NRC sets records at annual equipment auction

May 9, 2019
The rail contracting association's auction sold more than 300 pieces of equipment for more than $1.7 million in sales.

The National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) held its 16th Annual Railroad Construction and Maintenance Equipment Auction April 24 and sold more than 300 pieces of equipment for a record $1.7 million in total sales. 

The auction helps raise funds for the NRC Safety & Education Training program. This year, a record $146,772 was raised for the program. NRC explains the figure is more than double the amount from any of the previous 15 auctions. The NRC Safety & Education Training program allows the association to continue to strengthen its efforts to ensure the safety of everyone in the rail industry, hold the annual NRC Contractor Safety Award contest and continue to produce safety material such as the NRC's safety manuals and the NRC safety video series, which has produced 25 videos with additional ones planned. 

"2019 continues to bring big wins to the NRC: We were very excited to have broken our best record in 16 seasons at this year's auction and truly humbled by all of the folks, businesses and family who donated equipment and their time to make this event the success it was. It is really inspiring to see how effective the NRC can be when we all come together, like we did," said NRC Chairman Mike Choat, of Wabtec. "Extra credit and thanks is certainly due to our NRC Auction [Committee] Chairman Danny Brown, of CTE Rail, for working as hard as he did with Thomas Blackmon and his entire committee to make the day as spectacular as it was. From the House T&I Subcommittee on Railroads Chairman Rick Crawford stopping by, to our seven-figure success and even the unbelievably beautiful weather, the NRC could not have made our construction-maintenance community more proud."

Equipment being auctioned included tampers, grapple trucks, tie inserters, spikers, tie exchangers, ballast regulators, rotary dump trucks and pickup trucks. NRC notes a few of the bigger ticket items sold included a 2010 Nordco TRIPP Inserter at $100,000, two 2012 Pettibone 445-E Speed Swings which brought $80,000 each, a 2007 Sterling Material Handler that brought $84,000 and a 2012 International 7600 Rotary Dump sold for $58,000.

The 17th Annual Railroad Construction and Maintenance Equipment Auction is scheduled for April 2020. 

About the Author

Mischa Wanek-Libman | Editor in Chief

Mischa Wanek-Libman serves as editor in chief of Mass Transit magazine. She is responsible for developing and maintaining the magazine’s editorial direction and is based in the western suburbs of Chicago.

Wanek-Libman has spent more than 20 years covering transportation issues including construction projects and engineering challenges for various commuter railroads and transit agencies. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content. 

She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and serves as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.  

She is a graduate of Drake University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a major in magazine journalism and a minor in business management.