Patent ID: 6892648

Claim:
A freight train comprising at least two like storage cars for bulk material, the storage cars comprising loading containers extending in a longitudinal direction, and the storage cars being supported on undercarriages for movement on a track, each storage car comprising (a) a bottom conveyor band extending in the longitudinal direction for conveying the bulk material in a conveying direction from a rear end to a front end of the loading container, (b) a transfer conveyor band at the front end of the loading container, the transfer conveyor band being arranged to receive the conveyed bulk material from the bottom conveyor band and projecting from the front end to a preceding one of the two storage cars to transfer the conveyed bulk material to the loading container of the preceding storage car where the transferred bulk material forms a bulk material pile, (c) a sensor device mounted in the loading container at the rear end thereof for sensing a maximally acceptable height of the bulk material pile, and (d) a control connected to the sensor device for automatically actuating drives for the bottom and transfer conveyor bands.