Kelly-Hill
Kelly-Hill Company is a privately held railroad track construction and maintenance contractor serving Class I railroads, short lines, and industrial facilities across the U.S. Midwest and Southwest with a 200+ piece specialized equipment fleet.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1955
- HeadquartersRiverside, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Kelly-Hill does
Kelly-Hill Company is a privately held railroad track construction and maintenance contractor founded in 1955 in Riverside, Missouri, by Charles Kelly and Niles Hill, two Burlington-Northern engineers. The company serves Class I freight railroads (Kansas City Southern, Union Pacific), short-line railroads, and industrial facility operators across the U.S. Midwest and Southwest, executing projects ranging from mainline track construction and turnout installation to bridge deck replacement, derailment response, and 24/7 emergency track repair. Its customer base spans mining/frac sand (American Silica), agricultural cooperatives (Midwest Farmers Coop, Farmers Cooperative Frankfort), ports (Port of Kansas City), grain elevators, power generation facilities, government/transit (St. Louis Metro Eads Bridge), and heritage sites (Kansas City Zoo).
The company's core technology is a specialized, capital-intensive fleet of more than 200 pieces of railroad equipment, including three Jackson 6700 tampers (capable of adjusting ballast at approximately 1,200 feet per hour), Hi-Rail rotary and stationary dump trucks, Hi-Rail boom trucks with 60+ ton towing capacity, grapple trucks with multi-attachments, and rail-equipped lowboy trailers. Production track surfacing is performed with curve computers and laser lining systems for precision alignment, and rail de-stressing is conducted using VERSE measurement equipment that provides real-time data without track removal. The company maintains its own inventory of relay and new rail materials for emergency deployment and runs FRA-certified welding crews for switch point, frog, and thermite/boutet welding. Mechanic expertise is deep — tamper maintenance experience exceeds 25 years — and the company runs week-long training programs for future tamper operators.
Kelly-Hill generates revenue primarily through project-based contracts quoted via its website's "Request a Quote" form, with services structured as one-time construction engagements and professional services for maintenance, switching operations, and emergency response. Six core service lines comprise the offering: New Railroad Track Construction; Railroad Track Maintenance; Bridges (deck replacements, rail/ties/ballast); Switching Operations (Shuttle Wagon 3500 switcher with permanent onsite FRA-certified crews); Specialized Services (surfacing, welding, VERSE testing, consulting, program management); and 24/7 Emergency Services. The company distributes directly via enterprise field sales (Director of Business Operations and Marketing, Business Development and Sales Manager, Project Managers/Estimators) and supplements demand generation through industry-association sponsorships (AREMA Silver sponsor, GEAPS, NRC, Outback Railroad Association) and a content-marketing blog. The company operates approximately 135,000 production hours per year and has accumulated multiple safety awards, including NRC Platinum in 2014 and Silver in 2016 and 2017. Family-owned since 1987 when Alice and Neal Houser purchased it from the founders, Kelly-Hill remains privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, funding rounds, or M&A activity.
Kelly-Hill firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kelly-Hill
- Legal name
- Kelly-Hill Company
- Website
- https://kellyhillco.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1955
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Kelly-Hill Company is a privately held railroad track construction and maintenance contractor serving Class I railroads, short lines, and industrial facilities across the U.S. Midwest and Southwest with a 200+ piece specialized equipment fleet.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kelly-Hill industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Railroad Construction Services
- SIC
- Construction Machinery & Equip (3531)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Railway Track & Civil Works Construction (Ballast, Slab Track, Alignment) (IMAFAFAA)
Keywords
Where Kelly-Hill is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Riverside
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Kelly-Hill business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Railroad Track Construction Services: New railroad track construction including CWR track construction, industrial track construction, turnkey railroad track design and construction, crane rail construction, crossing installation, loop track construction, and turnout construction. Revenue is project-based, one-time for each construction engagement.
- Railroad Track Maintenance Services: Ongoing track maintenance including industrial repair and maintenance, crane rail maintenance, crossing rehabilitation and replacement, joint elimination, and track demolition/removal. Can include maintenance program relationships with facilities.
- Emergency Services: 24/7 on-call emergency track repair and flood repair/response services. Available 365 days a year with crews that can be assembled onsite within hours.
- Bridge Services: Bridge deck replacements (timber, concrete, steel), rail/ties/ballast replacements on bridges.
