Patent ID: 8256354

Claim:
A bottom dump railroad car, comprising: a frame comprising a first side and a second side laterally opposing each other; a first elastomeric mat and a second elastomeric mat supported by a plurality of reinforcement cables, the first and second elastomeric mats forming a load-carrying receptacle, each elastomeric mat having an outer edge and an inner edge, the inner edge of the first elastomeric mat abutting the inner edge of the second elastomeric mat when the load-carrying receptacle is in a closed configuration; a first pulley connected to the first side of the frame, the first elastomeric mat wrapping at least partially around the first pulley; and a second pulley connected to the second side of the frame, the first pulley and second pulley each having a respective axis of rotation parallel to a direction of travel of the bottom dump railroad car, the second elastomeric mat wrapping at least partially around the second pulley.