Cathcart Rail

What Cathcart Rail does

Guardian Rail, LLC (formerly Cathcart Rail, rebranded in 2025) is a US-based, privately held freight rail services and transportation platform headquartered at 8940 Lyra Drive, Suite 200, Columbus, Ohio. The company operates the largest independent freight car repair network in the United States, consisting of 18 repair facilities and over 75 field service locations, supplemented by three short line railroads (including Belpre Industrial Parkersburg Railroad and Cornhusker Railroad) that connect industrial customers to the Class I rail network. Across more than 110 sites in 33 states and a workforce of nearly 1,000, the platform is organized into five service pillars: Rail Operations, Repair Facilities, Field Services, Rail Services (track maintenance and repair), and Industrial Development.

The business operates on a B2B, sales-led model, generating revenue primarily through service fees for railcar repair, field service labor, short line freight transportation, track and rail infrastructure work, and industrial development support. Customers are industrial shippers requiring freight rail access and railcar maintenance, as well as railroad operators that depend on third-party repair capacity. Pricing is contract-based, scoped to customer-specific work, and not publicly disclosed. The company holds no patents or proprietary software, with its competitive position resting on physical infrastructure footprint and operational density rather than technology differentiation.

In 2025, Star America Infrastructure Fund GP II and Star America Rail Holdco acquired a controlling interest in the company, with Star America previously disclosing a $150 million stake, disclosed via Surface Transportation Board filing on May 2, 2025. The company also received approximately $15.2 million from the Federal Railroad Administration in September 2023 and acquired Appalachian Railcar Services in December 2020. No AI, API, or software product capabilities are disclosed across any of the company's service lines.

Name

Cathcart Rail

Legal name

Guardian Rail, LLC

Website

https://cathcart-rail.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Guardian Rail (formerly Cathcart Rail) operates the largest independent US freight car repair network, providing repair, field services, short line railroad operations, track maintenance, and industrial development services to industrial shippers and railroad operators across 33 states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Rail Freight Services

NAICS

Short Line Railroads (482112), Support Activities for Rail Transportation (488210)

SIC

Railroads, Line-Haul Operating (4011), Railroad Switching & Terminal Establishments (4013), Railroad Equipment (3743)

akta.pro primary industry

Unit Train & Dedicated Contract Rail Services (TLADACAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Railcar Storage & Staging Yards (TLALAKAF), Rail Freight Yard Operations (Classification, Hump & Flat Yards) (TLAJAFAB)

Keywords

• Freight rail services
• Railcar repair services
• Short line railroads
• Track maintenance services
• Industrial rail development

Headquarters

HQ city

Bucyrus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Short Line Railroad Operations: Operates three short line railroads providing freight transportation services, connecting industrial customers to Class I railroad networks.
2. Freight Car Repair Services: Largest independent freight car repair shop operator in the United States, operating 18 repair facilities and over 75 field service locations. Revenue generated through service fees for railcar maintenance and repair.
3. Rail Services: Provides comprehensive rail services including track repair, maintenance, and industrial development support for customers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Cathcart Rail (now operating as Guardian Rail) is a diversified freight rail platform providing short line railroad operations, freight car repair, mobile field services, track maintenance, and industrial rail development. The company operates three short line railroads, 18 repair facilities, and over 75 field service locations across 110+ sites in 33 states, connecting industrial customers to the Class I rail network.

Product overview

Guardian Rail (formerly Cathcart Rail) operates as a unified rail services platform offering short line railroad operations, freight car repair, field services, and rail services. The company operates three short line railroads (Belpre Industrial Parkersburg Railroad, Cornhusker Railroad, and one unnamed), 18 repair facilities, and over 75 field service locations across more than 110 locations in 33 states. The product portfolio is organized around five core service pillars: Rail Operations (short line railroads), Repair Facilities (largest independent freight car repair network), Field Services (mobile repair agent services), Rail Services (track maintenance and repair), and Industrial Development. The company positions itself as the premier one-stop solution for rail services and transportation in the United States.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Repair Facilities Freight car repair shop network consisting of 18 facilities, described as the largest independent repair facility network in the United States, offering comprehensive repair and maintenance services for rail freight cars.
• Field Services Mobile railcar repair and maintenance services provided at over 75 field service locations across the United States, described as the leading railroad repair agent provider in the country.
• Rail Operations Short line railroad operations connecting industrial customers to the Class I rail network, operating multiple shortline railroads across various regions.
• Rail Services Comprehensive rail services including track maintenance and repair, serving as a one-stop solution for various rail infrastructure needs.
• Industrial Development Industrial development services supporting rail-adjacent industrial projects and facilities.
• Belpre Industrial Parkersburg Railroad A short line railroad operated by Guardian Rail, providing freight rail services and connecting customers to the Class I network.
• Cornhusker Railroad A short line railroad operated by Guardian Rail, providing freight rail services and connecting customers to the Class I network.

Quantifiable outcome

• Largest independent repair facility network in the country

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Genesee & Wyoming (Brookfield Infrastructure): One of the largest short line railroad operators in North America with over 100 short line and regional railroads. Directly comparable to Guardian Rail's short line railroad operations and has comparable industrial customer base, though operates at significantly larger scale.
• Progress Rail Services (Caterpillar): Subsidiary of Caterpillar providing rail infrastructure and maintenance services, locomotives, and railcar repair. Overlaps with Guardian Rail's repair facilities, field services, and track maintenance offerings but operates as part of a much larger diversified industrial conglomerate.
• Trinity Rail: Major manufacturer and lessor of railcars and tank cars with railcar repair services. Comparable to Guardian Rail's freight car repair business, though Trinity operates as part of a larger railcar manufacturing and leasing platform.
• GATX Corporation: Global railcar leasing company with railcar repair and maintenance operations. Comparable to Guardian Rail's freight car repair business as both serve shippers needing railcar maintenance and offer related services, though GATX is primarily a leasing business.

Direct peers

• Watco Transportation Services: Privately held operator of 40+ short line railroads plus mechanical services and transloading. Closely comparable to Guardian Rail with its combined short line operations and rail services platform serving industrial customers.
• RailWorks Corporation: National provider of track construction, maintenance, and repair services for freight and passenger rail. Directly comparable to Guardian Rail's Rail Services division offering track maintenance and repair capabilities to railroad operators.
• Herzog Railroad Services: Provider of rail construction, maintenance, and transit services including track work, signal systems, and rail equipment. Comparable to Guardian Rail's rail services and track repair offerings, serving similar Class I and short line railroad customers.
• Loram Maintenance of Way: Provider of track maintenance equipment and services for freight and passenger railroads. Comparable to Guardian Rail's rail services offering, though Loram specializes in rail grinding and ballast cleaning rather than full-service track repair.
• Anacostia Rail Holdings: Short line railroad holding company operating multiple regional and terminal switching railroads across the US. Directly comparable to Guardian Rail's short line railroad operations connecting industrial customers to the Class I network.
• OmniTRAX: Operator of short line railroads plus industrial development and transloading services across North America. Comparable to Guardian Rail's combined short line operations and industrial development offering serving similar industrial customer base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CarthcartRail
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cathcart-rail-holdings

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cathcart Rail