Capital Railroad Contracting

What Capital Railroad Contracting does

Capital Railroad Contracting, Inc. is a private, Midwest-based railroad construction and maintenance contractor founded in 1987 and headquartered in Columbia, Missouri. The company delivers an end-to-end service portfolio spanning new rail construction (surveying, grading, earthwork, track laying), maintenance of way (inspection, ballast, drainage, bridge and culvert upkeep), 24/7 emergency repair for derailments and washouts, railroad bridge construction and repair, directional boring and signal conduit installation, jack-and-bore trenchless crossings, and regulatory compliance services under FRA 49 CFR Parts 213, 219, and 243 and MSHA guidelines. Customers include Class I and short line freight railroads, industrial facilities, ports, MSHA-regulated mining and aggregate sites, and, via a newly opened transloading hub in Park Hills, Missouri, regional shippers needing rail-to-truck freight transfer.

The company operates from five locations across Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa, and runs four operating divisions (Central, Eastern, Western, Structures) led by dedicated division managers. Capital Railroad owns its core surfacing and track installation equipment, deploys specialized rigs for trenchless work, and staffs rapid-mobilization emergency crews. Differentiators rest on 35+ years of railroad-specific experience, seven consecutive NRC Safe Contractor of the Year safety awards (through 2026), and five 2026 Energage Top Workplaces recognitions.

Revenue mechanics are primarily project-based professional services billed on custom quotes to enterprise customers (Class I railroads, short line operators, industrial owners, ports, and public agencies), supplemented by a new recurring transaction-fee stream from the December 2025 Park Hills transloading hub. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales supported by an NRC and AREMA member reputation, an industry awards profile, and a consultative 'Schedule a Project Call' / 'Request a Quote' sales motion. The company is co-owned by Aaron Vollrath and Bob Gerke, has no disclosed institutional or private equity backing, and is actively recruiting crew capacity to support its project pipeline, which includes rail infrastructure work on BlueOval Ford's $5.6 billion EV manufacturing campus in Stanton, Tennessee.

Name

Capital Railroad Contracting

Legal name

Capital Railroad Contracting, Inc.

Website

https://capitalrailroad.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Capital Railroad Contracting is a private, Midwest-based railroad construction and maintenance contractor founded in 1987, serving Class I railroads, short line operators, industrial facilities, ports, mines, and regional shippers with track construction, maintenance of way, emergency repair, bridge work, and a newly launched transloading hub.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Railroad Construction Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Rail Transportation (48821)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Stations, Platforms & Depot/Yard Construction (IMAFAFAD), Intermodal Terminal Value-Added Services (Cross-Dock, Transload, Stuffing/Stripping) (TLAJAFAL)

Keywords

• Railroad construction
• Track maintenance
• Emergency rail repair
• Bridge construction
• Directional boring

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Railroad Construction Services: New rail construction including surveying, grading, earthwork, track laying, and structural work for mainline and industrial track. Project-based revenue from government, Class I railroads, short line operators, and industrial customers.
2. Maintenance of Way Services: Ongoing inspection, repair, and maintenance of track, ballast, drainage, bridges, and culverts. Contracts may be recurring maintenance agreements or project-based repair work.
3. Emergency Repair Services: Rapid response emergency repair services for derailments, washouts, and infrastructure failures. Premium pricing for urgent 24/7 mobilization services.
4. Transloading Hub Operations: New transloading facility in Park Hills, MO enables freight transfer between rail cars and trucks. Revenue from transloading fees for shippers needing rail-truck intermodal services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Capital Railroad Contracting provides railroad construction, maintenance of way, emergency repair, bridge construction and repair, directional boring, jack-and-bore trenchless installation, and FRA/MSHA compliance services for freight railroads, short lines, industrial facilities, ports, and mining sites. The company owns its surfacing and track installation equipment and operates 24/7 rapid-mobilization crews for derailments, washouts, and storm damage. A new transloading hub opened in Park Hills, Missouri in December 2025 to provide rail-to-truck freight transfer services for regional shippers.

