Pressure gauge assembly for a railcar and method of assembling the same

A product unloading system for use with a railway hopper car, the railway hopper car including a railcar including sidewalls, end walls, and at least one bottom wall for defining an interior volume, said product unloading system comprising:

• an inlet manifold coupled to the railcar for channeling pressurized fluid from a fluid supply system to the interior volume of the railcar for pressurizing the railcar;
• an outlet manifold coupled to the railcar for channeling the pressurized fluid to said product unloading system for directing material from the railcar to a product storage system;
• at least one bypass valve coupled between said inlet manifold and said outlet manifold to enable a flow of the pressurized fluid to be selectively channeled between said inlet manifold and said outlet manifold to adjust a pressure within the railcar;
• and
• a pressure gauge assembly coupled in flow communication with the interior volume of the railcar and one of said inlet manifold and said outlet manifold for measuring a differential pressure between the interior volume of the railcar and said product unloading system.

A method of assembling a product unloading system for use with a railway hopper car, the railway hopper car including a railcar including sidewalls, end walls, and at least one bottom wall for defining an interior volume, said method comprising:

• coupling an inlet manifold to the railcar for channeling pressurized fluid from a fluid supply system to the interior volume of the railcar for pressurizing the railcar;
• coupling an outlet manifold to the railcar for channeling the pressurized fluid to the product unloading system for directing material from the railcar to a product storage system;
• coupling at least one bypass valve between the inlet manifold and the outlet manifold to enable a flow of the pressurized fluid to be selectively channeled between the inlet manifold and the outlet manifold to adjust a pressure within the railcar;
• and
• coupling a pressure gauge assembly to the interior volume of the railcar and to one of the inlet manifold and the outlet manifold for measuring a differential pressure between the interior volume of the railcar and the product unloading system.

A railway hopper car comprising:

• a railcar comprising:
• an upper portion comprising a first sidewall, an opposing second sidewall, a first end wall, and an opposing second end wall;
• and
• a lower portion coupled to said upper portion to define an interior volume of said hopper car;
• and
• a product unloading system coupled to said railcar, said product unloading system comprising:
• an inlet manifold coupled to said railcar for channeling pressurized fluid from a fluid supply system to the interior volume of said railcar for pressurizing said railcar;
• an outlet manifold coupled to said railcar for channeling the pressurized fluid to said product unloading system for directing material from said railcar to a product storage system;
• at least one bypass valve coupled between said inlet manifold and said outlet manifold to enable a flow of the pressurized fluid to be selectively channeled between said inlet manifold and said outlet manifold to adjust a pressure within the interior volume of said railcar;
• and
• a pressure gauge assembly for measuring a differential pressure between the interior volume of said railcar and said product unloading system, said pressure gauge system comprising:
• a housing coupled to said railcar;
• a first pressure gauge positioned within said housing, said first pressure gauge configured to measure a differential pressure between the interior volume of said railcar and said product unloading system;
• and
• a second pressure gauge positioned within said housing, said second pressure gauge configured to measure a pressure within the interior volume of said railcar.