Written by: William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief
National Steel Car, which has been building freight cars in Hamilton, Ont., for 102 years, has entered the railroad tank car market with a 31,800-gallon DOT-111 “slick” (non-jacketed, non-coil) general-purpose (non-pressure) model built to AAR P-1577/CPC-1232 safety standards with half-head end shields and AAR-required rollover protection.
NSC’s entry into the burgeoning tank car market bumps the number of manufacturers of this car type to six. And like its carbuilder counterparts, and tank car lessors and end-users, NSC is actively participating in an ongoing rulemaking process to formalize specifications for a new-generation DOT-111 that will improve upon the voluntary CPC-1232 industry standard.
NSC also offers a 29,000-gallon coiled/insulated model and later this year will be introducing a 25,500-gallon coiled/insulated car.