Railroad car leasing companies. Benefits, types of railcars & top 20 US and European leasing businesses

Types of railcar leases

Railcar leasing companies often offer various types of lease constructions, each with its own benefits and considerations. Broadly, leases fall into two categories: operating leases and finance leases. In an operating lease, the lessor retains ownership and balance sheet responsibility, while the lessee pays for usage, often with services included. In a finance lease, most risks and benefits of ownership are transferred to the lessee, and the railcars are recorded on the lessee’s balance sheet.

• Full-service lease (operating lease). The lessor provides the railcar and covers most obligations, including maintenance, inspections, and regulatory compliance. This option reduces operational burden but typically comes with higher monthly costs.
• Net lease (operating lease). The lessee is responsible for maintenance, repairs, and compliance. This structure offers lower lease rates but requires in-house resources to manage fleet obligations.
• Per diem lease (operating lease). Railcars are leased on a short-term, daily basis. This provides maximum flexibility for seasonal or temporary needs, but costs are higher if cars are kept in service for extended periods.
• Purchase-leaseback (finance lease). A company sells its owned railcars to a leasing firm and leases them back. This arrangement frees up capital while allowing continued use of the assets. The trade-off is giving up ownership and potential long-term asset value.

Types of railcars

Railroad leasing companies often provide various types of railcars, including boxcars, auto racks, tank cars, gondolas, centerbeams, covered hoppers, and intermodal units. We advise you to seek guidance on which railcar is best suited to your needs.

North american railcar leasing market

Are you looking to lease railcars in the United States, Canada, or Mexico? Below you will find the leading leasing companies operating across North America.

