Gondola (rail)

The first gondola cars in North America were developed in the 1830s, and used primarily to carry coal. Early gondolas were little more than flatcars with wooden sides added, and were typically small – 30 feet (9.14 m) or less in length, and 15 short tons (13.4 long tons; 13.6 t) or less in weight.[1] These cars were not widely used at first, as they could only be unloaded by workers shoveling out their cargo by hand, a slow and labor-intensive process. A solution for this problem was developed around the 1860s with the drop-bottom gondola, which had hatches installed in the floor which could be opened at a destination, with workers using shovels to direct cargo towards the hatches. This was an improvement over earlier gondolas, but still required manual unloading.[1]

This covered gondola protects its cargo from exposure to moisture while in transit.

After the American Civil War, advances in technology, especially the development of steel, allowed new and larger gondola designs. New gondolas built with steel sides and frames (though wood was retained for flooring, since it was flexible and cheap to replace) were often built to lengths between 40 and 50 feet (12.19 and 15.24 m), and gradually increased in capacity from around 30 short tons (26.8 long tons; 27.2 t) to as much as 70 short tons (62.5 long tons; 63.5 t) by the early to mid 20th century.[1] Gondolas began to be built for specialized purposes; depending on their intended cargo, the side heights could range from just two feet (0.61 m) for bulk commodities like sand, to six feet (1.83 m) or more for loads such as pipes, ten feet (3.05 m), or more for light cargos like woodchips.[1] Covered gondolas were also developed for cargos that had to be protected from the elements, such as food and freshly made steel.[1] Starting in the 1950s and 1960s, high-sided gondolas were used for coal, thanks to stronger car construction and the invention of rotary car dumpers, which allowed these gondolas to be emptied automatically.[1]