Rail Safety Systems

What Rail Safety Systems does

Rail Safety Systems B.V. (RSS) is a Dutch private limited company founded in 2010 by Jan Bakker, headquartered in Deurne, Netherlands. Originally operating in the roofing sector, the company pivoted to railway worksite safety after developing and patenting a magnetic safety barrier system that won the European Gold Award for Innovation at Rail-Tech Europe in 2011. RSS designs and supplies magnetic stanchions, handrail tubes, switch kits, magnetic Temporary Speed Reduction (TSR) signs, station platform barriers, and spare parts that attach to the rail web without tools, drilling, or ballast disturbance, enabling 100m of barrier to be erected in under 10 minutes by a small crew.

The company serves national and regional railway infrastructure operators (Deutsche Bahn, Network Rail, SBB, ÖBB, Infrabel, RFI, Irish Rail, KiwiRail, Amtrak, Metrolink), major railway construction contractors (BAM, Strabag, Strukton, Porr, Swietelsky, J. Murphy & Sons, Goldschmidt), and station platform operators. Its technology is certified to EN 16704-2-2, EN 13374, and RLN00077-V004, with additional country-specific homologations across at least nine European jurisdictions. Approximately 24 km of RSS magnetic barriers are in daily use on the GB and Eire railway networks alone.

RSS generates revenue primarily through direct hardware sales, supplemented by an RSS Rental service in the Netherlands offering flexible short-term deployments from 7 days. Distribution combines a direct enterprise field-sales motion with a network of channel partners and dealers across Europe, North America, and Oceania. The company operates with 1–10 employees and is led by CEO Anton van Dooren and CCO Mathieu Geurts, with founder Jan Bakker retaining ownership.

Name

Rail Safety Systems

Legal name

Rail Safety Systems B.V.

Website

https://rss-rail.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rail Safety Systems B.V. develops and supplies patented magnetic safety barriers, TSR signs, and customized safety systems that enable tool-free railway worksite protection, serving national rail operators, contractors, and station operators across Europe, North America, and Oceania.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Railway Safety Equipment

NAICS

Support Activities for Rail Transportation (4882)

SIC

Railroad Equipment (3743)

akta.pro primary industry

Rail Grade Crossing Safety Systems (Crossing Gates, Warning Lights, Detection, Anti-Trespass) (TLAJAGAK)

Keywords

• Rail safety barriers
• Magnetic safety fencing
• Railway worksite protection
• Temporary speed signs
• Rail track signage

Headquarters

HQ city

Deurne

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: RSS generates revenue primarily through direct sales of magnetic safety barriers, signs, spare parts, and accessories to railway operators, infrastructure managers, and contractors. Products include magnetic stanchions, handrail tubes, switch kits, and custom solutions.
2. Equipment Rental (RSS Rental): RSS offers flexible rental of safety barrier sets (per 100m, full cradle with stanchions and handrails) starting from 7 days, targeted at projects that do not require permanent investment. Rental includes delivery to site and flexible return options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Rail Safety Systems (RSS) designs, manufactures, and supplies patented magnetic safety barriers, magnetic signage, and customized safety systems for railway worksites. Its magnetic barrier system attaches to the rail web without tools or excavation, enabling fast installation and dismantling during track maintenance and construction. The company also offers a complementary portfolio of special products, spare parts, a rental service (RSS Rental), and custom solutions tailored to railway operators and contractors.

Product overview

Rail Safety Systems offers a unified portfolio of rail safety solutions centered on its patented Magnetic Safety Barrier system, which enables rapid, tool-free installation without excavation. The core offering consists of magnetic safety barriers and TSR signs, complemented by specialized add-on modules including switch kits, look-out kits, station platform barriers, and mechanical alternatives. The company also provides a comprehensive spare parts ecosystem (magnetic stanchions, handrail tubes, cradles, magnet housings, brackets) and a rental service for short-term deployments. Custom solutions are developed in partnership with clients for unique project requirements. All products share the common magnetic attachment technology platform for universal rail compatibility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RSS Rental: Rental service offering flexible rental periods (from 7 days) for magnetic safety barriers, delivering complete sets per 100 meters to rail operators in the Netherlands.