- Specialized Services: Production track surfacing, 6700 tamper services, certified switch point and frog welding, rail de-stressing with VERSE testing, track inspection, rail/track consulting, thermite/boutet welding, program management, conceptual/budget estimate development, rail-specific equipment support.
- Switching Operations: Onsite switching operations with Shuttle Wagon 3500 switcher for facilities. FRA-certified crews permanently stationed at client sites. Includes maintenance, logistics and inventory administration services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based custom quotes |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Kelly-Hill product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kelly-Hill Company is a railroad track construction and maintenance contractor providing new track construction, ongoing maintenance, bridge deck replacement, switching operations, specialized services (production track surfacing, tamper operation, certified welding, VERSE testing, track inspection), and 24/7 emergency track repair. The company serves Class I railroads, short line railroads, and industrial facilities using a fleet of more than 200 pieces of specialized railroad equipment, including three Jackson 6700 tampers, and its own inventory of relay and new rail materials.
Product overview
Kelly-Hill Company is a railroad track construction and maintenance contractor offering a comprehensive suite of rail infrastructure services. The company's service portfolio consists of six core offerings: New Railroad Track Construction (encompassing CWR installation, industrial track, turnkey projects, crane rail, crossings, loop tracks, and turnouts); Railroad Track Maintenance (including industrial repair, crane rail maintenance, winter maintenance, crossing rehabilitation, joint elimination, and demolition); Bridges (deck replacements and rail/ties/ballast replacements); Switching Operations (using the Shuttle Wagon 3500 switcher with permanent onsite crews); Specialized Services (production track surfacing, 6700 Tamper services, certified welding, VERSE testing, track inspection, consulting, thermite welding, program management, and rail-specific equipment); and Emergency Services (24/7 track repair and flood response). Kelly-Hill operates more than 200 pieces of specialized equipment including three 6700 tampers, and serves Class I railroads, short lines, and industrial facilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- New Railroad Track Construction Comprehensive new railroad track construction services including CWR (continuous welded rail) track construction, direct fixation track construction, industrial track construction, turnkey railroad track design and construction projects, crane rail construction, crossing installation, loop track construction, and turnout construction. Intended for Class I railroads, short line railroads, and industrial facilities building new rail infrastructure.
- Railroad Track Maintenance Track maintenance services including industrial repair and maintenance, crane rail maintenance, snow removal and winter maintenance, crossing rehabilitation and replacement, joint elimination, and track demolition, removal, disposal and reuse. Available as ongoing maintenance programs for facilities and railroads.
- Bridges
Companies that use Kelly-Hill
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Kelly-Hill technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Kelly-Hill partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)coreFRA provides safety training to Kelly-Hill Company employees. Kelly-Hill hosts FRA training sessions at their facilities as part of their annual safety training program.
- Kansas City Power and Light (KCP&L)coreKCP&L provides safety training to Kelly-Hill Company employees as part of their annual company-generated training program.
- Midwest Builders Casualty GroupcoreMidwest Builders Casualty Group provides safety training to Kelly-Hill Company employees. The company received zero losses recognition from Midwest Builders Casualty in 2012.
- AREMA (American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association)coreKelly-Hill Company was a silver sponsor of AREMA conference, the railway engineering industry's largest conference. Company participates to engage industry leaders and stay current on industry trends.
- GEAPS (Grain Elevator and Processing Society)coreKelly-Hill Company exhibited at GEAPS Exchange conference in Kansas City. Company serves grain industry clients by maintaining and constructing their rail infrastructure.
- Outback Railroad AssociationminorKelly-Hill Company was a presenter and sponsor of the Outback Railroad Association Annual Safety and Training Conference. General Superintendent discussed construction work procedures.
- TranSystemscoreTranSystems acted as design engineering firm on Eads Bridge rehabilitation project. Kelly-Hill participates in TranSystems annual charity golf tournament benefiting Racing For Kids.
- St. Louis Bridge Construction Co.coreSt. Louis Bridge Construction Co. was the general contractor for Eads Bridge rehabilitation project. Kelly-Hill contracted to replace bridge timbers and install new walkway deck.
- Modjeski and MastersminorModjeski and Masters performed project management oversight on the Eads Bridge rehabilitation project.
- McHugh ConstructioncoreKelly-Hill is working with McHugh Construction on Odessa, TX transload facility project, constructing 30,000 ft of track and installing 17 switches.
