Rep. Graves Tours Omaha Track Facility in Kansas City
Written by Jennifer McLawhorn, Managing Editor
Omaha Track Equipment welcomes Representative Graves at its Kansas City facility.
Courtesy of NRC
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Omaha Track hosted U.S. House of Representatives Member Sam Graves (MO-06) for a tour of its facility in Kansas City.
According to a release, Omaha Track Equipment gave Representative Graves a tour of its facility on August 27, 2024. OTE, a provider of products and services that serve Class Is, short lines, and rail contractors across North America, is a member of the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) and the Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association (REMSA).
Representative Graves serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee as Chairman. In this role, he “leads the Committee as it has jurisdiction over all modes of transportation including the aviation system, highways and bridges, transit and rail transportation, pipelines, and maritime and waterborne transportation.” Additionally, Rep. Graves serves on the House Committee on Armed Services. Throughout the tour, Rep. Graves and others spoke about the services provided by Omaha Track and OTE and the economic benefit they provide to the state and nation. Others attendees of the tour included Herzog’s Chief Commercial Officer, Jim Hansen, Senior Vice President of Quality Assurance and Rail Flaw Detection, Troy Elbert, and NRC Vice President Government Affairs & Operations and REMSA Vice President Government Affairs, Mike McGonagle.
President of OTE, Bryan Boehm, and CEO of Omaha Track, Terry Peterson, jointly led the tour with Rep. Graves. Boehm said, “It was a great experience hosting Rep. Graves at our facility today. Knowing that we have someone in DC that understands the industry and the benefits that our company and otheKANSAS CITY, Mo. – Omaha Track hosted U.S. House of Representatives Member Sam Graves (MO-06) for a tour of its facility in Kansas City.rs in the industry provide is a terrific thing.”
Rep. Graves said, “Omaha Track is a vital part of our economy, both in Missouri and throughout the country, providing critical services in the rail industry. It was great to see their Kansas City facility up close and discuss what they are currently working on with their team. I appreciated the opportunity to visit.”
Omaha Track was founded in 1983 and celebrated its 41st year of business in 2024. Previously known as the Tie Yard of Omaha, Omaha Track states it began with three employees and now employ more than 300 people across North America. It worked to repurpose used railroad ties to landscape ties, and now, the company has “grown into one of the leading railroad material supply companies and services contractors in North America.”
“About the NRC – The NRC is a U.S. trade association that advances the mutual interests of railway contractors and suppliers who construct, maintain and supply freight railroads and rail-transit and passenger lines. Founded in 1978, the NRC connects members with other railway industry professionals and government officials and policy makers. The NRC collaborates with its members, government, and industry leaders to create a positive business climate and to make railway construction and maintenance safer and more efficient.
“About REMSA – REMSA’s mission is to provide global business development opportunities, to transfer knowledge about markets, products and the industry to members and their customers, and to support the initiatives advancing the North American railroad industry. REMSA was created in 1965 by the merger of the Association of Track and Structure Suppliers and the National Railway Appliances Association, two long-standing organizations in the railroad maintenance-of-way industry. The association represents companies and individuals who manufacture or sell maintenance-of-way equipment, products, and services, or are engineers, contractors and consultants working in construction and/or maintenance of railroad transportation facilities. REMSA members constitute a large part of the maintenance-of-way industry.”
