US Railcar is a manufacturer of

railroad Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...

rolling stock The term rolling stock in the rail transport industry refers to railway vehicles, including both powered and unpowered vehicles: for example, locomotives, freight and passenger cars (or coaches), and non-revenue cars. Passenger vehicles can b ...

, including

passenger cars A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods. The year 1886 is regarded as t ...

, and

diesel multiple unit A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple-unit train powered by on-board diesel engines. A DMU requires no separate locomotive, as the engines are incorporated into one or more of the carriages. Diesel-powered single-unit railcars are also ...

s. It was formed in 2009, and is the successor company to

Colorado Railcar Colorado Railcar was a manufacturer of railroad rolling stock—railcars and diesel multiple unit commuter vehicles. Both products came in single- and double-level versions. It shut down in 2008, with its assets being purchased by US Railcar. Hist ...

after that company shut down in December 2008.

History

US Railcar's predecessor, Colorado Railcar, ceased operations on 23 December 2008 because of a "major liquidity problem". The business remained closed until July 2009 when a group of investors, part of the Value Recovery Group (VRG), purchased the assets of Colorado Railcar and renamed the company US Railcar. The new company operated as a subsidiary of VRG, with the headquarters of both companies located in

Columbus, Ohio Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...

. On 18 February 2010, US Railcar announced that it had formed a joint venture with

American Railcar Industries American Industrial Transport, a business formerly known as American Railcar Industries, is a specialist in railcar leasing and repair, headquartered in Saint Charles, Missouri. AITX, both the name and primary railcar mark, leases railcars in the ...

, dubbed US Railcar Company LLC, to better "design, manufacture, and sell Diesel Multiple Units." On 19 November 2010, however, the two companies announced the dissolution of the venture, citing "current market conditions" as the reason. The

National Association of Railroad Passengers The Rail Passengers Association (RPA), formerly the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP), is the largest advocacy organization for rail passengers in the United States. Early history The organization was founded by Anthony Haswe ...

speculated that the cause of the failure of the joint venture was the cancellation of the proposed 3-C passenger corridor in Ohio.

Facilities

US Railcar currently operates no construction facilities; any products ordered from the company would be built by American Railcar under contract. The company plans to construct a facility in

Gahanna, Ohio Gahanna ( ) is a city situated in northeast Franklin County, Ohio, United States. It is a suburb of Columbus. The population was 35,726 at the 2020 census. It was founded in 1849. History Gahanna was founded along the Big Walnut Creek in 18 ...

, near the

John Glenn Columbus International Airport John Glenn Columbus International Airport is an international airport located east of downtown Columbus, Ohio. Formerly known as Port Columbus International Airport, it is managed by the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, which also ove ...

, which would be built with a mix of public and private funds. US Railcar applied for an $8.7 million grant from the federal government, but the application was denied. The

state of Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

has offered the company $3.6 million in financial assistance, and private investment would provide the remainder of the necessary money to build the factory, estimated to cost around $14 million. If constructed, the proposed facility would be around in size and would be located on thirteen acres (5.3 ha) of land. It would employ up to 200 people.

Products

US Railcar offers diesel multiple units in both single- and bi-level versions, as well as unpowered railcars in single- and bi-level versions. The single-level DMUs have a passenger capacity of 94, while the bi-level models can carry 188 passengers. Both types are equipped with two

Detroit Diesel Detroit Diesel Corporation (DDC) is an American diesel engine manufacturer headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is a subsidiary of Daimler Truck North America, which is itself a wholly owned subsidiary of the mulitinational Da ...

engines for propulsion. The single-level railcars have a capacity of 102 people, while the bi-level cars can seat 218. The company also offers unpowered luxury railcars, dubbed the "Ultradome."

References

{{Reflist, colwidth=30em Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 2009 Rolling stock manufacturers of the United States Companies based in the Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area Manufacturing companies based in Ohio 2009 establishments in Ohio

History

Facilities

Products

See also

References