Systems and methods for actuating automatic sliding doors on railroad hopper cars are disclosed. The system includes a cylinder having a first cap end mounted on a hopper car, and a second rod end having a clevis. The cylinder has a piston rod which extends, causing an actuating reinforcer coupled to the clevis to rotate around a coupled main shaft. The rotational motion of the actuating reinforcer causes an operating lever, also coupled to the main shaft, to rotate. A connecting link translates the rotational motion of the operating lever to a door pan fulcrum mounted to a sliding door, causing the door pan fulcrum to pull the sliding door open. The system also enables automatic locking in an analogous way, with the door pan fulcrum pushed to close the sliding door, when the cylinder piston rod returns to its original position.