ACF Industries says it is laying off 148 people at its plant in Milton permanently.

“We do know that they want everybody out by the end of the year,” said AFC employee James Dolan.

And with that statement, it marks the coming to an end of Dolan`s 32 year run with ACF Industries in Milton.

The company that makes railcars and railcar parts sent a letter to the mayor of Milton as well as the state Department of Labor and Industry it is in the process of laying off 148 workers at its plant for good by the end of the year.

“I feel sorry for the guys in their 50`s where they have to find something else,” said Dolan. “I`m going to be 65 so I`m not really worried too much about this, it`s wasn`t when I really wanted to go out, but.”

Keith Brown owns Home Supply Outlet in the same row of buildings here on North Arch Street and says that plant used to be bustling with activity.

“Bringing in a lot of steel trucks in, used to bring in four or five steel trucks a day and unload the steel. Build the train cars,” said Brown. “I know it`s been up and down for years but what`s going on there I don`t know. A lot of people around here I don`t know if they know what`s going on.”

The one thing the company did not indicate in its letter was whether it was closing or if it would remain in operation.

“Right now, we don`t know anything really, they`re not being very forward with us as far as what the outcome is going to be here,” said Dolan.

These layoffs won't just impact workers at the plant but those working in Milton's downtown.

“We get a lot of takeout from there, we get a lot of business meetings, they come here with clients from out of town, so obviously that won`t be happening anymore,” said Lisa Showers, the owner of Lisa’s Milltown Deli.

“Less people in town, less business, it`s going to affect everybody not just me, the business downtown, they support everybody,” said Mario Bua, the owner of Original Italian Pizza.

Our calls to ACF Industries were not returned.