Type "D" Mechanism
The Type "D" door operating mechanism, which can be applied to new or existing cars, allows a single person to operate two doors from either side of a hopper car to reliably discharge coal or other bulk material. The mechanism features a primary over-center lock and a secondary cam lock to assure that the doors are securely locked and closed tight. The doors can also be locked in the open position to allow plowing.

Type "G"
The Type "G" door operating mechanism, which is designed for retrofitting to existing cars with locks on each door and an under center sill brake rod, allows a single person to operate two doors from either side of a car. The mechanism features a primary over-center lock and a secondary cam lock to assure that the doors are securely locked and closed tight. The mechanism can be furnished with single or double linkages to allow use in handling coal or other heavier commodities.

AutoMEC®
The fully automated AutoMEC® bottom discharge system is designed to unload coal or other bulk material at speeds ranging from one-half to three miles per hour, over trestles or into pits. A car loaded with 100 tons can be unloaded in less than 20 seconds. Some of the mechanism features are its positive over-center primary lock that has fixed stops and a secondary lock located at the air cylinder. A visual check of the locks can easily be made from the side of a car to determine if they are properly engaged. The system can also be manually or semi-automatically operated when stationary or in motion. This mechanism has been applied to cars with eight to twenty doors and with two to five hoppers. While most of the cars are new, this mechanism can also be applied to existing open top hopper cars.