- Clarkson ConstructionminorClarkson Construction was the retaining wall contractor on the KCT Railway 'Incline' project in partnership with the City of Kansas City, MO.
- Racing For KidsminorKelly-Hill played in TranSystems annual charity golf tournament benefiting Racing For Kids, a group using motorsports popularity to bring awareness and funding to child health institutions.
- Race 4 Domestic Violence PreventionminorKelly-Hill was a sponsor of the 2nd Annual Race 4 Domestic Violence Prevention 5K in Kansas City, KS. The non-profit supports local community outreach, awareness and education on domestic violence prevention.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Kelly-Hill competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- RailWorks: RailWorks is one of North America's largest railroad construction and maintenance contractors, offering track construction, maintenance, signaling, and transit services. Directly comparable to Kelly-Hill in core track construction offerings but operating at significantly larger national scale.
- American Track: American Track provides railroad construction, maintenance, and emergency repair services to industrial, short line, and Class I customers. Closely comparable in service mix and customer segments to Kelly-Hill, particularly in industrial facility work.
- Loram Maintenance of Way: Loram provides railroad maintenance services including rail grinding, track inspection, and friction management. Direct peer in railroad maintenance services with proprietary equipment fleet similar to Kelly-Hill's specialized machinery positioning.
- PNR RailWorks: PNR RailWorks (Canadian division of RailWorks) provides track construction and maintenance services across Canadian rail networks. Comparable peer in core service offerings with similar specialty equipment-driven business model.
- Holland L.P. Holland provides rail infrastructure services including track construction, maintenance, and emergency response. Comparable peer in railroad construction and maintenance services with national operational footprint.
- Delta Railroad Construction: Delta Railroad Construction specializes in new track construction, track rehabilitation, and emergency services for short line and Class I railroads. Direct peer in core track construction services with overlapping customer base.
- Stacy and Witbeck: Stacy and Witbeck is a heavy civil and rail construction contractor specializing in light rail, commuter rail, and freight rail projects. Comparable in track construction expertise, with a focus on transit and urban rail markets.
- Herzog Railroad Services: Herzog provides railroad construction, maintenance, transit services, and rail equipment manufacturing. Direct competitor to Kelly-Hill in track construction and maintenance, with additional capabilities in railcar repair and equipment leasing.
- Iron Horse Railroad Contractors: Iron Horse Railroad Contractors provides track construction, maintenance, and inspection services. Comparable mid-sized peer in track construction services with similar industrial and short line customer focus.
Broad incumbents
- Balfour Beatty Rail: Balfour Beatty's rail division delivers track construction, electrification, and rail systems services across North America. Operates as a broader incumbent with national reach and integrated capabilities beyond Kelly-Hill's regional focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Kelly-Hill social profiles
Digital presenceKelly-Hill compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance9 records
Kelly-Hill financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kelly-Hill leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Kelly-Hill funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kelly-Hill M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kelly-Hill
What does Kelly-Hill do?
Kelly-Hill Company is a railroad track construction and maintenance contractor providing new track construction, ongoing maintenance, bridge deck replacement, switching operations, specialized services (production track surfacing, tamper operation, certified welding, VERSE testing, track inspection), and 24/7 emergency track repair. The company serves Class I railroads, short line railroads, and industrial facilities using a fleet of more than 200 pieces of specialized railroad equipment, including three Jackson 6700 tampers, and its own inventory of relay and new rail materials.
Is Kelly-Hill a public or private company?
Kelly-Hill is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Kelly-Hill founded?
Kelly-Hill was founded in 1955. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Kelly-Hill based?
Kelly-Hill is headquartered in Riverside, United States, in the North America region.
How does Kelly-Hill make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Railroad Track Construction Services are the primary driver. The others are railroad Track Maintenance Services, emergency Services, bridge Services, specialized Services and switching Operations.
Who are Kelly-Hill's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are RailWorks, American Track, Loram Maintenance of Way, PNR RailWorks, Holland L.P., Delta Railroad Construction, Stacy and Witbeck, Herzog Railroad Services and Iron Horse Railroad Contractors. Balfour Beatty Rail is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Kelly-Hill have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kelly-Hill.
What industry is Kelly-Hill in?
Kelly-Hill's product category is Railroad Construction Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAFAFAA, Railway Track & Civil Works Construction (Ballast, Slab Track, Alignment). Its SIC code is 3531.