MeowRailroad
CKRail
I have noticed some coal/hopper cars have a colored panel on one end, that has the text "Rotary Coupler End" on it. Could someone please explain what this is?
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It is a technical choice. Both will work.I fail to see how this is any faster than bottom-dump hoppers though.
Check this out. Pretty cool.
I fail to see how this is any faster than bottom-dump hoppers though.
An interesting question might be why not put rotating couplers at both ends? They are almost certainly spring loaded in a way so they are always "right side up" when not being rotated. $$$ perhaps? Re-railing a car or repairing one can't be cheap and it stops the entire unloading process when it occurs.
Ben
So if the rotatable coupler is not spring loaded how do they keep it from turning when uncoupled? If its upside down it isn't going to couple. Granted these are usually used on unit trains so are rarely by themselves but couplers aren't light. Take a certain amount of oomph to rotate one by hand for coupling I'd think, lol. Probably so much of a rare occurrence its not worth worrying about.
Ben
I see the convenience aspect of rotary dumps, but it appears to come at the cost of speed/time.