Osgood Bradley Car Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railway rolling stock manufacturing |
| Founded | 1822 |
| Defunct | 1930 |
| Fate | Acquired by Pullman Company |
| Headquarters | Worcester, Massachusetts , United States |
| Products | Railway passenger cars, streetcars, gun carriages |
The Osgood Bradley Car Company operated as a producer of railway passenger cars and streetcars, headquartered in Worcester, Massachusetts.
History
Established in 1822 with a focus on manufacturing stagecoaches and sleighs, the company transitioned to constructing its inaugural railway passenger cars for the Boston and Worcester Railroad in 1835. During the American Civil War, production shifted toward manufacturing gun carriages to support the Union Army. In 1930, the firm became part of the Pullman Company through acquisition.
American Flyer cars
The company's most notable contribution was the production of the American Flyer streamlined passenger cars during the 1930s. These designs, created by Walter Dorwin Teague, incorporated an aerodynamic, rounded body inspired by aircraft and utilized Cor-Ten steel, which resulted in a weight reduction of approximately 15 tons compared to traditional heavyweight steel cars. This development aimed to enhance the attractiveness of rail travel while decreasing operational expenses for railroads. The initial purchase was made by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad in 1934, with subsequent orders from railroads including the Boston and Maine Railroad, Bangor and Aroostook Railroad, Kansas City Southern Railway, Seaboard Air Line Railroad, St. Louis Southwestern Railway, and Lehigh Valley Railroad. Furthermore, this design influenced the well-known American Flyer toy train sets produced by the A. C. Gilbert Company between 1946 and 1958, solidifying the "American Flyer" name within railfan circles.
Archives and records
- Osgood Bradley Car Company records housed at Baker Library Special Collections, Harvard Business School.
- Osgood Bradley Car Company Drawings, Drawing Lists, Lot Lists & Photographs available at Pullman Library, Illinois Railway Museum
External links
- Defunct rolling stock manufacturers of the United States
- Companies based in Worcester, Massachusetts
- American companies established in 1822
- Manufacturing companies established in 1822
- Manufacturing companies disestablished in 1930
- 1822 establishments in Massachusetts
- 1930 disestablishments in Massachusetts
- Defunct manufacturing companies based in Massachusetts
- Tram manufacturers