An ore car is a specialized type of open-top hopper built to transport iron ore, taconite, or other heavy aggregates. Because these materials are extremely dense, the cars are much shorter than standard coal hoppers to prevent exceeding the axle load limits of the track. They typically feature steep internal slopes and bottom doors for rapid discharge at docks or steel mills.
Heard on the job
We're pulling a hundred loaded ore cars out of the iron range, so braking is going to be sluggish.
Insider tip
Ore cars are notoriously heavy for their size; a train of loaded ore cars requires significantly more braking distance than a train of the same length carrying mixed freight.