Johnstown America Freight Car Manufacturer changes name

[dwil89]

Johnstown America Corp has changed its name to Freight Car America, or FCA for short. Here is a posting from a local to that area railfan who filled us in... http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsaltoonajohnstown/message/530 Dave Williams

[dwil89]

After reading the post, I did a search and came up with this link to some info on the matter.... http://www.progressiverailroading.com/freightnews/article.asp?id=6023 Dave Williams

[dwil89]

Here is a link to the Johnstown America site, to see the scope of its operations. http://www.johnstownamerica.com/index.html Dave Williams

[Modelcar]

Dave, that info was on the TRAINS news wire....I was surprised to see they did that.

[Anonymous]

That's funny, the Johnstown America plant in Danville used to be Freight Car, I wonder if the company found that name more recognizable.

[Modelcar]

...Just looked over their web site and from reading of what they do and build now it seems they are rather successful. Hopefully that business will continue to build and regain some of the lost employment of former Steel operations in that valley.

[dwil89]

QUOTE: Originally posted by n_stephenson

That's funny, the Johnstown America plant in Danville used to be Freight Car, I wonder if the company found that name more recognizable.

Apparently so....I like the old name myself, being that I have an interest in that area and always had family around there...but I guess they figured that the Johnstown America Name did not have anything in the title that gave recognition to what it does....even though it has been building railcars for a Century, I guess it wanted even more recognition. Dave Williams http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsaltoonajohnstown

[dwil89]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

Dave, that info was on the TRAINS news wire....I was surprised to see they did that.

I haven't checked in on there in awhile... I have so many Railroad sites that I belong to, that it takes an hour or more a day once I log on to go through and get up to date. before I even start posting or responding to things I read on them..the railfan who posted the Johnstown America news to me lives in the same town as the plant and just came across the info today, it gets lost in the shuffle sometimes....Dave Williams http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsaltoonajohnstown

[Modelcar]

...Yes, I just happened to check the news-wire a day or so ago and bingo, there it was. I don't check that regularly. I just lucked on to it.

[Modelcar]

...I must get to see many of the cars from {now FCA}, here in Muncie on the Frankfort line of the NS. I commented before they set out strings of mostly covered hopper cars on a siding in west Muncie evey few days..{??}, and then they are moved out...{to where ?}.....But what I'm really saying, there are lots of the flat sided aluminum cars among them....which are ones I believe built by now, FCA.

[dwil89]

They are in the process of building cars for Amtrak right now, express cars I believe, some have already been sighted by railfans in the Johnstown,Pa. Plant area. Dave Williams http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsaltoonajohnstown

[Modelcar]

....I thought Amtrak was getting out of the business of hauling express cargo....? Or do you mean regular express cars that accomplany each train....

[dwil89]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

....I thought Amtrak was getting out of the business of hauling express cargo....? Or do you mean regular express cars that accomplany each train....

I believe they are the regular express cars that accompany each train...I am trying to do a web search now, to find out specifics....Dave Williams

[ericsp]

I see that they finally have the boxcar page up. I seems like for a year it said "Coming Soon". I looks like TTX must have an XJH52. Speaking of which, I guess TTX will probably keep the J designation for the company. Trinity industries is still R, even though Thrall no longer exists (bought out by Trinity). They probably keep the same designation to avoid confussion.

[dwil89]

Okay..I got the info...my mind is tired.. couldn't remember the Amtrak info properly...too long in front of the screen today....they are building 80 aluminum autoracks for Amtrak for their Autotrain.....15 have been built so far in Johnstown, and a batch have been shoved way up past Conemaugh out of plain view on the siding......Dave Williams http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsaltoonajohnstown

[conrailman]

Dave, Do you Pictures of Amtrak New autoracks cars?[?]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ericsp

I see that they finally have the boxcar page up. I seems like for a year it said "Coming Soon". I looks like TTX must have an XJH52. Speaking of which, I guess TTX will probably keep the J designation for the company. Trinity industries is still R, even though Thrall no longer exists (bought out by Trinity). They probably keep the same designation to avoid confussion.

Ran a quick check of FCA's boxcar vs Greenbrier's and Trinity's. The FCA 50' boxcar has 8 more cubic feet capacity than the next largest (Greenbrier), 500 more pounds of load limit than Trinity, and a door width of 12' compared to 10' for both Greenbrier and Trinity.

For posterity, the actual numbers:

Load Limit
FCA - 213,500 lbs
Trinity - 213,000
Greenbrier - 211,800

Cubic capacity
FCA - 6277 cu ft
Greenbrier - 6269
Trinity - 6235

[Modelcar]

Yea, Dave....I had read an article someplace that Amtrak did place an order to replace their aged auto carriers....and was surprised they put in an order for that many. Wondering how they afforded doing so with such tight budgets....Glad Johnstown got to build them.