Products and services

• Magnetic Safety Barrier Patented magnetic safety fence system for securing railway worksites, enabling tool-free, high-speed installation without ballast bed disturbance. Features magnetic stanchions and handrail tubes with bayonet coupling, suitable for universal rail types. Designed for railway operators and infrastructure managers.
• Magnetic Signs (TSR Signs) Magnetic Temporary Speed Reduction (TSR) signs providing clear, high-visibility signaling for railway operators, with fast tool-free installation and no excavation required. Lightweight and adaptable to various track profiles, train speeds, and wind zones.
• Switch Kit Extension of the standard magnetic safety barrier specifically designed for switch sections and complex track configurations where multiple tracks intersect.
• Look-out Kit Specialized protection kit for flagmen and watchmen providing a protected viewpoint over tracks and work areas for enhanced safety and visibility.
• Station Platform Barriers Customized barriers designed for railway station platforms to prevent passengers from accessing tracks when moving between platforms, ensuring secure station operations during maintenance or construction. Developed initially for RFI Italy.
• Mechanical Safety Barrier Mechanical stanchion variant providing a reliable and cost-effective security solution as an alternative to magnetic barriers for basic protection needs.
• RSS Rental
• Custom Solutions

Quantifiable outcome

• 75% faster installation vs traditional barriers; £1,500 savings per project (Ladbrook Lane project)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers21 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Röllin Solutions GmbHcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2025RSS renewed its partnership with Röllin Solutions GmbH in Switzerland (announced January 2025). The partnership enables RSS to support the Swiss market with high-quality magnetic safety barriers and other safety innovations. Richard and Béatrice Röllin provide local market expertise and knowledge of Swiss rail sector requirements. Switzerland is known for its highly developed railway network and strict safety standards.
• Goldschmidt GroupcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2024RSS participated alongside Goldschmidt Group at Rail Live (UK) and TRACCS Rail Day (Canada) in June 2024. Goldschmidt Group has over 125 years of rail expertise in rail welding, track construction, inspection, and maintenance. The partnership enables RSS to bring innovative, practical, and compliant safety solutions to railway projects worldwide.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Vossloh: Global rail infrastructure group providing rail fastening systems, switches, and other rail infrastructure products. Operates broadly in the rail infrastructure and worksite equipment space where RSS competes, but at vastly larger scale and scope.
• Pandrol: World leader in rail fastening systems and a broader rail infrastructure product portfolio. While focused on track fastening rather than worksite barriers, it serves the same enterprise rail customers and competes for rail infrastructure spend.
• Progress Rail (Caterpillar): Caterpillar's rail division offering locomotives, rail services, and rail infrastructure products. A broad incumbent in the rail ecosystem with overlap on worksite equipment and track maintenance products targeted at the same enterprise rail customers.
• Scheidt & Bachmann: German manufacturer of rail signaling, fare collection, and station management systems. A broader rail systems incumbent with overlapping exposure to station platform safety and passenger segregation use cases served by RSS's station platform barriers.
• Harsco Rail: Provider of railway track maintenance equipment and services, including tampers, grinders, and track inspection systems. Competes for rail maintenance budgets and shares the same enterprise customer base with overlapping worksite safety use cases.
• Loram: US-headquartered provider of track maintenance services and equipment (rail grinding, ballast cleaning, friction management). Serves North American Class I railroads and shares the worksite safety and maintenance focus as RSS.
• Plasser & Theurer: Austrian manufacturer of track maintenance machinery (tampers, stabilizers, ballast management systems) sold to rail operators and contractors globally. Operates in the same rail worksite maintenance ecosystem as RSS but focuses on heavy machinery rather than portable barriers.

Direct peers

• Strukton: Dutch rail infrastructure and construction contractor, and a listed customer of RSS. Operates in the same rail worksite construction ecosystem, frequently procuring rail safety equipment and services for its projects across Europe.
• Goldschmidt Group: Germany-based rail infrastructure supplier with 125+ years of experience in rail welding, track construction, inspection, and maintenance. Designated as a core GTM partner of RSS and operates in adjacent rail track and worksite safety product categories, making it the closest commercial peer in the rail safety ecosystem.

Emerging players

• Tiefenbach Control Systems: Specialized supplier of rail safety and control equipment, including trackworker protection systems. Directly comparable niche rail safety equipment vendor competing in similar worksite protection and signaling-adjacent product categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rail-safety-systems

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Rail Safety Systems