A hopper car (US) or hopper wagon (UIC) is a type of railroad freight car used to transport loose bulk commodities such as coal, ore, grain, and track ballast. Two main types of hopper car exist: covered hopper cars, which are equipped with a roof, and open hopper cars, which do not have a roof.
Covered hopper frac sand cars on the BNSF Railway through La Crosse
Swedish iron ore hopper (mineral wagon), built in 1900
BOBRN class hopper cars freight rakes used by Indian Railways
Unloading mechanism of a German hopper car
Open wagons form a large group of railway goods wagons designed primarily for the transportation of bulk goods that are not moisture-retentive and can usually be tipped, dumped or shovelled. The International Union of Railways (UIC) distinguishes between ordinary wagons and special wagons (F/6). Open wagons often form a significant part of a railway company's goods wagon fleet; for example, forming just under 40% of the Deutsche Bahn's total goods wagon stock in Germany.
A Class Ow goods wagon on the Saxon narrow gauge railways with Heberlein brakes
Open wagon for peat, 750 mm (2 ft 5+1⁄2 in)
Twin-axled UIC Type 1 open wagon, used as an ash wagon, on a transporter wagon in Zittau
A Czech (ČD) twin-axled open wagon of UIC Type 2 in Raspenava
