A&K Railroad Materials, Inc.

What A&K Railroad Materials, Inc. does

A&K Railroad Materials, Inc., founded in 1956-1958 in Oakland, California and headquartered since 1963 in Salt Lake City, Utah, is a privately held vertically integrated supplier of railroad infrastructure materials and services in the United States. The company originated as A&K Tie Company when co-founders Kern Schumacher and Alfred Boyd purchased thousands of used ties salvaged from the Oakland Bay Bridge demolition; over six decades it grew into a national distributor that self-describes as the largest U.S. supplier of railroad ties and operates as the exclusive North American representative for multiple rail mills. Its product portfolio spans new and relay Tee Rail, Continuous Welded Rail (CWR), Crane Rail, wood and steel ties, and a comprehensive Other Track Material (OTM) line including turnouts, panelized turnouts, switch points, switch stands, frogs, insulated joints, tie plates, anchors, direct fixation fasteners (E-Clips, rail clips), spikes, bolts, washers, joint bars, comp bars, gauge rods, lubricants, and maintenance tools, supplemented by a 100,000-square-foot in-house special trackwork manufacturing facility holding AAR/ISO certifications.

A&K generates revenue through one-time product sales (via e-commerce storefront and direct quotes), bundled product-plus-service engagements, and dedicated project-based services including fixed and portable CWR welding, track take-up/removal (with nationwide 48-hour crew deployment), transloading and storage, and in-house logistics. Distribution is multi-channel: a B2B/B2C e-commerce website that automatically sources from the nearest yard, direct enterprise sales through account managers serving Class I railroads and major contractors, and customer pickup across 11 distribution centers nationwide. Capital assets include 6 dedicated CWR trains, a complete railroad car fleet (gondolas, 89-ft flat cars, center beam flat cars, CWR trains, panelized-turnout gondolas), 4 fabrication centers, 12 service centers, and 7 sales offices, all under in-house logistics control. Customer segments span Class I and short-line railroads, railroad construction and maintenance contractors, industrial and crane operations (ports, terminals, material handling), and a long-tail SMB/consumer landscaping channel for used ties.

Leadership is held by Chairman/Co-Founder Kern Schumacher alongside President Rhonda Nicoloff and CFO Jeff Galyean, with no institutional investors, parent company, or public-market presence disclosed. Industry positioning is reinforced through memberships in AREMA, NRC, ASL (American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association), GEAPS, and NAMRC, and through the company's role manufacturing to AREMA Plan specifications for track bolts, rail tongs, gauges, and shovels.

Name

A&K Railroad Materials, Inc.

Legal name

A&K Railroad Materials, Inc.

Website

https://akrailroad.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

A&K Railroad Materials, Inc. is a privately held, vertically integrated U.S. distributor and manufacturer of railroad infrastructure materials — including rail, ties, special trackwork, OTM, and tools — serving Class I railroads, contractors, industrial operations, and landscaping buyers through 11 distribution centers, 4 fabrication facilities, and in-house logistics with CWR welding and track-removal services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Railroad Infrastructure Materials

NAICS

Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing (33699), Railroad Rolling Stock Manufacturing (3365)

SIC

Railroad Equipment (3743), Miscellaneous Transportation Equipment (3790)

akta.pro primary industry

Railway Track & Civil Works Construction (Ballast, Slab Track, Alignment) (IMAFAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bridge & Infrastructure Steel Components (IMADACAL), Railroad Ties, Poles & Timber Products (IMAMABAJ), Industrial & Terminal Railroads (Plant/Port Switching) (TLADACAJ)

Keywords

• Railroad track materials
• Railway infrastructure supplies
• Continuous welded rail
• Special trackwork manufacturing
• Railroad tie supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Salt Lake City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Railway Infrastructure Products: A&K generates revenue primarily through the sale of new and used railway infrastructure products including rail (tee rail, CWR, crane rail), railroad ties (new and relay wood ties, steel ties), and other track material (turnouts, frogs, switch points, fasteners, plates, anchors, insulated joints). Products are sold via e-commerce and direct sales.
2. Railway Services: A&K provides value-added services including take-up/track removal, CWR welding (fixed and portable plants), transloading and storage, and logistics. Services can be bundled with product sales for full-project execution from start to finish.
3. E-commerce Product Sales: Products sold online through the company's e-commerce storefront at akrailroad.com and akrailroadmaterials.com, including railroad ties, rail, tools, and track material. Customers can purchase online with pickup available at multiple distribution centers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

A&K Railroad Materials supplies new and reclaimed railroad infrastructure materials including rail (tee rail, continuous welded rail, crane rail), railroad ties (wood and steel), and manufactured special trackwork (turnouts, frogs, switch points, switch stands). The company complements these products with services such as continuous welded rail welding (fixed and portable plants), track removal/take-up, transloading and storage, and in-house logistics across 11 distribution centers in the United States.

