In the early 1920s, the American Railway Association (ARA) aimed to create a standard all-steel box car for its member railroads. The first design, introduced in 1923, led to the production of over 60,000 cars. However, it didn’t receive full approval from the railroads.
A revised design was introduced in 1932. After testing five prototypes in 1933, it gained wide acceptance. More than 14,500 of these cars were built over the next decade for 23 different railroads.
This design became the basis for later models, including the 1937, Modified 1937, and Postwar AAR box cars. Though not the most numerous, the 1932 ARA Standard box car is seen as one of the most important freight car designs in railroad history.
