Buffalo Car Manufacturing Company, also known as Buffalo Car Company or Buffalo Car Works, was an American manufacturer of railroad freight cars in the late 19th century.[1] In 1899, this company was merged with twelve others to form American Car and Foundry Company.[2][3]
Buffalo Car Works was founded in 1853 in Black Rock, New York by D.J. Townsend and George Coit, Jr. to build railroad cars.[4] By 1854, the company had also adopted the name "Buffalo Car Company".[5] By 1856, its plant on land between the New York Central Railroad's main line through Buffalo and the Niagara River encompassed 15 buildings.[6] During the Panic of 1857, the company experienced a financial failure and was sold off by the government.[7][8][9]
Buffalo Car Manufacturing Company (1872–1899)
The newer company was founded as the Buffalo Car Company in 1872 by William Williams.[2][10][11] The company's facility in Buffalo was leased by the Gilbert Car Company in 1879.[12] Buffalo merged with Niagara Car Wheel Company in 1890. The consolidated company became known as Buffalo Car Manufacturing Company and entered into a business relationship with Union Car Company, based in Depew, New York. Buffalo and Union were both operated independently for the next decade despite their business relationship and their manufacturing shops being located in relatively close proximity to each other.[2]
In 1895, Buffalo was awarded a contract, valued at $900,000, from New York Central Railroad to build its most expensive freight cars to date with an order for 1,500 boxcars. The cars were to feature air brakes, automatic couplers and all-steel trucks.[2][13] Buffalo was awarded another lucrative contract in 1898 to build 500 hopper cars for the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway; although the cars included drop doors to unload the cars through the floor, the cars were intended to be used in conjunction with a car dumper that would unload the car through end doors directly into the hold of a coal-fired ship.[14]
American Car and Foundry Company
In 1899, Buffalo and twelve other companies, including Union Car Company, were merged to form American Car and Foundry Company (ACF).[3][15] The former Buffalo plant was used during World War I to manufacture munitions for the war. ACF closed the Buffalo plant in 1931 and then reopened it in 1940 to produce munitions for World War II; the plant closed again after the war and reopened again in 1951 to produce parts needed for nuclear weapons. ACF closed the Buffalo plant permanently in 1954.[2]
References
^American Iron and Steel Association (1889). "Carbuilders". Directory of Iron and Steel Works of the United States and Canada(PDF) (Tenth ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Allen, Lane & Scott. p. 215.
^ abcde"Buffalo Car Company". Mid-Continent Railway Museum. 2006-04-09. Retrieved 2008-04-13.
^ ab"The ACF Industries Archival Collection". John W. Barriger III National Railroad Library. Retrieved 2008-04-13.
^"Notice of Copartnership". Buffalo Courier. Buffalo, NY. 1853-02-24. p. 3. Retrieved 2021-04-03 – via Newspapers.com.
^"The Buffalo Car Company". Buffalo Courier. Buffalo, NY. 1854-03-04. p. 2. Retrieved 2021-04-03 – via Newspapers.com.
^"One report of the occasion..." Buffalo Express. Buffalo, NY. 1871-11-02. p. 1. Retrieved 2021-04-03 – via Newspapers.com.
^"A New Manager". The Buffalo Commercial. Buffalo, NY. 1873-05-30. Retrieved 2021-04-03 – via Newspapers.com.
^"The Gilbert Car Company". The Buffalo Commercial. Buffalo, New York. October 14, 1879. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
^"New Cars for the Central" (PDF). New York Times. 1895-03-08. Retrieved 2008-04-13.
^Bianculli, Anthony J (2001). Trains and Technology: The American Railroad in the Nineteenth Century. Vol. 2: Cars. Newark: University of Delaware Press. p. 113. ISBN0-87413-730-6.
^McKnight, Patrick (2000-06-15). "Draft Report of Rutland Baggage Car No. 129". Remembering the Rutland. Retrieved 2008-04-13.
Further reading
Harper, Charlton E. (1957). Railway Car Builders of the United States & Canada. New York, NY: Interurban Press.
Kaminski, Edward S. (1999). American Car & Foundry Company 1899-1999. Berkeley, CA: Signature Press.
