Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association

What Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association does

REMSA is a non-profit membership-based trade association founded in 1965 through the merger of the Association of Track and Structure Suppliers and the National Railway Appliances Association. Headquartered at 80 M Street SE, Suite 100 in Washington, D.C., the organization represents more than 200 rail suppliers, engineers, contractors, and consultants operating in the North American railroad maintenance-of-way (MOW) industry. Its stated mission is to facilitate global business development opportunities for members and advance initiatives supporting the broader rail industry, which directly employed roughly 338,000 workers and contributed approximately $49.8 billion in value-added economic activity in 2024.

The association delivers value through a portfolio of member services rather than a single unified product. Core offerings include the Railway Interchange Exhibition (the largest MOW equipment exhibition in North America, held jointly with AREMA's annual conference), a monthly Mainline Newsletter, an online Member Directory and Buyer's Guide, a Career Network job board, scholarship programs (including two President's Scholarships at $7,000 each and a $10,000 Continuing Education Scholarship), a Grassroots Advocacy Program that connects members with members of Congress via facility tours, an annual Innovation Award, and CRISI grant resources linked to USDOT/FRA programs. The organization is operated by a small professional staff of 11-50 (with key named personnel including President Urszula M. Soucie, Director of Trade Shows & Marketing Heidi Baker, and Director of Meetings & Membership Celeste Gelber) and is externally managed by TGA Association Management Solutions LLC.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring annual membership dues, with two tiers — Associate (for new members) and Active (for companies that have exhibited at Railway Interchange) — and a 10% discount for two-year renewals. The go-to-market motion is association-based: membership acquisition plus event sponsorship, exhibition booth sales, and advocacy services, with engagement sustained through newsletters, social media, sponsored industry events, and political advocacy. There is no proprietary technology platform; service delivery relies on standard association-management software, a member directory web portal, and event/exhibition infrastructure.

Name

Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association

Legal name

Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association, Inc.

Website

https://remsa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

REMSA is a non-profit trade association founded in 1965, representing over 200 rail suppliers, engineers, contractors, and consultants in the North American railroad maintenance-of-way industry through membership dues, exhibitions, advocacy, and educational programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: REMSA generates revenue through annual membership dues from rail suppliers, engineers, contractors, and consultants in the railroad maintenance-of-way industry. Two membership types exist: 'Associate' for new members and 'Active' for companies who have participated in the Railway Interchange Trade Show.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

REMSA is a non-profit membership-based trade association that represents and promotes companies and individuals who manufacture or sell products and services in the North American railroad maintenance-of-way (MOW) industry. It facilitates global business development for its 200+ members through industry exhibitions, networking events, advocacy, scholarships, the Member Directory and Buyer's Guide, the Career Network job board, the monthly Mainline Newsletter, and CRISI grant resources.

Product overview

REMSA (Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association) is a non-profit membership-based trade association representing over 200 rail suppliers, engineers, contractors, and consultants in the railroad maintenance-of-way industry. The organization does not offer a single unified product but rather provides a portfolio of member services including the Railway Interchange Exhibition (the largest MOW equipment exhibition in North America), the monthly Mainline Newsletter, an online Member Directory and Buyer's Guide, Career Network job board, scholarship programs, CRISI grant resources, innovation awards, and grassroots advocacy programs. These services are designed to facilitate global business development opportunities, advance industry knowledge, and support initiatives advancing the North American railroad industry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Railway Interchange Exhibition The largest exhibition of maintenance-of-way equipment, products, and services in North America, held in conjunction with the AREMA annual conference at convention centers and outdoor display areas. Designed for MOW suppliers, engineers, contractors, and rail industry buyers.
• NRC-REMSA Exhibition A REMSA trade show co-organized with the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) for rail construction and maintenance industry suppliers and buyers.
• REMSA Supplier Showcase at NAMRC A supplier showcase event held at the North American Maintenance and Reliability Conference (NAMRC) for REMSA members to exhibit to maintenance and reliability industry attendees.
• REMSA Mainline Newsletter A professionally written monthly newsletter targeted to railway suppliers, featuring industry leader interviews, articles on opportunities, legislation, company profiles, and exhibition news.
• REMSA Member Directory and Buyer's Guide A compilation of REMSA member companies including contact information, company descriptions, websites, and the products and services offered by each member. Used as a sourcing/buyer's guide by rail industry purchasers.
• Career Network An interactive online job board offering employment connections, job posting, candidate search, and resume agent services for REMSA members and the rail MOW workforce.
• Scholarship Programs Annual educational scholarships supporting students and professionals pursuing rail engineering and maintenance-of-way careers, funded and administered by REMSA in coordination with AREMA.
• CRISI Grant Resources Curated resources for REMSA members on the USDOT/FRA Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program, including NOFO documents, fact sheets, and grant application support for rail infrastructure projects.
• REMSA Innovation Award An annual award program recognizing innovative products and services introduced in the railway maintenance-of-way industry.
• REMSA PDH @ Railway Interchange Professional Development Hours (PDH) educational sessions offered at Railway Interchange, providing continuing education credits for rail engineers and industry professionals attending the exhibition.

