November 13, 1970, George Christiansen Sr. opens Racine Railroad Products in Racine, WI. His vision was to build a business that supported railroad maintenance with practical, portable equipment—and that vision still drives us today. While the tools and technology have evolved, our goal remains the same: to make rail maintenance and replacement as safe and efficient as possible.

Introduced in 1974, the Trak Kut saw from Racine Railroad Products transformed how rail cutting was performed in the field. It allowed crews to cut rail more efficiently and accurately while reducing the physical strain and time required compared to traditional methods. By improving precision and speeding up maintenance and repair work, the Trak Kut saw increased overall job-site safety and productivity. This innovation became an industry standard and reinforced RRP’s role as a leader in practical railroad solutions.

Racine Railroad Products introduced canopy on-track equipment, marking a major step forward in railroad worker safety, allowing operators to move from exposed positions into a more protected working environment. By shielding workers from the elements and oncoming hazards, the innovation significantly reduced risk during daily operations. This advancement reflected RRP’s early commitment to improving safety and working conditions across the railroad industry.

In 2010, Racine Railroad Products introduced fully enclosed cabs for on-track equipment. This innovation built upon earlier canopy designs by completely enclosing operators and removing them from direct exposure to the rails. The enclosed cabs also provided greater protection from weather, debris, and job-site hazards while improving comfort during long shifts. This milestone reinforced RRP’s ongoing commitment to safer, more efficient working conditions for railroad crews.

Following the passing of George Christiansen Sr. and George Christiansen Jr., ownership of RRP transitioned to George Christiansen III and Barrett Christiansen, marking the company’s evolution into its third generation. Guided by their grandfather’s legacy, the Christiansen brothers remain deeply connected to the railroad brotherhood and committed to easing the burden of long hours and demanding conditions. Through this leadership transition, RRP continues to put safety first while honoring the workers who keep the industry moving.

RRP had a working relationship with Hunter’s Fabrication for years prior to acquiring the company in 2020; Hunter’s Fabrication was the primary supplier for RRP's large equipment frames. With this acquisition, RRP became more vertically integrated in our manufacturing processes. The continued partnership with Hunter's Fabrication has led to several product improvements, reduced manufacturing time, and further standardization of the product line to support the manufacturing process and customers’ ability to manage their fleet of RRP equipment.

In 2023, we expanded our business to Chesterfield, Derbyshire, in the UK, opening a sales and distribution office. The driving force of this expansion is that RRP can now provide products and services in an area where rail work processes include manual labor more frequently than their North American counterparts. By bringing out the product line to Europe, rail workers in the UK will see significant improvements in productivity, safety, and technology.