Blog

Elmhurst, IL-Effective Oct. 2018, Industry-Railway Suppliers (IRS) has entered an additional partnership with Willamette Valley Company (WVCO.) While the companies have been partners for 16 years, this new agreement makes IRS the largest distributor of FastPatch systems to the railroad industry. “Our goal is to provide North American customers with safe, high quality products that equal…

Read More ›

While the first day of fall has just passed, it is never too soon to start preparing for what’s to come next. With winter right around the corner, many of our customers will soon be experiencing sub-zero temperatures, blizzards, and ice conditions across the country. We specialize in seasonal products such as FireSnake, switch brooms,…

Read More ›

Rich Brawner, a field sales and product support specialist at IRS, is a railroad industry veteran with 41 years of experience. But, while visiting a Metro tunnel in Minneapolis MN, a seemingly unworkable problem proved that new technology can deliver advancements even veterans of the industry have never seen. Over time, clips can become welded…

Read More ›

The railway industry is one that takes dedicated employees and the latest technology to succeed. According to the Association of American Railroads, there are more than 28,000 locomotives, 1.6 million rail cars, and enough rail to circle the earth eight times in the United States alone. Without the newest technology and equipment, it would be…

Read More ›

    Recently, the IRS teamed up with our supplier Norton Abrasives to perform continuous improvement testing on saw blades in our Elmhurst, IL headquarters. Tests like this one are not only necessary for safety, but also ensure products are up to top standards. While the process does change depending on the product, here are…

Read More ›

Handles take a real beating. With constant usage, exposure to the elements, and the tough jobs being performed, track tool handles become loose or can break.  Keep your tools safe, comfortable, and performing their best by replacing the handles regularly. Follow these 12 easy steps to have your tools back up and working as quickly…

Read More ›

About Lansing Forge, Inc. Lansing Forge was founded in 1956 as a small blacksmith shop producing hand made tongs for the forging industry. LFI still provides those same tongs to the forgers of the world and has also developed a line of heavy industrial hand tools including crow, pry and wrecking bars, hooks, chisels, scrapers,…

Read More ›

The proper use of blotters can aid in preventing wheel breakages. Blotters, by definition, are compressible washers that must be placed between an abrasive wheel and a mounting flange. These blotters are more than just cardboard or paper, but are designed to strict standards for material type, thickness, coefficient of friction, and compressibility. Use only…

Read More ›

Handle all grinding wheels with care. Remember there is no such thing as an “unbreakable” grinding wheel. Be safe and follow the attached Do’s and Don’ts for handling, storage and inspection of grinding wheels. Do’s Do check all shipments of grinding wheels for possible damage in transit. Do report any damaged containers or pallets. Do…

Read More ›

Our Featured Supplier for the month of March is Norton Abrasives.  Our relationship with the abrasive manufacturer goes back to 1981 as we worked together to develop high quality products for the rail industry. This alliance serves the regional, contractor, and class one railroad markets in the United States and Canada, and has allowed us…

Read More ›