Minecarts are a great way to travel places in Minecraft without running! Every big mine can use a minecart track to help you move yourself and your equipment to and from the mine. Minecarts have other uses as well, including more creative...
To test the hopper, throw something down the tube. Check the chests to make sure it worked. Hoppers need to be facing the chest. In the Java Edition, you can use minecarts with monster spawners to evenly spread out the mobs. It helps to connect your mob spawner to your house or so...