Quantifiable outcome

• 338,000 workers employed and $49.8 billion in economic activity generated by the rail supply industry

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExhibition and conference held jointly with AREMA's annual conference. REMSA sponsors events at AREMA meetings. REMSA scholarship awarded by AREMA on behalf of REMSA ($1,000 annually).
• National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerREMSA sponsors events at NRC meetings. Collaborative relationship for joint advocacy and industry advancement. NRC connects members with railway industry professionals and government officials.
• Railway Supply Institute (RSI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRSI co-produced the 2026 Economic Impact Report for the U.S. rail supply industry along with REMSA, RTA, and Amtrak, highlighting the industry's contribution to the U.S. economy.
• Railway Tie Association (RTA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRTA co-produced the 2026 Economic Impact Report for the U.S. rail supply industry along with REMSA, RSI, and Amtrak.
• AmtrakmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmtrak supported the 2026 Economic Impact Report. Amtrak's procurement activities in 2024 supported nearly 46,000 jobs and generated $6.5 billion in GDP.
• U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)majorOthersUSDOT announced $2.04 billion investment into rail infrastructure modernization (April 2026). REMSA provides CRISI grant resources to members through USDOT programs.
• Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)majorOthersFRA administers the CRISI program. REMSA provides CRISI grant resources and links to FRA fact sheets and program information for members.
• TGA Association Management Solutions, LLC (TGA AMS)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTGA AMS provides association management and government affairs solutions to REMSA. Matt Ginsberg serves as the primary contact and leads transportation lobbying activities.
• American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASLRRA provides CRISI background information and short line project examples. Since CRISI enactment, 240 CRISI grants made for short line projects totaling over $2.7 billion.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Railway Tie Association (RTA): RTA is a trade association for wooden tie, concrete tie, and rail-fastening suppliers. RTA co-produced the 2026 Economic Impact Report with REMSA and serves a similar MOW supplier membership base with comparable advocacy and networking services.
• American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA): ASLRRA represents short line and regional railroads and is a strategic partner of REMSA. Both organizations serve adjacent segments of the rail supply chain and collaborate on CRISI grant resources and advocacy initiatives.
• American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA): AREMA is the primary professional association for railway engineering and MOW professionals. REMSA and AREMA jointly produce the Railway Interchange exhibition, making them directly comparable as co-hosting trade associations serving the same MOW industry.
• National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC): NRC is a strategic partner of REMSA that hosts the joint NRC-REMSA Exhibition. NRC focuses on railroad construction and maintenance contractors, directly overlapping with REMSA's contractor and supplier member base.
• Railway Supply Institute (RSI): RSI represents North American rail suppliers and is a direct peer to REMSA. The two organizations co-produced the 2026 Economic Impact Report and have overlapping supplier-side membership, serving similar business development and advocacy functions.

Others

• National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA): NGFA is a similarly structured trade association, though in a different industry (grain and feed). It illustrates the comparable trade association business model with membership dues, exhibitions, advocacy, and member services.
• Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA) is a peer of itself: Removed - this is the subject company itself.
• Railway Age Magazine: Railway Age is a media/publishing organization serving the rail industry with similar distribution and content to REMSA's Mainline Newsletter. It serves as an adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.
• League of Railway Women (LRW): LRW is a rail industry organization where REMSA's President Urszula Soucie serves as Treasurer. It serves a different demographic (women in rail) within the same broader industry, making it a complementary adjacent association.

Broad incumbents

• Association of American Railroads (AAR): AAR is the major Class I railroad industry association in North America. While broader in scope than REMSA, AAR represents the customer base for REMSA's supplier members and shapes the industry environment in which REMSA operates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/REMSAOfficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/RailwayEngineeringMaintenanceSuppliersAssociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/remsa_2

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 Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association