Where does the railroad industry buy new flat cars?

The railroad industry buys new flat cars from manufacturers such as FreightCar America, Ozark Mountain Railcar and The Greenbrier Company. In addition to selling railroad cars, these companies and others like them offer leasing options, management services, wheels, parts and repair services.

In 1974, the North American rail industry moved to a more efficient operations model with fewer railroads and shippers purchasing their own rail cars. Instead, the leading railroads pay into a rail car pool operator called TTX. On October 1, 2014, TTX was granted pooling authority for another 15-year term by the Surface Transportation Board. TTX purchases flat cars and other rail cars directly from the manufacturers and maintains a vast fleet at major terminals across North America.