Magor Corporation

by Keith MacCauley. 

Many years ago the Oakville, Ont. RIP track had a thriving business with several foreign car owners as customers. Incredibly, over the years a number of cars built by Magor were repaired, owned by Dupont and Norfolk Southern.

The following information was gleaned from the Edward S. Kaminski book 'THE MAGOR CAR CORPORATION' (published 2000). A fabulous documentary. 

Among smaller niche freight car builders was Magor Corporation, located in Clifton New Jersey. Dating from 1899, Magor initially focused on export railcar production. With its Eastern Seaboard location Magor took advantage of New York port facilities to serve the overseas market. Prior to World War I domestic production was added and the builder would be included in the United States Railroad Administration supply control plan. Continuing their export activities Magor would supply freight cars for military use in World War II, the Korean conflict and later for use in Europe under the Marshall plan.

Among the more entrepreneurial of builders, Magor was a pioneer in adopting aluminum as a construction material. Following construction of their first conventional covered hopper car in 1952, the builder would introduce an aluminum version in 1959. Promoting the aluminum material benefits of reduced weight, corrosion resistance and absence of paint, Magor employed the combination of steel underframe, aluminum carbody on some five thousand follow up freight cars. Key to the success of combining the two materials was the use of an insulating compound where the two are joined, so as to avoid galvanic corrosion. Aluminum covered hopper construction would continue until 1970.

In 1964 Magor would be acquired by transport trailer maker Fruehauf Corporation. Despite a couple of late thousand car orders for gondolas and boxcars, declining sales through the 1960’s and 1970’s led to Magor being shuttered in early 1973. As a testament to the talent of the builder, most of the aluminum covered hoppers served owners to their forty year AAR life limit. Perhaps some even qualified for Extended Service Status (so called ‘EXS’) and made it to the half century.

DUPX 38370 was built in 1970.  Car series DUPX 38306 – 38375; the last aluminum covered hopper cars to be built by Magor.

SOU 8759 was 5325 cu. ft. covered hopper car built in 1965. Car series was SOU 7925 - 7999 and SOU 8575 - 8999. Note the faded 'Big John' graphic.