Open-Top Hopper

Open-top hoppers look just like covered hopper cars, with fixed sides and ends, but they don’t have a roof on top. The inside of an open-top hopper has compartments that can be loaded and unloaded individually. Open-top hoppers have anywhere from two to four compartments.Small open-top hoppers have two to three compartments and large open-top hoppers have three or four. Heavier products ship in small open-top hoppers. The bottom of an open-top hopper has chutes (also known as “gates” or “outlet gates”) that can be opened to unload the product. Each compartment has its own chute, and these chutes are angled so product can flow through quickly and easily.