2022 Chicago Railroad Show

Industry-Railway Suppliers (IRS) held the second annual Chicago Railroad Show (CRS) at our headquarters in Elmhurst, IL on May 11th and May 12th. 

This maintenance-of-way product exhibit displayed track maintenance tools and large equipment from many of our manufacturing partners including Milwaukee Tool, Willamette Valley Company, Swingmaster, Ajax Tools, Enerpac, Pandrol (Rosenqvist/Matweld), Norton Abrasives, J. Lanfranco Fasteners, Abloy Lock, Postalloy Hardface Technologies, Gedore Tool, Tamco Tool, and Lansing Forge.

Klint Smith, Troy Feuss and Tom Skelton, Postalloy Hardface Technologies

Both days, the Chicago Railroad Show featured product presentations and demonstrations performed by our partners introducing new products to the railroad industry along with some MOW classics.

"Thank you to all the freight railroads, transits and contractors that participated in the second Chicago Railroad Show! We were proud to showcase new and rapidly changing product innovations through live product demonstrations and presentations with the support of our world-class OEM partners," said Scott Commo, President of Industry-Railway Suppliers. 

Justin Pipol, Chief Engineer, Swingmaster

Jason Baines, Vice President, J. Lanfranco Fasteners

Enerpac discussed their Diamond Lifting Device, the safest way for workers to spot tamp a diamond, and the recent changes made to this self-contained lifting system including a more robust intensifier and an encaged manifold for tool protection during heavy-duty usage.

Chris Young, Director OEM Business, Enerpac

Abloy Lock discussed their newest in critical infrastructure securement; their Beat system– a keyless Bluetooth padlock ideal for high-security railroad locations.

Jim Federici, Neil Benedict and Steve Tisdall, Ajax Tools

Railroad industry welding leaders gather at IRS.

The Chicago Railroad Show introduced our newest partner, Milwaukee Tool to their first railroad industry trade show. Milwaukee had an elaborate display of over 150 battery-powered tools for attendees to get hands-on with including those from their newest MX Fuel line, along with tools from their M18 and M12 Fuel lines as well.

President of Industry-Railway Suppliers, Scott Commo excited to welcome Milwaukee Tool to the company.

Pictured below is the MX Fuel Breaker concrete demolition tool. This tool has large potential for increased versatility in multiple railroad applications including tamping and spike driving.

Milwaukee MX Fuel 14” Cut-Off Saw

The MX Fuel Rocket portable tower light is the highest-output cordless light on the market providing 27,000 lumens of jobsite light, a portable charging station and outlet, and has 8” all-terrain wheels made for the harshest environments.

Milwaukee MX Fuel Rocket

Also laid out for handling was the MX Fuel Concrete Vibrator Backpack with extremely low vibration; the head of the tool consuming most of it, and the high-utility, seemingly indestructible M18 Impact Wrench with D-handle and 1” drive, along with the M18 Paddle Grinder.

Stacked were Milwaukee’s modular Packouts; a customizable, portable jobsite storage system, interlocking together like a game of tetris, but if the blocks were tool boxes, organizers, tool bags, hooks, racks, holders, coolers and even a vacuum.

Milwaukee Packouts

Swingmaster’s new Tie Manager tie crane was among one of the large pieces of equipment displayed at the show.

Swingmaster's Tie Manager tie crane

Swingmaster's improved workheads for spike drivers and spike pullers, and Maintenance-Free Axle Assemblies were staged as well. Pandrol's (Rosenqvist) CD200IQ Clip Driver was showcased on a rail panel, and they demonstrated the Eco Shear; their battery-powered weld shear and battery power unit.

Below is the Uni-lance Exothermic Cutting Lance from Postalloy Hardface Technologies slicing through rail in 25 seconds. The Uni-lance will blast through rail in seconds, along with concrete, asphalt and almost anything under the sun.

Willamette Valley demoed their insulated Joint End-Post Repair with a 5-minute cure time, and their SpikeFast, Concrete Tie Repair (CTR) and the Railroad Distressed Pavement Repair (DPR) Kit.

Tours of Industry-Railway's 90,000 square-foot warehouse were given throughout the show as well.

David Glawe, IRS Director of Sales gives a warehouse tour.

"Our industry is evolving quickly, and Industry-Railway Suppliers and our partners have reacted to new product opportunities requested by the railroad industry as displayed during this event. Impressive effort and execution of this event, team IRS,” said Scott Commo, President of Industry-Railway Suppliers.

 Spicy Mexican Grill taco truck for lunch.

Record-high temperatures filled the air in Chicago on the two hottest days of 2022, but what also filled the air was laughter, great company both new and old, and of course, that evergreen topic that has stood the test of time - railroad maintenance.