Budd–Michelin rubber-tired rail cars Budd–Michelin rubber-tired rail cars The Budd–Michelin rubber-tired rail cars were built by the Budd Company in the United States between 1931 and 1933 using French firm Michelin's "Micheline" rail car design. Michelin built its first rail car in 1929, and by 1932 had built a fleet of nine cars that all featured innovative and distinctive pneumatic tires. In September 1931, an agreement signed between the two companies allowed Budd to use the new rubber rail tires on its shot-welded, stainless-steel carbodies, and at the same time allowed Michelin to expand into the American market. After building two demonstrators in what
Firestone-Apsley Rubber Company share of the Goodyear Gossamer Company and reincorporated it as the Apsley Rubber Company. This company produced both rubber clothing and footwear. The plant employed around 1200 to 2000 people during its existence, more than half of all of those employed in Hudson at the time. The brick plant was sold to the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company when Apsley approached retirement. The plant was renamed the Firestone-Apsley Rubber Company and started producing tires. A new brick smokestack with the word "FIRESTONE" spelled out on it in white-painted bricks was built by the Firestone Company. The factory helped attract immigrants