POWER OF ATTORNEY

          Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby constitutes
and appoints each of Brian Black, FreightCar America, Inc.'s (the "Company's")
General Counsel and Christopher J. Eppel, the Company's Vice President Finance,
Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Corporate Secretary, or any successor of
each filling such similar role, as may be appointed from time to time, signing
singly, the undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

     1.   Execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned's
          capacity as an officer and/or director of the Company, Forms 3, 4 and
          5 in accordance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of
          1934 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder;

     2.   Do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the undersigned
          which may be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such
          Form 3, 4 or 5, complete and execute any amendment or amendments
          thereto and timely file such form with the United States Securities
          and Exchange Commission and any national quotation system, national
          securities exchange, stock exchange or similar authority; and

     3.   Take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the
          foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of
          benefit to, in the best interest of or legally required by the
          undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed by such
          attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power
          of Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and
          conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in such attorney-in-
          fact's discretion.

          The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power
and authority to do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever
requisite, necessary or proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights
and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the
undersigned might or could do if personally present, with full power of
substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such
attorney-in-fact, or such attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes, shall
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this Power of Attorney and the
rights and powers herein granted.  The undersigned acknowledges that the
foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such capacity at the request of the
undersigned, are not assuming, nor is the Company assuming, any of the
undersigned's responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934.

          This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the
undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4 and 5 with respect to the
undersigned's holdings of and transactions in securities issued by the Company,
unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the
foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney
to be executed as of this 2nd day of December, 2020.

                                             By: /s/ Michael A. Riordan
                                                 ------------------------------
                                                 Michael A. Riordan