A&M welcomed the arrival of 25 new open-top gondola railcars in December. The purchase process, through Greenbriar-Concarril, LLC, began in March. Headquartered in Lake Oswego, Oregon, Greenbriar is a leading supplier of transportation equipment and services in the railroad industry. A&M's new gondolas were manufactured in the company's Tlaxcala, Mexico facility. The 25 cars rolled off the production line the first week of November before journeying 1,500 miles to Northwest Arkansas, where they were put into immediate service.
Newly painted Grain Express car AM 2345
At 52 feet, 6 inches in length, the 6-foot-tall gondolas can carry a maximum load of 217,500 pounds, or 3,045 cubic feet of material. Made for heavy-duty applications, gondolas of this type are typically used for carting iron or steel plates, scrap steel or other related products. The new cars will allow A&M to phase out 29 older gondolas slated for retirement in 2020.
In addition to the new gondolas, 25 covered hopper railcars joined thefleet in August. The newly added cars expand A&M's covered hopper fleet to New A&M gondola, pictured in the A&M's Springdale yard
a total of 66 cars. This will allow for uninterrupted service while the current fleet is cycled out for new paint jobs and stenciling. The "A&M Grain Express" cars service several customers along A&M's line. The fleet expansion will give the A&M and its customers much needed capacity for future growth.
