Greenbrier introduces advanced covered hopper railcar for grain transport

The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. have announced the addition of a newly designed, covered hopper railcar to its broad line of railcar product offerings.

Made specifically for grain, this covered hopper railcar includes a state-of-the-art door and hatch system – known as the Tsunami Gate – that allows shippers to customise the discharge speed of grain. The railcar has a capacity of 5,185 cubic feet and a 50′ 6″ length that is shorter than traditional models, allowing more railcars per fixed amount of track. Other design features include:

• Longer hatches for improved filling efficiency
• Rounded stiffeners for stronger sides
• Tsunami Gate for customised unloading speed – as quickly as 30 seconds
• Automated unloading for improved worker safety
• ‘Align to close’ tabs for clear indication that the Tsunami Gate is closed, locked and sealed for transport
• Aerodynamic performance for up to 53 per cent reduction in drag.

Peter Jones, Vice President of Engineering at Greenbrier, said: “A shorter, higher-capacity covered hopper railcar with the Tsunami Gate is a long-awaited and highly valued product for grain shipping customers. The new design increases worker safety by automating the unloading process, and it optimises space on the tracks. By shortening the length of traditional grain railcars by more than five feet, while maintaining the same cubic volume, the result is less fuel consumption, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and lower overall operating costs for our customers.”

Greenbrier will unveil the new covered hopper railcar featuring Tsunami Gate at Railway Interchange 2019, on 22-25 September 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.