Freightcar America
FreightCar America designs and manufactures a variety of railcars, including hoppers, gondolas, and intermodal cars, from its state-of-the-art facility in Castaños, Mexico. The company, headquartered in Chicago, has a history dating back to 1901 and offers extensive conversion designs and leasing services.
Services
FreightCar America specializes in crafting premium railcars, conversions, and re-bodies. They also provide top-notch parts and service, alongside comprehensive field support and training services. Their leasing division, FreightCar America Leasing Company, leases a wide array of freight cars, enabling flexibility for clients.
Products
FreightCar America offers a variety of railcars, including Open Top Hopper, Covered Hopper, Gondola, Flat, Intermodal, Box, and Well cars. They design and manufacture steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and hybrid steel-aluminum freight cars. These railcars are used to transport bulk commodities, containerized freight, and other products. Their portfolio also includes over 20 car conversion options.
Facilities
FreightCar America's newest state-of-the-art railcar facility, built in 2021, is located in Castaños, Mexico. This facility is purpose-built to manufacture an expanded range of railcar types, surpassing previous capabilities. They also have an engineering and parts facility in Johnstown, PA, and their corporate headquarters are located in Chicago, IL USA.
History
Originally formed as the Cambria Steel Company in 1901, FreightCar America became known as the ‘Freight Car Division’ in 1923. They introduced the aluminum-bodied BethGon® in 1986 and completed their initial public offering in 2005. By 2006, they celebrated the delivery of the 100,000th aluminum-bodied railcar. The VersaFlood™ aggregate car design was introduced in 2009. In 2010, the company acquired FreightCar Rail Services, LLC. In 2019, they entered into a joint venture with Fasemex, and their primary manufacturing plant in Castaños, Mexico, came online in 2020.
Conversion Designs
With an extensive portfolio of over 20 conversion designs, FreightCar America has completed over 14,000 total conversions and rebodies in the last decade. These conversions include various adaptations and upgrades, enhancing the utility and longevity of railcars.