Question about hopper car design

It allows for more coal to be piled up at the car ends.

Rusty

@Mike CT posted:

Those curved piece may have been needed to do rotary dumping.

Nope.  "Peaked ends" were in use before rotary coal dumping was developed.

Rusty

@Rusty Traque posted:

It allows for more coal to be piled up at the car ends.

Rusty

I was also thinking that but then, why would in not extend across the car width??     

Dave

@darlander posted:

I was also thinking that but then, why would in not extend across the car width??     

Dave

Access to the end grab irons.

Rusty

@Rusty Traque posted:

Access to the end grab irons.

Rusty

Out of curiosity, I did an image search on the internet and found very few examples of hoppers with off set extended ends.   Montour Coal and C/O were the few exceptions and showed off set ends.   Since most offsets do not extend to the ladder side, you maybe on to something.   I still do not see or understand the need for "access to the end grab irons".     In any event I am ready to cut off the "off set" and proceed with my project.    

Cheers, Curious Dave

On eastern coal hauling railroads, there were often many grades to be crossed when moving coal from the mine branches to seaport terminals.

When coal is loaded to a car's capacity, it is usually piled somewhat higher than the car sides and heaped along the centerline.  As the car is being transported in a train, it rocks, bounces, gets shoved, bucking hard back forth with slack action, and vibrates running on rough faced rail. Some of this action settles and compacts a coal load, but looser coal on top sloughs off over the car sides and ends. This can especially happen at the car ends, with slack action bucking and the higher train speeds becoming more common in the 1930's and 40's.  By adding peaks that were a bit taller than the full coal load would be, there was less loss of lading over the car ends from rough handling or riding. On some peaked ends, the ladder side was cutaway for brakeman access over the top of a loaded car.

Notice especially, which railroads most favored these hopper car end extensions. They were prime eastern transporters of export coal that had fairly long runs with many grades over the Appalachians to reach the seaports in long, heavy and fairly fast running trains.

S. Islander

@S. Islander posted:

Notice especially, which railroads most favored these hopper car end extensions. They were prime eastern transporters of export coal that had fairly long runs with many grades over the Appalachians to reach the seaports in long, heavy and fairly fast running trains.

S. Islander

Thank you for the solving my curiosity.   It makes sense!   I will sleep better tonight!!

Cheers, Dave

What you see here is the beginning of a new life in norther Minnesota for these eastern/mountain coal hoppers.   I have amputated the offset and I'm ready to prepare them for assignment to the Duluth Missabe & Iron Range RR.  

Cheers, Dave

PS:  Anybody need some "off set"?   Free shipping!

@darlander posted:

What you see here is the beginning of a new life in norther Minnesota for these eastern/mountain coal hoppers.   I have amputated the offset and I'm ready to prepare them for assignment to the Duluth Missabe & Iron Range RR.  

Cheers, Dave

PS:  Anybody need some "off set"?   Free shipping!

For what it's worth, the term "off-set" refers to the SIDES of the hopper car, not the ends. Those are "peaked ends" that you have removed.

@Hot Water posted:

Thanks for the clarification!   Everyday is a learning experience!!   Love this Forum!!!

Cheers, Dave