<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>  This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from 
          the Consolidated Balance Sheet and Consolidated Income Statement of
          GATX and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial
          statements.
</LEGEND>                    
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                                   SEP-30-1996
<CASH>                                         88
<SECURITIES>                                   0
<RECEIVABLES>                                  1021    <F1>
<ALLOWANCES>                                   117
<INVENTORY>                                    0
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               0       <F2>
<PP&E>                                         4559
<DEPRECIATION>                                 1748
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 4564
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          0       <F2>
<BONDS>                                        2346    <F3>
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          3
<PREFERRED>                                    0
<COMMON>                                       14
<OTHER-SE>                                     755
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   4564
<SALES>                                        0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               1009
<CGS>                                          0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  487     <F4>
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                               145     <F5>
<LOSS-PROVISION>                               10
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                             148
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                104     <F6>
<INCOME-TAX>                                   41
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                            84
<DISCONTINUED>                                 0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                0
<CHANGES>                                      0
<NET-INCOME>                                   84
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                3.61
<EPS-DILUTED>                                3.43

<FN>
<F1> Receivables consists of three components:  Trade Accounts of 111 million,
     Finance Leases of 690 million, and Secured Loans of 220 million.
<F2> Not applicable because GATX has an unclassified balance sheet.
<F3> This value consists of two components:  Long-term Debt of 2,118 million
     and Capital Lease Obligations of 228 million.
<F4> This value represents Operating Expenses on the Consolidated Income 
     Statement.
<F5> This value represents the Provision for Depreciation and Amortization on
     the Consolidated Income Statement.
<F6> This value represents Income Before Income Taxes and Equity in Net
     Earnings of Affiliates.
</FN>