OT: How to Unload a Hopper Rail Car

Once he empties the hopper, how to they get the back hoe out? That is a bigger question.

I'm sure his boss will tell him, "You got it in there Mr., you get it out".

Lee

My guess is in the opoeite way he got it in. If you look closely the bucket has extensions on it that are riding the top of the car and almost look like they could sort of 'grip' it. He peobably rode up then extended the back brace arms and unloaded with the backhoe part then backed off.

What you cannot see is the inside of the car. That particular hopper has bulkhead compartments, or upside down triangles. He could never scoop out each compartment. Without those bulkheads the material be it talc, coal, grain, orr agregat would bow out the sides. The triangulaer hoppers come up within 30 inches of the top. Thats why I asked, because the hoe would be a tetter totter if it fell in.

I looked at the pictures again... he may be loading instead of unloading. Either way, I hope they took the backhoe away from him and gave him a shovel to work with after seeing these pictures.

I learned a whole new respect for hydraulic rams after working for two years at a mining company where we at the time had a few trackhoes including the biggest one John Deere made. If I needed to get up on something or out of a hole and the tracks weren't enough to get me up or out of there I'd use the bucket and push or pull myself out. There were days when I couldn't believe I was getting paid to do some of the things I got to do, the hoes had heat, air, sound proofed cabs and AM/FM/CD... only downside was you couldn't be in a hurry if you ever had to move it very far.

Lee

You never know, maybe his boss TOLD him to work it that way... I've had some superiors tell people to do some pretty stupid and dangerous stuff and expect it to be done, no questions asked and no complaints given!