A piece of rolling stock designed without a roof to facilitate loading and unloading from above by cranes or excavators. Unlike hopper cars, gondolas typically have flat bottoms and do not discharge cargo through doors underneath. They are the standard choice for hauling high-density, weather-resistant freight like scrap metal, steel coils, pipe, and track ballast.
Heard on the job
The mill needs ten more gondolas spotted at the loading dock before the end of the shift.
Also heard as
- gon
Do not mix it up with
- Hopper car: A hopper car has bottom doors for gravity unloading, while a gondola usually has a solid flat floor and must be unloaded from the top.