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Miner debuts DuraShield hopper car hatch cover

Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief

Geneva, Ill.-based Miner Enterprises, Inc. Tuesday announced its new DuraShield™ covered hopper car hatch cover, which it says combines lightweight, high durability, low profile design with a high performance seal.

durashieldpi.jpgThe company says it developed the hatch cover to outfit hopper cars from the bottom up, and claims the covers are lighter than similar aluminum products and more durable than fiberglass ones. They are available in all standard lengths to accommodate most 24-in. troughs with round or square ends.

"We looked at available covers on the market and decided that customers should not have to trade off qualities such as long life for light weight. In the DuraShield, our engineers have combined the advantages of both fiberglass and aluminum covers while avoiding their drawbacks," said Miner Vice President of Sales Ric Biehl. "And, they’ve been able to incorporate a superior gasket seal in the bargain."

The DuraShield design incorporates a patent pending aluminum and steel boxed frame with a composite skin. Extended support straps help hold the cover’s shape and afford hinge stiffness in a low profile configuration. Superior stiffness allows the gasket to be uniformly clamped to the hatch coaming.

miner_logo1.jpgMiner says this develops a seal that exceeds the Association of American Railroads (AAR) requirement by one-and-a-half to two times. An improved adhesive secures the gasket to the cover so that its attachment exceeds the AAR specification by almost three times, the company says. 

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