Loram Maintenance of Way
Loram Maintenance of Way is a leading global supplier of railway track maintenance equipment, inspection services and infrastructure optimization solutions.
Last updated September 26, 2026
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Overview
Loram Maintenance of Way, commonly known as Loram, is an American railway maintenance-of-way company headquartered in Hamel, Minnesota. It is a leading supplier of track maintenance, inspection services and infrastructure optimization services and equipment in North America and around the globe, providing comprehensive maintenance-of-way services to all Class I railroads and many short line, transit and commuter railroads. The company traces its corporate lineage to 1898, when its parent company was launched constructing railway grade on the Canadian Pacific Railroad; in 1936 that parent diversified into railway track maintenance, a field then dominated by hand tools and manual labor. Loram built its reputation on specialized, often proprietary track-maintenance machinery. Its product line has historically included the Loram Plow, the Autotrack, the Undercutter, the Shoulder Ballast Cleaner, tie inserters and extractors, and rail grinders. In recent years the company has positioned itself at the forefront of the digital transformation of maintenance of way, coalescing data to unlock holistic maintenance insights, optimization, efficiencies and savings. Its Loram Technologies arm and the Loram Virtual Rail™ software create what the company describes as the industry's first physics-based digital twin of rail, allowing operators to compare maintenance scenarios and quantify strategies to maximize cost savings and asset life extension. Data streams from Ground Penetrating Radar, LiDAR and Aurora® backscatter x-ray provide a comprehensive picture of track components, ballast and roadbed health. Loram operates worldwide through regional entities including Loram UK Ltd for Europe and the Middle East, Loram Pty Ltd for Australia and Asia, Loram South America in Brazil, and Loram Rail Maintenance India Pvt Ltd in India. It serves railroads with both contracted maintenance services and OEM equipment, supported by a marketplace for replacement and consumable components, manuals, drawings and service bulletins, as well as aftermarket training, technical support and machine refurbishment. The company is privately held and remains active in the global rail maintenance market.
History
Loram's corporate history reaches back to 1898, when its parent company was launched constructing railway grade on the Canadian Pacific Railroad. In 1936, seeing a growing need, that parent company diversified into railway track maintenance — a field in which most work was then performed with simple hand tools and brute strength. This diversification laid the foundation for the specialized maintenance-of-way business that would become Loram. The post-war decades brought a wave of machine innovation. In 1955 the new Loram Plow was introduced, and in 1957 Loram received its first double-track plow from the Calgary shops. The Autotrack prototype was developed in 1958 and 1959 as a solution to maintain track alignment. In 1960 the Loram Undercutter, a spin-off from the Autotrack and Sled designs, was developed; its first job was lowering the track on the Stone Arch Bridge crossing the Mississippi River near Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 1962 the Loram Winch Cart prototype, made from junk yard parts, was developed to pull a sled, plow or Autotrack and eliminate the need for a work train. In 1963 Loram developed an Undercutter Cleaner nicknamed "The Monster" — with its many moving parts, it was Loram's largest piece of equipment at 100 feet long, 14 feet high and 70 tons. In 1968 Loram's first Shoulder Ballast Cleaner was completed, one of its most successful pieces of equipment. In 1969 Loram started rail grinding research with Black & Decker hand grinders, which was developed into a small self-propelled rail grinder that could handle spot-maintenance work. The company built its first tie inserter in 1971 and introduced the Autosled in 1972. Expansion led to a new facility in Hamel, Minnesota, in 1974, and a tie extractor was added to the product line in 1979. In 1983 Loram built its first — the record continues beyond the available evidence. In the decades that followed, Loram grew into a global supplier of track maintenance, inspection services and infrastructure optimization services and equipment, serving all Class I railroads and many short line, transit and commuter railroads in North America and around the world. The company established regional operations including Loram UK Ltd for Europe and the Middle East, Loram Pty Ltd for Australia and Asia, Loram South America in Brazil, and Loram Rail Maintenance India Pvt Ltd in India. In the 2020s Loram has emphasized the digital transformation of maintenance of way, launching Loram Virtual Rail™ software — described as the industry's first physics-based digital twin of rail — and integrating Ground Penetrating Radar, LiDAR and Aurora® backscatter x-ray data streams to give railroads a comprehensive picture of track components, ballast and roadbed health.
- 1983
Loram builds its first (record continues beyond available evidence).
- 1979
Loram adds a tie extractor to the product line.
- 1974
Expansion leads to a new facility in Hamel, Minnesota.
- 1972
Loram introduces the Autosled.
- 1971
Loram's first tie inserter is built.
- 1969
Loram starts rail grinding research with Black & Decker hand grinders.
- 1968
Loram's first Shoulder Ballast Cleaner is completed.
- 1963
Loram develops the Undercutter Cleaner, nicknamed "The Monster".
- 1962
The Loram Winch Cart prototype is developed to pull a sled, plow or Autotrack.
- 1960
The Loram Undercutter is developed; its first job is lowering track on the Stone Arch Bridge near Minneapolis.
Products and positioning
A leading global supplier of track maintenance, inspection and infrastructure optimization services and equipment, positioned at the forefront of the digital transformation of railway maintenance.
Loram Plow
Introduced in 1955; a double-track plow was received from the Calgary shops in 1957.
Autotrack
Prototype developed in 1958–1959 to maintain track alignment.
Loram Undercutter
Developed in 1960 as a spin-off from the Autotrack and Sled designs.
Undercutter Cleaner ("The Monster")
Developed in 1963; Loram's largest piece of equipment at 100 feet long, 14 feet high and 70 tons.
Shoulder Ballast Cleaner
First completed in 1968; one of Loram's most successful pieces of equipment.
Rail grinder
Research began in 1969 with Black & Decker hand grinders, developed into a small self-propelled rail grinder.
Tie inserter
First built in 1971.
Autosled
Introduced in 1972.
Tie extractor
Added to the product line in 1979.
Loram RGT hy-rail grinder
Described as the industry's most portable, most powerful and most productive hy-rail grinder.
Loram Virtual Rail™
Software creating the industry's first physics-based digital twin of rail for comparing maintenance scenarios.
Aurora® backscatter x-ray
Inspection data stream providing a comprehensive picture of track components, ballast and roadbed health.
Recent events
Loram appoints David Freeman to its board[5]
Reported:
Loram Holdings Inc. announced that David Freeman was joining its Board of Directors.
- Unconfirmed
Loram completes acquisition of Aurizon rail grinding business[6]
Reported:
Loram's wholly owned Australian subsidiary completed its acquisition of the rail grinding business of Aurizon Operations Ltd. The source does not state the date on which completion occurred.
Sources6 sources
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