1. GATX Rail North America. GATX is one of the oldest and largest railcar lessors in North America. The company provides a wide variety of railcars, including tank cars, covered and open hoppers, gondolas, boxcars, intermodal units, and locomotives. Lease structures range from full-service agreements to triple-net and utilization-based contracts. Customers benefit from extensive maintenance support, compliance services, and a network of service facilities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Visit website.
2. The Greenbrier Companies (GBRX). Greenbrier is a global supplier of rail equipment, offering leasing, manufacturing, and fleet management solutions. The company’s portfolio covers tank cars, hoppers, boxcars, autoracks, centerbeams, flatcars, gondolas, and intermodal units. Lease options are flexible and often paired with technical support, remarketing, and railcar administration. Greenbrier operates in North America and internationally, ensuring customers have access to a broad range of services and expertise. Visit website.
3. Wells Fargo Rail. Wells Fargo Rail manages one of the largest fleets in North America with more than 135,000 railcars and 850 locomotives. Available equipment includes autoracks, boxcars, centerbeams, gondolas, hoppers, flatcars, tank cars, and intermodal equipment. The company offers operating leases, net leases, full-service agreements, portfolio acquisitions, and sale-leaseback solutions. Customers also gain access to financing and marketing services, backed by Wells Fargo’s financial strength. Visit website.
4. American Industrial Transport (AITX). AITX specializes in railcar leasing and repair services, operating since 1988. Its fleet consists mainly of covered hoppers and specialized tank cars, available through flexible lease arrangements. The company provides extensive repair capabilities, including both shop facilities and mobile field services, which ensures high fleet availability. AITX serves customers across the United States and Canada. Visit website.
5. Chicago Freight Car Leasing Company (CFCL). CFCL offers leasing solutions tailored to shippers in industries such as agriculture, chemicals, metals, and energy. Its railcar portfolio includes covered hoppers, tank cars, gondolas, and other freight equipment. Lease structures are designed for flexibility, and additional services include fleet management and customer support programs. The company operates throughout North America. Visit website.
6. TTX Company. TTX operates a cooperative pool of railcars owned by major U.S. and Canadian railroads. Its 168,000-unit fleet includes flatcars, autoracks, boxcars, gondolas, and intermodal well cars. Instead of traditional leasing, TTX provides pooled railcars to railroads, enabling efficient fleet sharing. Services include car management, maintenance, and repair through field operations and heavy shops. Visit website.
7. Procor Limited. Procor, a subsidiary of Union Tank Car, is the largest private lessor in Canada. The company’s fleet consists mainly of tank cars for liquids and gases, as well as hoppers and gondolas. Lease contracts are customizable, with options for full maintenance and design support. Procor also operates a nationwide repair and service network in Canada, with strong connections to the U.S. market. Visit website.
8. Infinity Transportation. Infinity Transportation manages a fleet of more than 44,000 railcars, available for short- and long-term leasing. The company provides a diverse range of equipment, serving customers across multiple industries. Flexible lease options are paired with responsive service and support to help shippers adapt to changing market needs. Visit website.
9. Modern Rail Capital (MRC). MRC offers full-service railcar leasing solutions across North America. Its fleet includes DOT-117 and DOT-112 tank cars, covered hoppers, gondolas, open hoppers, boxcars, and intermodal units. Lease contracts are typically full-service and include maintenance and fleet management. MRC is recognized for its customer-focused approach and high-quality equipment. Visit website.
10. Rescar. Rescar is a service provider specializing in railcar maintenance and repair. While not a traditional leasing company, Rescar supports leasing providers and shippers with mobile repair units, shop facilities, and compliance programs. Its services help keep leased fleets operational and compliant across North America. Visit website.
11. TrinityRail. TrinityRail combines railcar manufacturing, leasing, and fleet management under one brand. Its portfolio includes boxcars, gondolas, tank cars, hoppers, autoracks, and intermodal solutions. Leasing options range from operating leases to full-service agreements with integrated maintenance and regulatory compliance. TrinityRail also provides fleet management services to optimize utilization and lifecycle value. The company operates across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Visit website
12. CIT Rail (a division of First Citizens Bank). CIT Rail manages a modern fleet of freight cars serving multiple industries across North America. Available equipment includes tank cars, hoppers, boxcars, gondolas, and intermodal equipment. Lease structures combine flexible financing and leasing terms, designed to reduce downtime and improve efficiency. CIT Rail offers customers financial stability backed by one of the largest U.S. banks. Visit website.
13. Marmon Rail / Union Tank Car Company (UTLX). UTLX, part of Berkshire Hathaway’s Marmon Holdings, is one of the leading tank car lessors in North America. The fleet includes general-purpose and specialty tank cars, as well as covered hoppers. Lease types include operating and net leases, paired with comprehensive maintenance and compliance programs. Union Tank Car supports shippers across the United States, Canada, and Mexico with a network of service shops. Visit website.
14. VTG Rail. VTG Rail is the North American arm of VTG AG, a global leasing company headquartered in Germany. Its North American fleet covers tank cars, hoppers, gondolas, and intermodal cars. Lease contracts are flexible, often including maintenance and fleet services. VTG Rail leverages global expertise while serving primarily U.S. and Canadian customers. Visit website.
15. Mitsui Rail Capital (MRCI). Mitsui Rail Capital is an international railcar leasing company with significant operations in North America. Its portfolio includes tank cars, covered hoppers, gondolas, and intermodal cars. Leasing options are tailored to long-term fleet needs, supported by Mitsui’s financial strength and industry knowledge. The company operates across the U.S. and Canada, serving industrial and agricultural sectors. Visit website.
16. Touax Rail. Touax is a French-based lessor with an active presence in the North American rail market. The fleet includes intermodal cars, boxcars, gondolas, and hoppers. Leasing contracts are designed to provide flexibility for both short-term and long-term needs. Touax also offers asset management services, drawing on decades of global experience. Visit website.
17. Ermewa Group. Ermewa is another European leasing company with a footprint in North America. It offers tank cars, hoppers, gondolas, and flatcars for industrial commodities. Lease contracts are adaptable and include maintenance support through partner networks. Ermewa serves multinational shippers looking for both European and North American coverage. Visit website.
18. The Andersons Rail Group. The Andersons Rail Group manages a large leasing portfolio of tank cars, hoppers, boxcars, and gondolas. The company provides operating and full-service leases, with fleet management solutions integrated. Additional services include railcar repair and refurbishment at dedicated facilities. The Andersons serves shippers across the U.S. and Canada. Visit website.
19. Railcar Leasing Services (RLS). Railcar Leasing Services focuses on tailored leasing solutions for a broad range of industries. Its fleet includes covered hoppers, gondolas, tank cars, and boxcars. Lease types vary from short-term to long-term contracts, complemented by responsive customer service. RLS operates throughout North America, helping shippers adjust capacity to market demand. Visit website.
20. Progress Rail. Progress Rail, a Caterpillar company, is a major provider of rail solutions in North America. In addition to locomotives, the company offers railcar leasing and fleet management services, covering boxcars, gondolas, hoppers, and maintenance-of-way equipment. Lease contracts are flexible and can include full-service maintenance and compliance support. Progress Rail operates across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with an extensive service and repair network. Visit website.

European railcar leasing market

Looking for railcar leasing options in Europe? Here is an overview of the leading providers operating throughout the continent.

