GATX

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title: "GATX" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1898-establishments-in-illinois", "1910s-initial-public-offerings", "companies-based-in-chicago", "companies-listed-on-the-new-york-stock-exchange", "rolling-stock-leasing-companies", "transportation-companies-based-in-illinois", "transportation-companies-of-the-united-states", "companies-in-the-s&p-400"] description: "Equipment finance company" topic_path: "sports" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GATX" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Equipment finance company ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox company"]

Field	Value
name	GATX Corporation
logo	GATX Logo.svg
image	EMD GP38-2 GMTX 2146.jpg
image_caption	A GATX EMD GP38-2 locomotive
type	Public company
traded_as
S&P 400 component
industry	Railcar leasing
foundation
founder	Max Epstein
location	Chicago, Illinois
key_people	Robert C. Lyons, CEO
revenue	$1.209 billion (2020)
net_income	$151 million (2020)
assets	$8.937 billion (2020)
equity	$1.957 billion (2020)
num_employees	1,904 (2020)
homepage
footnotes
::

| name = GATX Corporation | logo = GATX Logo.svg | image = EMD GP38-2 GMTX 2146.jpg | image_caption = A GATX EMD GP38-2 locomotive | type = Public company | traded_as = S&P 400 component | industry = Railcar leasing | foundation = | founder = Max Epstein | location = Chicago, Illinois | key_people = Robert C. Lyons, CEO | revenue = $1.209 billion (2020) | net_income = $151 million (2020) | assets = $8.937 billion (2020) | equity = $1.957 billion (2020) | num_employees = 1,904 (2020) | homepage = | footnotes = GATX Corporation is a railcar lessor that owns fleets in North America, Europe, and Asia. In addition, jointly with Rolls-Royce Limited, it owns one of the largest aircraft spare engine lease portfolios. It is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. As of December 31, 2020, the company owned 148,939 rail cars, including 83,959 tank cars, 64,980 freight cars, and 645 locomotives. Other major car types owned include covered hoppers, open-top hopper cars, and gondolas. It primarily serves the petroleum industry (29% of 2020 revenues), chemical industry (22% of 2020 revenues), food industry (11% of 2020 revenues), mining industry (10% of 2020 revenues), and transportation industry (20% of 2020 revenues).

History

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/MaspethDSC02183_09.jpg" caption="GATX freight car in New York City"] ::

The company was founded as Atlantic Seaboard Dispatch in Chicago, Illinois, in 1898 by Max Epstein to ship beer in refrigerated railcars for Duquesne Brewing Company.

In 1902, the company was renamed German-American Car Co. In 1916, it changed its name to General American Tank Car Corp. and became a public company via an initial public offering, and in 1933, it was renamed General American Transportation Corp.

In 1949, the company worked with designer Russel Wright to develop "Meladur", a melamine dinnerware.

Effective January 1, 2000, General American Transportation Corporation was renamed GATX Rail Corporation, a unit of GATX Corporation.

In 2004, the company sold its technology-leasing unit to CIT Group for about $200 million in cash.

In September 2013, the company sold its 37.5% interest in AAE Ahaus Alstätter Eisenbahn Cargo AG to its partner, AAE Ahaus Alstätter Eisenbahn, for €84.5 million.

In March 2014, the company acquired the North American per diem boxcar fleet of GE Capital Rail Services, consisting of more than 18,500 boxcars.

In November 2018, the company announced an agreement to acquire up to 3,100 railcars from ECN Capital for up to $229 million.

In May 2020, the company sold American Steamship Company, its dry bulk vessel business, to Rand Logistics for $260 million.

In December 2020, the company acquired Trifleet Leasing Holding B.V., the fourth largest global tank container lessor.

In 2025, GATX partnered with Brookfield Infrastructure Partners to acquire Wells Fargo's $4.4 billion railcar portfolio. The deal is expected to close in early 2026.

Reporting marks

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d3/GATX_37_84_7829_533-0,_2020_Albertirsa.jpg" caption="GATX tank car in Europe"] ::

GATX's primary freight car reporting marks are:

• GATX (for tank cars)
• GACX (for general-service freight cars)
• GGPX (for coal cars)
• GIMX (for intermodal cars)
• GPLX (for plastic pellet cars)
• GMTX and LLPX (for locomotives)
• GPFX (for pressure-differential cars)

GATX also owns other marks including CGTX, GABX, GAEX, GCCX, GFSX, GOHX, GSCX, IPSX, and TRIX including for General American Marks Company and GATX Rail. Many GATX cars carry a large "GATX" logo in the upper corner of the cars regardless of the reporting mark they carry; this logo is applied for marketing reasons and does not have any operational significance.

References

References

1. "GATX Corporation 2020 Form 10-K Annual Report". [[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]].
2. "General American Transportation Corp".
3. (February 17, 2006). "NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK NOMINATION: MANITOGA". [[National Park Service]].
4. "GATX Corporation 1999 Annual Report".
5. (April 16, 2004). "Company News: CIT TO BUY LEASING UNIT FROM GATX FOR ABOUT $200 MILLION". [[The New York Times]].
6. (September 26, 2013). "GATX Corporation Announces the Sale of Its Interest in AAE Cargo". [[Business Wire]].
7. International, Railway Gazette. "GATX buys 18 500 wagons from GE Capital Rail Services".
8. "ECN Capital Closes the Sale of Remaining Rail Portfolio to GATX - News {{!}} Equipment Finance Advisor".
9. (May 14, 2020). "GATX Corporation Completes Sale of American Steamship Company Business Segment". GlobeNewswire.
10. (December 30, 2020). "GATX Corporation Acquires Tank Container Lessor Trifleet Leasing". GlobeNewswire.
11. "GATX says demand for freight car leases is holding steady".
12. "Interchange: General American Transportation Corp".

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