American Car and Foundry Company
| Formerly | ACF Industries, Inc. |
|---|---|
| Company type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Manufacturing |
| Founded | 1815 (Partial) 1899 (As American Car And Foundry Company) |
| Headquarters | St. Charles, Missouri, U.S. |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Locomotives High-speed trains Intercity and commuter trains Trams People movers Signalling systems |
| Owner | Carl IcahnTemplate:Fix/category[citation needed] |
ACF Industries, initially established as the American Car and Foundry Company (ACF), is a U.S.-based producer specializing in railroad rolling stock. Historically, the company operated subsidiaries manufacturing motor coaches and trolley coaches under the ACF and subsequently the ACF-Brill names. Currently headquartered in St. Charles, Missouri, ACF Industries LLC serves a global market and is owned by investor Carl Icahn.
History
The company originated in New Jersey in 1899 through the consolidation of thirteen regional railroad car manufacturers, including notable firms such as Buffalo Car Manufacturing Company, Jackson and Woodin Manufacturing Company, and Michigan-Peninsular Car Company. Rapid expansion followed with acquisitions like the Bloomsburg Car Manufacturing Company. Among early advancements was a $3 million investment to upgrade the Jackson & Woodin facility, where in 1904 ACF engineered the world's first fully steel passenger car for New York City's Interborough Rapid Transit system—an important milestone in passenger railcar design.
By 1903, ACF had extended its operations internationally by opening a plant in Trafford Park, Manchester, England, gaining industry prominence during King Edward VII’s Royal Visit. Between 1904 and 1905, the firm supplied motor cars and trailers for the London Underground. This era also saw strategic acquisitions such as Southern Car and Foundry (Memphis), Indianapolis Car and Foundry, and Indianapolis Car Company, which strengthened its corporate framework and broadened its product offerings.
In 1916, William H. Woodin—formerly president of Jackson and Woodin Manufacturing—was named president of ACF; Woodin later served as U.S. Secretary of the Treasury under President Franklin Roosevelt, reflecting the high caliber of leadership within the company.
Throughout World War I, ACF diversified into military manufacturing, producing artillery mounts, ammunition, submarine chasers, and railway cars for Allied forces. The company continued to secure substantial defense contracts during World War II, ranking 36th among U.S. corporations by wartime production value—demonstrating its significant role in national defense manufacturing efforts.
Timeline
- 1899: Formation of American Car and Foundry (ACF) through the consolidation of 13 firms; acquisition of Bloomsburg Car Manufacturing Company
- 1901: Purchase of Jackson and Sharp Company along with Common Sense Bolster Company
- 1904: Constructs first fully steel passenger car for Interborough Rapid Transit; acquires Southern Car and Foundry located in Memphis, Tennessee
- 1905: Takes over Indianapolis Car and Foundry as well as Indianapolis Car Company
- 1922: Expands into the automotive sector by acquiring Carter Carburetor Corporation
- 1924: Acquires Pacific Car and Foundry from William Pigott
- 1925: Establishes American Car and Foundry Securities Corporation to obtain Fageol Motors Company (Ohio) and Hall-Scott Motor Car Company
- 1926: Acquires J. G. Brill Company and American Motor Body Corporation
- 1927: Purchases Shippers Car Line
- 1934: Paul Pigott regains controlling interest in Pacific Car and Foundry
- 1935: Develops lightweight Rebel streamlined trains for Gulf, Mobile and Northern Railroad
- 1939: Berwick facility switches production to military tanks
- 1940: Brill company fully integrated into ACF
- 1941: Completes production of its 1,000th military tank supporting World War II efforts
- 1954: Renamed ACF Industries, Incorporated; acquires Engineering and Research Corporation; delivers 35 Astra Dome dome cars to Union Pacific Railroad between 1954 and 1955
- 1961: Produces final passenger car (NYCT IRT R28); closes Berwick plant, which later reopens as Berwick Forge & Fabricating Corporation
- 1977: Collaborates with Southern Pacific Railroad to design the first double-stack intermodal railcar, reinforcing leadership in railcar innovation
- 1984: Acquired by investor Carl Icahn, signaling a strategic corporate restructuring
- 1988: Launches spin-off American Railcar Industries (ARI) focused on railcar manufacturing and leasing operations
- 1997: Enters lease agreement with GE Capital Railcar covering most of its fleet, enhancing financial stability through long-term contracts
- 2003: Transitions corporate identity to ACF Industries LLC as successor entity
- 2008–2016: Federal Railroad Administration investigates safety concerns related to ACF Center Flow hopper cars and ACF-300 stub sill design, leading to corrective actions that improved product reliability standards
- 2018: ARI divested from Icahn group as part of portfolio restructuring
- 2019: Ceases manufacturing at Milton, Pennsylvania plant; ARI’s production assets acquired by The Greenbrier Companies; remaining leasing operations rebranded in 2020 as American Industrial Transport (AITX), concentrating on asset management and leasing services
Products
Throughout its history, ACF has manufactured both passenger and freight cars, including covered hopper cars designed for transporting commodities such as corn and grains. One of its significant clients was Union Pacific Railroad, for which ACF produced lightweight passenger rolling stock made from armor-yellow carbon steel. Among these was the notable dome-observation car named "Native Son."
ACF also supplied passenger cars for the Missouri River "Eagle," a Missouri Pacific streamliner introduced in 1940. This train set featured baggage, mail, coaches, a food and beverage car, along with an observation lounge-parlor car, all designed under the guidance of industrial designer Raymond Loewy.
In today’s market, U.S. passenger car production is limited primarily to specialized manufacturers and foreign companies. Former industry competitors such as Budd Company, Pullman Company, Rohr, Inc., and the St. Louis Car Company have either exited the market or ceased operations entirely.
The Milton, Pennsylvania manufacturing site—accessible via the Norfolk Southern Railway—produced railcars alongside components like pressure vessels ranging from 18,000 to 61,000 gross weight capacity for propane and compressed gases. Covering an area of 48 acres with half a million square feet under roof and seven miles of storage track, this facility shut down in 2019. Meanwhile, the Huntington, West Virginia plant ended production in 2009 and was subsequently demolished in 2021.