Description of the Business

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Description of the Business [Abstract]

Description of the Business

Note 1 – Description of the Business

FreightCar America, Inc. ("FreightCar"), operates primarily in North America through its direct and indirect subsidiaries, JAC Operations, Inc. ("Operations"), Johnstown America, LLC ("JA LLC"), Freight Car Services, Inc. ("FCS"), JAIX Leasing Company ("JAIX"), FreightCar Roanoke, LLC ("FCR"), Titagarh FreightCar Private Limited, Inc. ("JV"), FreightCar Mauritius Ltd. ("Mauritius"), FreightCar Rail Services, LLC ("FCRS"), FreightCar Rail Management Services, LLC ("FCRMS") and FreightCar Short Line, Inc. ("Short Line") (herein collectively referred to as the "Company") , manufactures railroad freight cars, supplies railcar parts, leases freight cars and provides railcar maintenance, repairs and management. The Company designs and builds coal cars, bulk commodity cars, flat cars, mill gondola cars, intermodal cars, coil steel cars and motor vehicle carriers. The Company is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and has facilities in the following locations: Clinton, Indiana; Danville, Illinois; Lakewood, Colorado; Grand Island, Nebraska; Hastings, Nebraska; Johnstown, Pennsylvania; and Roanoke, Virginia.

The Company's operations comprise two reportable segments, Manufacturing and Services. The Company and its direct and indirect subsidiaries are all Delaware corporations or Delaware limited liability companies except JV, which is incorporated in India, and Mauritius, which is incorporated in Mauritius. The Company's direct and indirect subsidiaries are all wholly owned except JV, for which the Company (through Mauritius) has a 51% ownership interest.

On February 18, 2013, the Company transferred its interest in JV to Titagarh Wagons Limited ("Titagarh"). JV was incorporated in India pursuant to a 2008 Joint Venture Agreement (the "JV Agreement") between the parties with the objective of manufacturing and selling aluminum coal-carrying railcars in India. The Company had exercised its unilateral right under the JV Agreement to terminate the term of the JV Agreement, effective August 1, 2011, and as a result the net book value of JV on the Company's financial statements, which was not material, had been written down to zero during 2011.