Railcar with discharge control system

1. A railway car having an underframe and at least one hopper for transporting lading, the railway car comprising:

the underframe including a center sill which defines in part a longitudinal axis of the railway car;

at least one discharge opening formed proximate to a lower portion of the hopper;

a respective door assembly pivotally mounted on the center sill adjacent to the at least one discharge opening to control the flow of lading from the hopper;

the door assembly operable for movement between a first, closed position and a second, open position relative to the discharge opening;

a discharge control system operable to move the door assembly between the first position and the second position; and

at least one portion of the discharge control system slidably engaged with the center sill and operable to move generally longitudinally relative to the longitudinal axis of the railway car to move each door assembly between the first, closed position and the second, open position.

2. The railway of claim 1 further comprising an open hopper car.

3. The railway car of claim 1 further comprising a closed hopper car.

4. The railway car of claim 1 wherein the discharge control system further comprises an air cylinder and an operating piston disposed below the center sill and attached to the center sill.

5. The railway car of claim 1 further comprising the discharge control system located below the center sill and attached to the center sill.

6. The railway car of claim 1 further comprising:

a plank forming one portion of the discharge control systems

the plank slidably en a ed with the center sill and operable to move generally longitudinally relative to the center sill of the railway car; and

the plank operably coupled to the door assemblies via a mechanical linkage.

7. The railway car of claim 6 , wherein the mechanical linkage comprises a pair of arms extending laterally relative to the center sill.

8. The railway car of claim 6 , wherein the mechanical linkage comprises a three-degree range of motion mechanical linkage.

9. The railway car of claim 6 further comprising;

a turnbuckle forming one portion of the mechanical linkage; and

the turnbuckles operable to adjust the length of the mechanical linkage extending between the plank and each door assembly.

10. A hopper car having a pair of sidewalls and a pair of end walls mounted on a railway car underframe with at least one hopper formed between the sidewall assemblies and the end wall assemblies, the hopper car comprising:

the railway car underframe having a generally rectangular configuration defined in part by a center sill and a pair of side sills spaced laterally from each other with the center sill disposed there between and extending in a longitudinal direction;

at least one discharge opening formed proximate the center sill with each discharge opening extending in a longitudinal direction;

a respective door assembly mounted on the center sill adjacent to each discharge opening to control the flow of lading from the hopper;

each door assembly operable for movement between a first, closed position and a second, open position relative to the discharge opening;

a discharge control system attached to the center sill and operable to move a common linkage along a generally longitudinal axis of the hopper car;

the common linkage slidably disposed adjacent to the center sill; and

the common linkage operably coupled to each door assembly to cause movement between the first position and the second position.

11. The hopper car of claim 10 wherein the discharge control system further comprises:

an air cylinder and an operating piston operably coupled with the common linkage; and

means for adjusting movement of the piston within the air cylinder to control opening of each door assembly and an associated rate of discharging lading through the respective discharge opening.

12. The hopper car of claim 10 further comprising an adjustable portion provided in the common linkage to control opening of each door assembly and an associated rate of discharging lading through the respective discharge opening.

13. The hopper car of claim 10 further comprising an adjustable portion provided in a secondary linkage extending from the common linkage to control opening of the respective door assembly and an associated rate of discharging lading through the respective discharge opening.

14. The hopper car of claim 13 wherein the secondary linkage comprises a turnbuckle.

15. The hopper car of claim 10 wherein the discharge control system further comprises an air cylinder and an operating piston operably coupled with the air cylinder to control opening and closing of each door assembly.

16. A hopper car having a pair of sidewalls and a pair of end walls mounted on a railway car underframe with at least one hopper formed between the sidewall assemblies and the end wall assemblies, the hopper car comprising:

the railway car underframe having a generally rectangular configuration defined in part by a center sill and a pair of side sills spaced laterally from each other with the center sill disposed between the side sills and extending in a longitudinal direction;

at least one discharge opening formed proximate the center sill with each discharge opening extending in the longitudinal direction;

a respective door assembly mounted on the center sill adjacent to each discharge opening to control the flow of lading from the hopper;

each door assembly operable for movement between a first, closed position and a second, open position relative to the discharge opening;

a discharge control system attached to the center sill and operably coupled to each door assembly to cause movement between the first position and the second position;

a motor forming a part of the discharge control assembly;

the motor engaged with the center sill and operable to open each door assembly;

a threaded bar coupled to the motor and operably driven in a rotational direction by the motor;

a boss forming a part of the discharge control system; and

the boss operable to interact with the threaded bar such that the boss is moved generally longitudinally along an axis of the hopper car such that the door assembly moves between the open and closed positions in response to rotation of the threaded bar.

17. The hopper car of claim 16 further comprising a gearbox mounted on the motor, the gearbox operably coupled between the motor and the threaded bar.

18. The hopper car of claim 16 wherein the threaded bar further comprises threads operable to interact with receiving threads on the boss.

19. The hopper car of claim 18 further comprising reverse threads on a portion of the threaded bar.