1. GATX Rail Europe. GATX Rail Europe operates over 30,000 railcars spanning nearly 200 wagon types, including intermodal, box, hopper, flat, and tank cars. They deliver full-service leasing with maintenance, telematics, and operational support across more than 20 European countries. Visit website.
2. Beacon Rail. Beacon Rail offers bespoke leasing for passenger and freight rolling stock, including locomotives, wagons and coaches, under dry lease or full-service models. Their services include sale‑and‑leaseback, modernization, financing, and asset management across 17–18 countries in Europe. Visit website.
3. Ermewa (Streem Group). Ermewa, part of the Streem Group, leases over 50,000 freight wagons to industries like steel, chemicals, food, and aggregates. They offer tailored leasing with full maintenance and repair via certified workshops in 14 countries, emphasizing sustainability and circular economy principles. Visit website.
4. Alpha Trains. Headquartered in Luxembourg, Alpha Trains leases more than 350 locomotives and 430 passenger trainsets. Their full-service offering includes retrofits (ETCS), maintenance, and a customer portal, with coverage across continental Europe and EFTA. Visit website.
5. Railpool. Based in Munich, Railpool leases Bombardier TRAXX and Siemens Vectron locomotives as well as double-deck coaches. Offerings include financing, leasing, consultancy, and maintenance through Railpool Lokservice via German workshops. Visit website.
6. Northrail. Northrail, based in Hamburg, manages around 450 locomotives, multiple units, and passenger coaches. They offer leasing and asset management services, backed by €1.5 billion in investments, serving freight and passenger operators across Europe. Visit website.
7. European Loc Pool (ELP). European Loc Pool provides full-service leasing of hybrid locomotives, including maintenance and insurance, to operators and logistics companies throughout Europe, enabling hassle-free asset use across multiple countries. Visit website.
8. ERR European Rail Rent. ERR delivers high-quality wagon leasing in Germany with advanced-product standards and service consistency. They specialize in freight wagon rental designed for reliability. Visit website.
9. Nexrail Lease. Nexrail provides freight and shunting market leasing services across Western Europe, managing a fleet of approximately 100 locomotives with flexible leasing terms tailored to operational needs. Visit website.
10. Transwaggon (Europe). Transwaggon owns around 13,500 freight wagons, flat, covered, and custom types, and offers flexible leasing solutions across European rail networks. Visit website.
11. Rail-Innovators Group B.V. Based in the Netherlands, Rail‑Innovators provides freight wagon leasing with smart and flexible solutions aimed at establishing themselves as “rail mobility partners” for clients across Europe. Visit website.
12. Akiem Group SAS. Akiem, formerly SNCF’s locomotive lessor, offers leasing of locomotives and rolling stock across France and Europe, with services including maintenance, asset financing, and lifecycle support. Visit website.
13. Angel Trains. As a major UK lessor, Angel Trains provides passenger rolling stock leasing, including trains and maintenance services, with retrofit programs and support across Europe. Visit website.
14. Porterbrook. Porterbrook is a key British passenger rolling stock lessor offering lease, maintenance, and upgrade programs across Europe, including modernization services for interoperable operation. Visit website.
15. AstraRail Industries SA. Active in Romania and Eastern Europe, AstraRail provides rolling stock leasing and engineering services, specializing in freight wagons and maintenance solutions for regional operators. No website available.
16. Touax Group. Touax offers intermodal railcar, boxcar, and hopper leasing across Europe, with both short- and long-term contracts complemented by asset management services. Visit website.
17. VTG GmbH. VTG focuses on freight wagon and tank container leasing, supporting multimodal logistics and providing digital solutions alongside full fleet services across Europe. Visit website.
18. Wascosa. Wascosa, based in Switzerland, leases freight wagons across Europe with flexible terms and lifecycle support, serving industries like intermodal, bulk and infrastructure transport. Visit website.
19. Transitio. Owned by Swedish regional authorities, Transitio leases and manages regional and commuter rail vehicles in Sweden, handling procurement, financing, standardization, and maintenance of EMUs and DMUs. Visit website.
20. Lineas. Although primarily a freight operator, Lineas, headquartered in Belgium, runs over 6,700 wagons and 240 locomotives and leverages sale‑and‑leaseback partnerships with Beacon Rail and Ermewa for financing fleet growth across Europe. Visit website.

About Hoefon Security Seals

Hoefon Security Seals is a certified supplier of railcar seals and transport monitoring equipment. Unfortunately, railcar theft is a growing problem and burden for businesses. Hoefon Security Seals collaborates with rail operators as well as shippers to reduce the risk of cargo theft. Our portfolio includes railcar seals designed to withstand common tools and custom-made solutions that effectively deter tampering with train containers. Interested in learning more? Contact us to explore how our security products can support your operations.

Is any information in this article outdated or incomplete? Is your leasing company not listed? We would appreciate it if you let us know.