American Industrial Transport Inc. (AITX) now has a special-edition covered hopper in service: America 250. Wrapped in an American flag and bald eagle design, it celebrates “the workers, industries, and communities that keep America moving ahead,” according to the railcar lessor and repair company.
The railcar also honors “250 years of American commerce and the freight rail network that has helped carry it forward,” AITX, an ITE Management L.P. company, said in a May 18 announcement. “For more than 150 years, AITX and its predecessor companies have been part of that story, supporting the movement of goods across North America.”
The covered hopper was officially unveiled during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 14, at AITX’s railcar repair facility in Brookhaven, Miss.
According to AITX, America 250 was collaborative effort by employees at its Brookhaven facility “whose craftsmanship helped prepare the railcar for service”; AG Processing Inc. (AGP), which has placed the railcar into active agribusiness service supporting soybean processing operations; CN, which is supporting its movement across the rail network; Williams-Hayward Protective Coatings, Inc., which supplied the paint; and International Name Plate Supplies, which provided the graphics “that helped bring the project to life.”
“Freight rail has helped America grow, connecting cities, fueling industry, and delivering what we need,” AITX CEO Peter Appel at the event, which also included speakers AITX Senior Vice President of Leasing, East Region Erica Ray; Brookhaven Mayor Larry Jointer; and Brookhaven Economic Development Executive Director Garrick Combs. “The railcar in front of us is not just a piece of equipment; it is a symbol of progress and trust. As it travels across the country, it carries the spirit, effort, and reliability of everyone who keeps America moving.”
Other railroads and organizations have kicked off their own celebrations of our nation’s 250th anniversary. Amtrak, BNSF, CN, Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Lake State Railway Company, R.J. Corman, New Jersey Transit, Brightline, Sierra Northern Railway, and North Shore Railroad Company & Affiliates are among those that have rolled out locomotives with commemorative livery, and Union Pacific announced its first-ever coast-to-coast steam tour led by Big Boy No. 4014 and including its newest locomotive, No. 1776 – America250. Also, the B&O Railroad Museum has unveiled the restored American Freedom Train No. 1 (AFT No. 1), one of three locomotives that powered the 1975-76 American Freedom Train.