Hoppers

by Ivan W. Baugh

You will find two types of hopper cars: open and covered. Some are identified by the number of bays located beneath the hopper for unloading--the number of bays ranging from 2 bay to 5 bay. Some are identified by the outside ribs you see on the side of the car. Others are identified as cylindrical--a reference to their shape. Another way of identifying the hoppers is by their capacity in tons. They may also be identified by the length.