Field-Tested Rail Equipment Solutions

The various product categories from The Nolan Company play a critical role in the railroad maintenance lifecycle by working in concert to ensure immediate crew safety, facilitate heavy material transport, and provide the localized tools needed for continual track upkeep and repair. When railroad operators source maintenance-of-way equipment for railroads, they require tools that address specific stages of the repair process. At The Nolan Company, we design our catalog to act as a complete ecosystem where each product supports the next phase of maintenance operations. The role of these product categories in the maintenance lifecycle includes:

• Site Preparation and Securing: At the onset of the maintenance lifecycle, crews deploy stops, chocks, blocks, and bumping posts to immobilize railcars, instantly creating a controlled environment required for safe track interaction.
• Infrastructure Protection: Products such as switch point protectors are essential for preventative maintenance, extending the life of the track infrastructure and reducing the frequency of emergency repairs over the long term.
• Logistical Support and Execution: During the core maintenance phase, equipment like knuckle carriers and track dollies serves as the logistical backbone, allowing crews to manipulate heavy track components and execute precise repairs without excessive manual strain.
• System Recovery and Rerailing: In the event of track derailments, engineered rerailers and sliding derails play a vital role in recovery operations, quickly returning cars to the track and restoring standard operations.

Together, these integrated categories ensure that operators have access to reliable railroad maintenance equipment that spans from preventive site protection to active track recovery, forming a complete lifecycle solution.

The Nolan Company manufactures all our equipment at our facility in Bowerston, Ohio. This allows us to provide reliable, USA-made railroad maintenance equipment by maintaining strict domestic quality control, accelerating product lead times, and leveraging over a century of local engineering expertise.

For organizations looking for reliable railroad maintenance equipment made in the USA, sourcing origin is a critical factor in durability and supply chain dependability. With manufacturing based in Bowerston and administrative offices in Canton, Ohio, our localized production model offers significant advantages for rail operations. The benefits of this Ohio-based manufacturing approach include:

• Domestic Supply Chain Stability: By producing equipment in the USA, The Nolan Company bypasses international shipping delays and enables fast turnaround times, ensuring that comprehensive maintenance-of-way equipment packages are readily available for rapid deployment to domestic rail yards.
• Uncompromising Quality Assurance: Overseeing production directly at the Ohio facility allows for rigorous testing and hands-on quality control, guaranteeing that every product is built using heavy-duty construction and weather-resistant materials.
• Decades of Local Expertise: Operating since 1909, our Ohio team leverages generations of specialized rail manufacturing knowledge, resulting in equipment that is purpose-built to solve real-world problems based on direct feedback from North American track crews.

By prioritizing USA-based manufacturing, The Nolan Company ensures that every piece of equipment provides the rugged, field-tested dependability that modern railroad operations demand.

The Ohio-based manufacturing operations of The Nolan Company ensure track safety products meet stringent US industry standards by directly aligning domestic production processes with the exact compliance requirements of the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). Track safety products that meet US industry standards are non-negotiable for protecting crews and maintaining legal compliance on the rails. Because all production occurs within their Ohio facility, The Nolan Company maintains complete oversight over engineering tolerances, material selection, and safety testing. This USA-based origin guarantees that safety and compliance are built into the equipment from the ground up through the following mechanisms:

• Direct Alignment with AREMA Guidelines: As active members of the AREMA, our Ohio engineering team designs derails, rerailers, stops, and more to perfectly match the latest domestic safety specifications.
• Strict OSHA Compliance: Every piece of material handling equipment, from rail dollies to tool carts, is manufactured in the USA to comply with OSHA safety regulations, ensuring ergonomic and mechanical safety for track workers.
• FRA Compatibility: The Nolan Company ensures that our MOW visibility products, including signal flags and automated derail operators, meet the stringent requirements set forth by the FRA for trackside operations and hazard communication.
• Industry Collaboration and Advocacy: Through involvement with REMSA (Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association), our Canton and Bowerston, Ohio teams stay at the forefront of evolving domestic safety protocols, immediately integrating new standard updates.

This centralized, USA-made approach allows rail operators to confidently source equipment, knowing that every product is strictly regulated, rigorously tested, and fully compliant with the highest US industry safety standards.