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The Able was an American car produced in Mount Vernon, New York between 1917 and 1919. It was a small production car, featuring its own engines, though other components were proprietary. In 1920 the car became the Vernon.

The Mount Vernon Car Manufacturing Company was established in 1889 in Mount Vernon, Illinois, following a significant tornado that devastated the town in 1888. The relief efforts, facilitated by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, which hauled in approximately 1,900 carloads of supplies for reconstruction, played a crucial role in the company's inception. Among the rebuilt structures was a previously abandoned car repair shop, which was reopened as a commercial enterprise to provide much-needed employment to the local community.

Early Operations and Challenges

Initially, the car shops had a production capacity of about 10 cars and 100 car wheels per day. Despite the financial turmoil of 1894, which saw 192 railroads enter receivership, the Mount Vernon Car Manufacturing Company managed to recover. An article in the New York Times dated November 7, 1896, reported an order for 300 cars from the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, indicating the company had resumed operations.

However, the company faced financial difficulties again by 1897 and entered receivership. Walter C. Arthur, the Secretary-Treasurer, served as the Receiver until 1902 and successfully brought the company out of bankruptcy, paid its debts, improved the property, and returned it to the original stockholders without a sale of the property.

Leadership and Expansion

In 1908, Walter C. Arthur succeeded D.G. Settlemire, his father-in-law, as President of the company following Settlemire's death. Under Arthur's leadership, the company continued to grow. By 1909, the daily output had increased to 25 cars or 450 wheels, employing over 1,000 mechanics and skilled artisans. The monthly payroll averaged more than $60,000, and the annual product value exceeded $5 million.

By 1912, the company's production had further increased to more than 50 cars per day. During World War I, the plant employed over 2,300 people, although the specific nature of their work is not documented.

Wartime Production and Later Years

During World War II, the car shops were converted to support wartime production, including the manufacture of bomb casings. In 1943 or 1944, the company was acquired by the H.K. Porter Company of Pittsburgh, a builder of small locomotives. However, Porter sold the company to the Pressed Steel Car Company shortly after the acquisition.

The Mount Vernon plant operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pressed Steel until it closed down for over a year from late 1948 to 1950. It reopened in October 1950 but closed again in February 1954, with operations ceasing three months later. One of the last orders fulfilled by the company was for 10 lightweight head-end box cars for the Alton Railroad, using aluminum supplied by the Reynolds Aluminum Company.

The closure of the Mount Vernon Car Manufacturing Company marked the end of an era for the town, leading to significant unemployment and economic impact on the local community. Despite this, the legacy of the company remains as a significant contributor to the development and economic growth of Mount Vernon, Illinois.