Jackson and Sharp Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railroad car manufacturing, Shipbuilding |
| Founded | 1863 |
| Founder | Job H. Jackson, Jacob F. Sharp |
| Headquarters | Wilmington , United States |
Area served | Americas, International markets |
Key people | Job H. Jackson, Jacob F. Sharp |
| Products | Railroad rolling stock, Passenger cars, Freight cars, Streetcars, Wooden and steel watercraft including schooners, barges, ferryboats, tugboats, yachts |
Number of employees | 1200–1500 |
| Parent | American Car and Foundry (from 1911) |
Jackson and Sharp Company was a United States-based manufacturer specializing in railroad car construction and shipbuilder activities, established in 1863 by partners Job H. Jackson and Jacob F. Sharp.
Rolling stock plant
The firm launched the Delaware Car Works production facility in Wilmington, Delaware, situated close to Brandywine Creek. Originally designed to store six railcars and staffed by roughly 100 workers, by 1880 the plant was producing approximately 400 passenger cars each year. Through expansion during the late 1880s, the site grew to accommodate 75 cars and employed near 1,000 personnel, ultimately becoming the largest rolling stock manufacturing site across the Americas. Key customers encompassed the Great Western Railroad (Illinois), Chicago’s South Side Elevated Railroad, Denver and Rio Grande Railway, King Oscar II of Sweden, and Emperor Dom Pedro of Brazil. Additionally, the company delivered passenger cars for London's Waterloo & City Railway between 1897 and 1898.
Shipyard
In 1875, Jackson and Sharp took ownership of the Christina River Shipyards, where they produced wooden vessels including schooners, barges, and steam-driven ships. By the turn of the century in 1900, their combined rolling stock and shipbuilding operations spanned a considerable area and employed between 1,200 to 1,500 individuals.
Merger and 20th century operations
Beginning in 1901, American Car and Foundry (ACF) leased Jackson and Sharp’s facilities for ten years before acquiring them outright in 1911. Following this acquisition, ACF concentrated on constructing passenger railcars primarily for international markets while maintaining shipbuilding activities. During World War I, the factory manufactured wooden submarine chaser vessels, railcars, and munitions-related equipment. Wooden ship construction ended in 1938; railcar production ceased during the 1930s but briefly restarted after World War II alongside steel shipbuilding for the U.S. Navy. Due to reduced demand, ACF discontinued production in 1950 and sold the plant to a warehousing company in 1952.
Products
- Rolling stock – both standard gauge and narrow gauge
- Passenger cars
- Freight cars
- Combined baggage, mail, and passenger cars
- Dining cars
- Parlor and private cars
- Sleeping cars
- Streetcars
- Watercraft – constructed from wood and steel
- Woodwork products