Product overview

A&K Railroad Materials, Inc. offers a comprehensive portfolio of railway infrastructure products and services rather than a unified software platform. The product range centers on railroad track materials including new and relay rail (Tee Rail, Continuous Welded Rail/CWR, Crane Rail), railroad ties (wood and steel), and manufactured track components (Turnouts, Panelized Turnouts, Switch Points, Switch Stands, Frogs). Supporting these core offerings is an extensive Other Track Material (OTM) division encompassing tie plates, anchors, direct fixation hardware (E-Clips, Rail Clips), fasteners (Track Spikes, Specialty Spikes, Track Bolts, Lock Washers), joint bars, comp bars, gauge rods, and track maintenance supplies. The company also provides railroad maintenance tools and complementary services including CWR welding, transloading & storage, track take-up/removal, and in-house logistics. Products are distributed through 12 strategically located distribution centers across the United States.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tee Rail
• Continuous Welded Rail (CWR)
• Crane Rail
• Railroad Ties
• Turnouts
• Panelized Turnouts
• Switch Points
• Switch Stands
• Frogs
• Insulated Joints
• Tie Plates
• Anchors
• Direct Fixation (E-Clips, Rail Clips)
• Track Spikes
• Specialty Spikes
• Track Bolts
• Lock Washers
• Joint Bars
• Compromise (Comp) Bars
• Gauge Rods
• Lubricant
• Cedar Tie Plugs
• Bumping Post
• Railroad Tools
• Continuous Welded Rail (CWR) Welding Service

Quantifiable outcome

• CWR provides a quieter, smoother ride, requires less maintenance, allows higher travel speeds, prevents excessive wear found in jointed rail, and results in longer-lasting track
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AREMA (American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association)coreOthersA&K Railroad Materials displays AREMA membership/affiliation. The company manufactures products to AREMA specifications, including track bolts with button head/oval neck/rolled thread per AREMA standards, rail tongs per AREMA Plan 10, track gauges per AREMA Plan 20-12, and shovels per AREMA Plan 21.
• NRC (National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Contractors)minorOthersA&K displays affiliation with NRC, an industry association representing railroad construction and maintenance contractors.
• ASL (American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association)minorOthersA&K displays affiliation with ASL representing short line and regional railroads.
• GEAPS (Grain Elevator and Processing Society)minorOthersA&K displays affiliation with GEAPS, an industry association relevant to grain handling and processing facilities that use railroad infrastructure.
• NAMRC (National Association of Railroad Property Contractors)minorOthersA&K displays affiliation with NAMRC, representing railroad property contractors.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NARSTCO (voestalpine): NARSTCO manufactures special trackwork including turnouts, switch points, and frogs for North American railroads, directly overlapping with A&K's 100,000 ft² trackwork facility. Both produce AREMA-spec products for Class I and regional railroads.
• Holland L.P. Holland supplies rail welding equipment, track maintenance machinery, and related services to North American railroads. It is comparable to A&K in the CWR welding and track services category, though more equipment-focused than materials-focused.
• voestalpine Railway Systems: voestalpine Railway Systems manufactures turnouts, frogs, switch points, and rail fastening systems, directly competing with A&K's special trackwork manufacturing division. Both serve Class I and transit customers with AREMA-spec components.
• Atlantic Track & Turnout Co. Atlantic Track & Turnout distributes new and relay rail, turnouts, ties, and OTM to railroads and contractors in the eastern U.S. It is a direct regional peer to A&K's distribution and special trackwork business.
• L.B. Foster Company: L.B. Foster is a direct competitor supplying new and used rail, trackwork, piling, and pipe products to North American railroads, with significant overlap in rail distribution and fabricated track components. Both companies serve Class I railroads and contractors with a similar product-plus-service model.
• Koppers Holdings: Koppers is a major producer of creosote-treated wood railroad ties and related railroad infrastructure products, directly overlapping with A&K's wood tie product line. Both supply treated and relay ties to Class I railroads across the U.S.
• Loram Maintenance of Way: Loram provides rail maintenance services, track inspection, and rail grinding, complementary to A&K's track removal and CWR services. While more focused on maintenance execution than materials supply, both sell into Class I railroad infrastructure budgets.
• Vossloh North America: Vossloh supplies rail fastening systems, concrete tie components, and switch systems to North American railroads. It is comparable to A&K in the track components and special trackwork categories and serves the same Class I customer base.
• Progress Rail Services (Caterpillar): Progress Rail is a major manufacturer and supplier of rail products, trackwork, fasteners, and signaling equipment serving freight railroads globally. It overlaps directly with A&K in rail, ties, special trackwork, and rail services, but operates at much larger scale as a Caterpillar subsidiary.

Emerging players

• Lewis Bolt & Nut Company: Lewis Bolt & Nut manufactures track bolts, spikes, and other track fasteners to AREMA specifications, overlapping with A&K's Other Track Material (OTM) division. Both supply Class I and contractor customers in the fastener segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/akrailroad1
• Facebookfacebook.com/ak-railroad-materials-107284852638570

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about A&K Railroad Materials, Inc.