RTH50 65t Metre-Gauge Grain Hopper Car for 1000mm metre-gauge Railways
Our Metre-Gauge Grain Hopper Car is engineered to meet and exceed these requirements. Designed and manufactured by China National Machinery Engineering Corporation, this 4-axle hopper car is optimized for transporting cereal crops such as soybeans, complying with both Chinese national standards and key AAR specifications, with full adaptation to Argentina’s NEFA 606 rolling stock gauge and local operating environments.
Core Technical Parameters of Argentina Metre-Gauge Grain Hopper Car
This grain hopper car is tailored for Argentina’s 1000mm metre-gauge lines, with structural and performance parameters calibrated for efficient and safe grain transportation:
| Technical Index |
Specification |
| Gauge |
1000mm |
| Axle Number |
4 |
| Maximum Axle Load |
22t |
| Payload Capacity |
65t |
| Tare Weight |
≤23t |
| Design Volume |
88m³ |
| Maximum Operating Speed |
90km/h |
| Minimum Curve Radius Negotiated |
90m |
| Coupler Center Height Above Rail |
804mm |
| Overall Vehicle Length |
17038mm |
| Vehicle Fixed Distance |
13000mm |
| Maximum Vehicle Width |
3060mm |
| Maximum Empty Vehicle Height |
3628mm |
| Number of Hoppers |
4 |
| Bogie Wheel Diameter |
840mm |
| Bogie Tare Weight |
≤4.1t |
Key Structural & Material Advantages
1. Corrosion-Resistant Carbody Structure
The carbody is constructed with Q450NQR1 atmospheric corrosion-resistant steel (or Q345NQR2/09CuPCrNi-A) for main profiles and plates, consisting of an underframe, side walls, end walls, roof, 4 bottom hoppers, flip-type loading hatches with buffering and sealing, and slide-plate bottom door unloading devices. All non-friction metal joint surfaces are evenly coated with anti-rust paint, ensuring durability in Argentina’s -10℃~+50℃ operating temperature range.
2. Reliable 150-Type Braking System
Equipped with a Chinese-manufactured 150-type air brake system (compatible with Knorr and Westing house systems), it features stainless steel pipelines (GB/T14976) with flange joints, O-Bee ductile iron bushings for brake levers, and an NSW hand brake. The system meets AAR S-401 brake rate requirements, with a dual-pressure control mode, emergency brake wave speed ≥250m/s, and two-stage automatic empty/loaded weight adjustment, ensuring stable and responsive braking.
3. Durable Bogie & Coupler Buffer Device
- Bogie: A cast steel three-piece controlled bogie (AAR B+ grade steel for side frame and bolster) with AAR Class E (6″*11″) bearings, AAR M-101 E-grade axles, and AAR M-107/208 wheels (840mm diameter). It has 14 sets of inner/outer suspension springs, constant-contact elastic side bearings, and high-friction composite brake shoes for reliable operation at 90km/h.
- Coupler Buffer: Adopts Chinese 13B type E-grade steel couplers (compatible with AAR S-106 10A profile) and MT-2 spring-friction buffers (capacity 54kJ, stroke 83mm), ensuring safe coupling and shock absorption during transportation.
4. Food-Grade Internal Coating
The carbody’s inner surface is coated with white 841 epoxy polyamide food container coating (GB/T9686) with a dry film thickness ≥60μm, meeting food safety requirements for grain transportation. The outer surface uses epoxy primer (≥60μm) and polyurethane topcoat (total dry film ≥120μm) in GSB05-1426-2001 74 B04 silver gray, with imported parts retaining their original paint.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What crops is this metre-gauge grain hopper car suitable for transporting?
This hopper car is primarily designed for transporting cereal crops such as soybeans, and its 88m³ large design volume and 4 bottom hoppers with slide-plate unloading devices also make it suitable for other granular grain products, ensuring efficient loading and unloading.
2. Does the hopper car comply with Argentina’s local railway standards?
Yes, it fully complies with metre-gauge railway rolling stock gauge NEFA 606, and is adapted to local line conditions (minimum curve radius 90m, 1000mm gauge). Except for the parts explicitly required to meet AAR standards, the whole vehicle follows Chinese national standards for design, manufacturing and testing.
3. What is the delivery time and inspection process of the hopper car?
After the signing of the commercial contract and receipt of the advance payment, the goods will be delivered to Shanghai Port within 3 months. The inspection includes factory pre-delivery inspection (customer witness for prototype manufacturing and type test, factory final inspection), and on-site appearance inspection in Argentina. The manufacturer provides a vehicle qualification certificate, and the customer issues an acceptance certificate upon passing the inspection.
