The Nolan Company

What The Nolan Company does

The Nolan Company is a family-owned American manufacturer of railroad maintenance-of-way (MOW) and track safety equipment, operating continuously since 1909. The company runs a manufacturing facility in Bowerston, Ohio and administrative offices in Canton, Ohio, producing a broad catalog of mechanical hardware including derails (hinged, portable, sliding, and Auto-Flag series), rerailers, car stops, wheel chocks, bumping posts, push cars, rail and track dollies, tool and supply carts, tow bars, knuckle carriers, rail skates, switch point protectors, rail pullers, wheel/axle assemblies, and visibility products such as flashing lights, signal flags, and signal staffs. All products are fabricated in the USA from carbon steel, ductile alloy, and aluminum, and are designed to meet AREMA, OSHA, and FRA compliance standards.

The product line is built around durable, safety-critical mechanical systems for rail operations, with proprietary features including Auto-Flag Hinged Derails that link flag, staff, and derail for automatic fail-safe flag placement, ductile alloy construction for extended service life, insulated wheel/axle assemblies for electrical isolation, and Dead Man Braking Systems that halt carts immediately upon handle release. The business sells primarily through a direct sales motion (phone orders plus an online customer portal), supplemented by a global network of specialized track equipment distributors. Pricing is quote-based on most products, with Net 30 payment terms on approved credit and modest minimum order thresholds ($75 reorder, $250 initial).

The Nolan Company serves Class I railroads, short-line and regional railroads, transit and light rail agencies, and industrial rail yards with private sidings across North America. It is an active member of REMSA and AREMA, the two principal industry associations governing rail engineering and maintenance supply. The firm remains private, family-owned, and independently operated, with no disclosed outside investment, no subsidiaries, and no M&A activity in the source materials.

Name

The Nolan Company

Legal name

The Nolan Company

Website

https://nolancompany.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1909

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Nolan Company is a family-owned, Ohio-based manufacturer of railroad maintenance-of-way and track safety equipment founded in 1909, producing derails, rerailers, car stops, wheel/axle assemblies, and material-handling tools for Class I, short-line, transit, and industrial rail operators across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Railroad Maintenance-of-Way and Track Safety Equipment

NAICS

Other Transportation Equipment Manufacturing (33699), Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing (3363)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Rail Maintenance-of-Way (MOW) Equipment & Services (Tamping, Grinding, Renewal) (TLAJADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bogie/Truck, Wheelset & Bearing Shop Services (Reprofiling, Overhaul) (TLAKAIAD), Rail Construction & Maintenance-of-Way Vehicle Manufacturing (IMACAFAJ)

Keywords

• Railroad maintenance equipment
• Track safety equipment
• Derails and rerailers
• Wheel axle assemblies
• Material handling carts

Headquarters

HQ city

Canton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Rail Equipment Sales: One-time sale of maintenance-of-way (MOW) and track safety equipment including derails, rerailers, car stops, wheel/axle assemblies, material handling equipment, and visibility products. Products are sold directly to railroad operators and through distributors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Nolan Company designs and manufactures maintenance-of-way (MOW) and track safety equipment for railroad operations across North America. Product lines include derails and rerailers (hinged, portable, sliding, and automated variants), car stops, wheel chocks, car blocks, bumping posts, wheel/axle assemblies, and material handling devices such as push cars, rail dollies, tool carts, knuckle carriers, tow bars, and visibility products like flashing lights and signal flags. All products are manufactured in the USA at the company's Bowerston, Ohio facility.

Product overview

The Nolan Company manufactures a comprehensive portfolio of Maintenance of Way (MOW) and track safety equipment for railroad operations across North America. The product line centers on derail and rerail devices (including new Auto-Flag Hinged Derails HD-5 through HD-8 series with automatic flag placement), car stops/chocks/blocks (CS, WC, C, HDBP series), and wheel/axle assemblies (7000, 7400, AATS, TS series). Supporting infrastructure includes material handling equipment such as push cars (PC series), rail/track dollies (RD, TD series), tool and supply carts (TS, ATS series), knuckle carriers (KC series), and tow bars (R1453/R1451 series). Visibility and signaling products feature flashing lights, retro-reflective signal flags (RF series), and mounting staffs (BF series). Maintenance tools encompass rail skates (RS series), switch point protectors (SPP series), and rail pullers (RP-1F). All products are made in the USA at the Bowerston, Ohio facility, designed to meet AREMA, OSHA, and FRA compliance standards, and serve Class I railroads, short-line railroads, transit agencies, and industrial rail yards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Auto-Flag Hinged Derails (HD Series) OSHA and FRA compliant derails with an automatic flag placement mechanism that links flag, staff and derail for maximum visibility and safety. Designed for railroad operations to prevent unintended railcar movement.
• Hinged Derails

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• REMSA (Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association)coreOthersActive member of REMSA, supporting the rail industry with equipment designed to meet exacting specifications of top engineering bodies in the railway sector.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aldon Company: Aldon Company manufactures railroad safety and track equipment including derailers, wheel chocks, and car stops, very similar in scope to Nolan's derails, chocks, and blocks product line. Directly comparable niche manufacturer serving Class I and short-line railroads in North America.
• Western-Cullen-Hayes: Western-Cullen-Hayes produces rail safety appliances, derailers, and signaling equipment for freight and transit railroads. Both companies occupy the rail-safety niche with overlapping products and customer base in Class I and transit agencies.

Broad incumbents

• Harsco Rail (formerly Harsco Track Technologies): Harsco Rail manufactures maintenance-of-way equipment, track maintenance machinery, and rail safety products globally. Comparable in MOW equipment category but far larger and more diversified than Nolan, serving as a broad incumbent in the same space.
• Loram Technologies (formerly Nordco): Loram provides rail maintenance equipment and services such as grinders and track inspection technology across North America. While more services-heavy, it overlaps with Nolan in track maintenance hardware for Class I customers.
• Plasser American: Plasser American is the North American arm of Plasser & Theurer, the global leader in MOW machinery (tampers, stabilizers, ballast regulators). Overlaps with Nolan as a MOW equipment provider but operates at much larger capital-equipment scale.
• Progress Rail (Caterpillar): Progress Rail is a Caterpillar subsidiary offering locomotives, rail services, and track products including MOW equipment and rail safety devices. A broad incumbent whose catalog touches Nolan's product space through its track products division.

Regional players

• A&K Railroad Materials: A&K Railroad Materials supplies rail, trackwork, and MOW products including derailers and bumping posts primarily across North America. Overlaps with Nolan in track-safety and MOW hardware but is larger and more focused on new/recycled rail materials.
• Holland Co. (LP): Holland Co. provides railcar movers, brake equipment, and MOW safety devices for North American rail operations. Comparable niche manufacturer serving short-line, industrial, and Class I customers with mobile rail equipment and safety hardware.

Emerging players

• Transportation Division of Milwaukee Tools (rail hand tools): Milwaukee Tool's rail-specific track inspection and maintenance hand tools expand into the niche Nolan occupies. A larger entrant moving into MOW tool adjacencies with strong brand and distribution.

Others

• Lewis Bolt & Nut: Lewis Bolt & Nut supplies track hardware, anchors, and MOW fasteners to North American railroads. Adjacent to Nolan's track-work portfolio as an equipment-input and consumable supplier rather than direct safety-equipment competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@thenolancompany
• Facebookfacebook.com/people/The-Nolan-Company/100087015290095
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-nolan-co
• Instagraminstagram.com/thenolancompany

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 The Nolan Company