hopper doors (14) has an eccentrically rotatable wheel (18). The wheel (18) rotates upon contacting a hopper door (14) to move it inward to a closed position. In a preferred embodiment, two devices are positioned on opposite sides of a railroad track to simultaneously close doors (14) on both sides of the hopper car.

Abstract: A railway car having an optimum length of 500 feet comprising two end walls, two side walls and a floor forming one continuous trough. The trough being supported at each end wall by wheel-containing truck means and at an intermittent section by a plurality of wheel containing truck means. The side walls consist of a plurality of side panels. The side panels are provided with overlapping means to permit relative motion between adjacent panels for maneuvering curves and hills. The floor includes a plurality of laterally and longitudinally extending slope sheets. The laterally extending slope sheets are provided with overlapping means to allow relative motion therebetween. A flexible center sill extends continuously the entire length of the railway car.