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."
See also
*
List of rolling stock manufacturers
Throughout railroad history, many manufacturing companies have come and gone. This is a list of companies that manufactured railroad cars and other rolling stock. Most of these companies built both passenger and freight equipment and no distinctio ...
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