National Steel Car (NSC) is North America’s largest producer of freight cars. NSC began in 1912 as the Imperial Car Company. The original founders of Imperial wanted to build the plant near Cootes Paradise (a National Historic Site), but fortunately a last minute decision shifted the plant to its current location and changed its name to NSC.

In the early years of production, workers created wooden box cars and shortly thereafter, passenger cars. During World Wars I and II, NSC switched to the production of military items that included artillery wagons, gun mounts and army truck bodies. In peace time, the plant also manufactured trucks, streetcars, motor boats, buses, and car chassis.

Source: Hamilton Industrial Trail