[dwil89]

QUOTE: Originally posted by conrailman

Dave, Do you Pictures of Amtrak New autoracks cars?[?]

I don't have any...I haven't been out to Johnstown in a month or two...Some local railfans have been trying to get some shots of them..cars right now are either buried in the plant,area or stored well up the main on a siding toward Staple Bend, where you'd have to hike in to get shots......Dave Williams http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsaltoonajohnstown

[Modelcar]

...Staple Bend....as in Tunnel Staple Bend...? Is there still track up in that direction or anyware near the tunnel..?

[dwil89]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

...Staple Bend....as in Tunnel Staple Bend...? Is there still track up in that direction or anyware near the tunnel..?

The NS Main (PRR) goes near the Staple Bend area. I remember a post on the Staple Bend Tunnel here a month or so ago....The Staple Bend is a hiking/biking trail now, maintained by the National Park Service, a parking lot in Mineral Point, and a two mile hike gets you to the Tunnel...The NS main goes right through Mineral Point next to Beech Rd, As you hike back, you will look right down the embankment and see the tracks . By the time you get to the Staple Bend Tunnel, the trackage will still be paralleling, but will be about a tenth of a mile north of the trail.. This is in the old Slag dump area from Bethlehem Steel. where the West Portal of the Staple Bend Tunnel is...The Staple Bend Tunnel was built as part of the Portage RR with the inclined planes. The PRR bought the line from the state and dismantled it. The Conemaugh and Blacklick RR dumped slag in the Valley near the West Portal. The C and BL trackage runs right up to the Staple Bend area and crosses the NS Main on an Iron Bridge. The CandBL trackage is not used anymore up this far, ( a cement barrier was placed at one end of the Iron Bridge on the track).except to occasionally store cars. A passenger on Amtrak heading East this time of year would look to his/her right out the window and see the West Portal of that tunnel across the valley. Dave Williams http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsaltoonajohnstown

[dwil89]

This particular spot is one of my favorite to hike to , on the West Slope. I've hiked in from the opposite end, from Franklin, and hiked up the old C and BL Right of way. The Cand BL and the NS Main are on opposite sides of the Conemaugh River at this point. I find it very relaxing to hike back to the Slagdumps, on a nice day, and relax and watch the action. Most heavy eastbounders will have stopped only a few miles west of there to pick up helpers,which will assist on the climb up to Gallitzin, and then assist in braking down the East Slope to Altoona. As the trains get up into the narrow valley,around the Staple Bend area, they are really hammering as they get up to speed.out of Conemaugh. 14,000 ton Coal drags give the engines a good workout on the climb out of Conemaugh. Dave Williams http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsaltoonajohnstown

[Modelcar]

...That's interesting that one can see the tunnel from the NS trackage....Last time I rode Amtrak that direction was in Summer time so I assume the leaves would have hidden the tunnel entrance from me even if at that time, I'd have know where to look. Wasn't aware it was within sight distance of the old PRR main.

[dwil89]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Modelcar

...That's interesting that one can see the tunnel from the NS trackage....Last time I rode Amtrak that direction was in Summer time so I assume the leaves would have hidden the tunnel entrance from me even if at that time, I'd have know where to look. Wasn't aware it was within sight distance of the old PRR main.

There is at least one Conductor on the Amtrak run though there who will enjoy standing in the vestibule,on warm days with the dutchdoor open enjoying the scenery and waving to railfans.in the more public areas...He was quite surprised one day to see me across the valley standing on the pile of slag videotaping the train....He looked and then started waving to me...I did that Altoona-Johnstown Amtrak ride a couple of times, and had a very hard time finding the Portal from my window....for a reference,you will have to look out to the right it will be just before the train runs underneath the unused Conemaugh and Blacklick Iron Bridge as you are riding East.....Unfortunately, I cannot figure out how to post pics on this forum, otherwise I'd post some from that location...I have also stood on that Iron Bridge....since again the Conemaugh and Blackick trackage is dormant,up in that area and there is a sidewalk on the West-facing side. I can get some great footage of Eastbounders slowly grinding up into that valley along an S Curve, before they run right underneath me..The narrow valley there really echoes the sound of the locomotives. Dave Williams http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nsaltoonajohnstown

[Modelcar]

...Dave, there are some on here that will assist you in publishing photos on here...It is disappointing that it is complicated....I'd say if you have some good ones and request help, you will see some volunteers. I gave up quite a while ago to do any.

[ericsp]

I finally saw an XJH52 boxcar a few days ago. It is FBOX 504033

[Modelcar]

Dave...if you are still out there and have any pic's around staple Bend area and would care to slip them on my e-mail it would be appreciated.