Product overview

Capital Railroad Contracting offers a comprehensive suite of railroad construction and maintenance services as a unified portfolio of integrated service offerings. The core products include Rail Construction (surveying, grading, track laying), Maintenance of Way (track inspection, repair, ballast, drainage, bridge maintenance), Emergency Repair (24/7 rapid response), Railroad Bridge Construction and Repair, Directional Boring & Signal Services, and Jack & Bore (trenchless installation). These services are supported by FRA Compliance Services (covering 49 CFR Parts 213, 219, and 243) and MSHA Compliance Services. The company also operates a Transloading Hub in Park Hills, Missouri for freight transfer between rail and truck. Together, these services provide end-to-end railroad infrastructure solutions from new construction through ongoing maintenance and emergency response.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rail Construction Comprehensive rail construction services including surveying, grading, earthwork, track laying, and structural work for new mainline and industrial track. Serves Class I railroads, short line operators, industrial customers, and government projects.
• Maintenance of Way Ongoing inspection, repair, and maintenance of track, ballast, drainage, bridges, and culverts delivered under recurring maintenance agreements or project-based repair work for railroad operators and industrial owners.
• Emergency Repair 24/7 rapid-mobilization repair services for derailments, storm damage, washouts, structural failures, bridge impacts, and urgent track or signal problems. Premium pricing applies for urgent mobilization services.
• Railroad Bridge Construction and Repair Services Complete lifecycle bridge services including pile driving, drilled shaft foundations, precast and cast-in-place substructures, precast concrete girders, and steel bridge spans, plus structural repairs for timber, steel, and concrete components.
• Directional Boring & Signal Underground utility and signal conduit installation using directional boring for railroad crossings and complex sites with minimal surface disruption, including site preparation, utility pole installation, and cable and conduit installation.
• Jack & Bore Trenchless construction method using hydraulic jacking systems and auger tooling to install underground utilities and culverts beneath railroad tracks without disturbing the surface or compromising track stability.
• FRA Compliance Services Federal Railroad Administration compliance services covering 49 CFR Part 213 (Track Safety Standards), 49 CFR Part 219 (Drug and Alcohol), and 49 CFR Part 243 (Training and Qualification) requirements for railroad construction and maintenance projects.
• MSHA Compliance Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 35+ years in business since 1987
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC)coreOthersCompany is a member of the NRC, an industry trade association representing railroad construction and maintenance contractors. Membership provides access to industry best practices, networking, safety program benchmarking through the NRC awards program, and industry visibility.
• American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA)coreOthersCompany is a member of AREMA, the leading industry organization for railway engineering and maintenance professionals. Membership demonstrates commitment to industry standards and professional development in railroad engineering practices.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• RailWorks Corporation: RailWorks is one of North America's largest railroad construction, maintenance, and track services contractors, offering rail construction, MOW, bridges, signals, and emergency response. Direct overlap with Capital Railroad Contracting across nearly every service line and customer segment (Class I, short line, industrial).
• Herzog Contracting Corp. Herzog Contracting provides railroad construction, maintenance-of-way, transit services, and rail equipment manufacturing across the US. Closely comparable to Capital Railroad in service breadth (track, structures, MOW) and customer base (Class I, transit, industrial).
• Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc. Loram is a leading railroad maintenance-of-way and track construction services provider, offering rail grinding, MOW, and track inspection. Highly comparable to Capital Railroad's MOW and emergency repair offerings, serving the same Class I and short line customer base.
• Balfour Beatty Rail: Balfour Beatty Rail delivers track construction, maintenance, overhead electrification, and signaling services across North America. Direct peer to Capital Railroad in railway civil works, MOW, and bridge/structures services for freight and transit customers.
• American Track Asset Services: American Track is a railroad construction, maintenance, and inspection services provider serving Class I, short line, and industrial customers. Direct mid-market peer to Capital Railroad Contracting with comparable service portfolio (track construction, MOW, emergency response, inspection).
• STX Railroad Construction Services: STX Railroad provides railroad construction, maintenance, and emergency repair services with a regional Midwest presence. Closely comparable mid-sized peer to Capital Railroad in service mix and customer base, particularly overlapping on Class I and industrial projects.

Broad incumbents

• L.B. Foster Company: L.B. Foster provides rail products, track components, and related services (including construction monitoring) to North American railroads and industrials. A broader incumbent with overlapping track construction and infrastructure service exposure, but its portfolio spans products, not pure contracting like Capital Railroad.
• Progress Rail (Caterpillar): Progress Rail, a Caterpillar subsidiary, provides rail infrastructure services including track construction and maintenance alongside its core equipment manufacturing business. Comparable to Capital Railroad on the services side, but operates at much larger scale and as part of a global OEM portfolio.
• Granite Construction Incorporated: Granite Construction is a large diversified civil contractor with a rail and transit infrastructure practice delivering track, structures, and grading work. Overlaps with Capital Railroad on heavy civil rail construction but is far larger and more diversified across transportation, water, and mining construction.
• Vossloh North America: Vossloh provides rail infrastructure products and services (including rail fastening systems, switches, and track services) globally with a North American presence. A broader incumbent in rail infrastructure, with overlapping MOW and track services capability relative to Capital Railroad Contracting.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CapitalRailroadContracting
• Facebookfacebook.com/capitalrailroad
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/capital-railroad-contracting

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Capital Railroad Contracting