February 19, 2023
buffalo, manufacturing, company, also, known, buffalo, company, buffalo, works, american, manufacturer, railroad, freight, cars, late, 19th, century, 1899, this, company, merged, with, twelve, others, form, american, foundry, company, typeprivateindustryrail, . Buffalo Car Manufacturing Company also known as Buffalo Car Company or Buffalo Car Works was an American manufacturer of railroad freight cars in the late 19th century 1 In 1899 this company was merged with twelve others to form American Car and Foundry Company 2 3 Buffalo Car Manufacturing CompanyTypeprivateIndustryrail transportFounded1872HeadquartersBuffalo NY United StatesProductsfreight cars Contents 1 History 1 1 Buffalo Car Works 1853 1857 1 2 Buffalo Car Manufacturing Company 1872 1899 1 3 American Car and Foundry Company 2 References 3 Further readingHistory EditBuffalo Car Works 1853 1857 Edit Buffalo Car Works was founded in 1853 in Black Rock New York by D J Townsend and George Coit Jr to build railroad cars 4 By 1854 the company had also adopted the name Buffalo Car Company 5 By 1856 its plant on land between the New York Central Railroad s main line through Buffalo and the Niagara River encompassed 15 buildings 6 During the Panic of 1857 the company experienced a financial failure and was sold off by the government 7 8 9 Buffalo Car Manufacturing Company 1872 1899 Edit The newer company was founded as the Buffalo Car Company in 1872 by William Williams 2 10 11 The company s facility in Buffalo was leased by the Gilbert Car Company in 1879 12 Buffalo merged with Niagara Car Wheel Company in 1890 The consolidated company became known as Buffalo Car Manufacturing Company and entered into a business relationship with Union Car Company based in Depew New York Buffalo and Union were both operated independently for the next decade despite their business relationship and their manufacturing shops being located in relatively close proximity to each other 2 In 1895 Buffalo was awarded a contract valued at 900 000 from New York Central Railroad to build its most expensive freight cars to date with an order for 1 500 boxcars The cars were to feature air brakes automatic couplers and all steel trucks 2 13 Buffalo was awarded another lucrative contract in 1898 to build 500 hopper cars for the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway although the cars included drop doors to unload the cars through the floor the cars were intended to be used in conjunction with a car dumper that would unload the car through end doors directly into the hold of a coal fired ship 14 American Car and Foundry Company Edit In 1899 Buffalo and twelve other companies including Union Car Company were merged to form American Car and Foundry Company ACF 3 15 The former Buffalo plant was used during World War I to manufacture munitions for the war ACF closed the Buffalo plant in 1931 and then reopened it in 1940 to produce munitions for World War II the plant closed again after the war and reopened again in 1951 to produce parts needed for nuclear weapons ACF closed the Buffalo plant permanently in 1954 2 References Edit American Iron and Steel Association 1889 Carbuilders Directory of Iron and Steel Works of the United States and Canada PDF Tenth ed Philadelphia PA Allen Lane amp Scott p 215 a b c d e Buffalo Car Company Mid Continent Railway Museum 2006 04 09 Retrieved 2008 04 13 a b The ACF Industries Archival Collection John W Barriger III National Railroad Library Retrieved 2008 04 13 Notice of Copartnership Buffalo Courier Buffalo NY 1853 02 24 p 3 Retrieved 2021 04 03 via Newspapers com The Buffalo Car Company Buffalo Courier Buffalo NY 1854 03 04 p 2 Retrieved 2021 04 03 via Newspapers com White John H Jr 1993 The American Railroad Freight Car From the Wood Car Era to the Coming of Steel Baltimore Johns Hopkins University Press p 142 ISBN 0 8018 4404 5 OCLC 26130632 Buffalo Car Works midcontinent org 2006 04 09 Retrieved 2021 04 03 Local Intelligence Buffalo Car Works The Buffalo Daily Republic Buffalo NY 1857 08 28 p 3 Retrieved 2021 04 03 via Newspapers com Public Notice is Hereby Given Chicago Tribune 1857 05 27 Retrieved 2021 04 03 via Newspapers com One report of the occasion Buffalo Express Buffalo NY 1871 11 02 p 1 Retrieved 2021 04 03 via Newspapers com A New Manager The Buffalo Commercial Buffalo NY 1873 05 30 Retrieved 2021 04 03 via Newspapers com The Gilbert Car Company The Buffalo Commercial Buffalo New York October 14 1879 p 3 via Newspapers com New Cars for the Central PDF New York Times 1895 03 08 Retrieved 2008 04 13 Bianculli Anthony J 2001 Trains and Technology The American Railroad in the Nineteenth Century Vol 2 Cars Newark University of Delaware Press p 113 ISBN 0 87413 730 6 McKnight Patrick 2000 06 15 Draft Report of Rutland Baggage Car No 129 Remembering the Rutland Retrieved 2008 04 13 Further reading EditHarper Charlton E 1957 Railway Car Builders of the United States amp Canada New York NY Interurban Press Kaminski Edward S 1999 American Car amp Foundry Company 1899 1999 Berkeley CA Signature Press Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Buffalo Car Manufacturing Company amp oldid 1068075051, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
