A hopper car gate assembly having a frame with opposed side walls, opposed end walls, and top and bottom openings. The gate assembly has a door with a lower section that is supported by the frame and an upper section that is vertically spaced from the lower section. The door is moveable between a closed position, in which the lower section blocks the bottom opening, and an open position, in which cargo can exit through the bottom opening. A drive mechanism engages the upper section of the door to move the door between its closed and open positions. Preferably, the door has a middle section that is joined to and extends upward from the lower section, and the upper section is joined to and extends away from the middle section.