Imagine an industry that has seen little innovation since the Civil War. It may seem unbelievable, but the United States railroad infrastructure is still the same as it was back in the original era. Taking on the industry to improve and plan for the future is Evertrak– ready for a railroad infrastructure revolution. The company’s mission is bold: replace traditional wooden railroad ties with cutting-edge, sustainable alternatives made from recycled plastics. Evertrak is addressing environmental concerns and industry challenges head-on.
\Tim Noonan, CEO of Evertrak, doesn’t mince words:
“It’s 2024!” he emphasizes. “We can do better. We must do better.” His vision of “the railroads of our Nation rolling on ties made from recycled plastics” isn’t just about sustainability—it’s about transforming an industry stuck in the past and solving real problems.
Evertrak’s journey began with a revolutionary idea: What if the plastic waste choking our planet could become the foundation of our transportation infrastructure? The team realized the industry needed more than just a new product—it needed a paradigm shift.
“Our insight was that the industry needed a tie that was as strong as wood, not as cheap as wood,” Noonan explains. “We’re not offering a band-aid. We’re providing a solution for a real problem in the industry.”
Addressing Industry Challenges
Safety and efficiency are paramount in the railroad industry. With the adoption of Precision Schedule Railroading (PSR), which focuses on moving individual cars rather than waiting for long trains to be built, uptime has become more critical than ever.
Evertrak’s ties directly address this need and offer a redefinition of what’s possible in railroad operations. “Using our tie, railroads won’t have to replace ties in high decay zones every 8-12 years,” says Noonan. “This means better uptime for PSR and lower total cost of ownership.”
Sustainability Impact
Experts suggest only 9% of plastic waste is effectively recycled globally. And industry estimates for North America alone suggest 20 million wooden railroad ties are replaced annually—equivalent to approximately 6 million trees. As Noonan mentioned, with an average lifespan of around a decade (reduced to just 5 years in high-rot regions), the environmental impact of current railroad practices is significant and the environmental benefits of Evertrak’s ties are clear.
By using recycled plastics, Evertrak not only diverts hundreds of thousands of pounds of waste from landfills but also prevents deforestation and avoids the CO2 produced when traditional ties are incinerated or landfilled at the end of their life. “This is just the beginning,” Noonan promises, explaining that the industry replaces more millions of wood ties a year.
For Noonan and Evertrak, it’s about securing a livable planet for future generations. “Imagine that many trees saved. Imagine millions of pounds of plastic put to better use and removed from our landfills and oceans. Every tie we produce is a blow against deforestation and plastic pollution.”
Union Pacific’s commitment to alternative railroad ties strikes Noonan as a resounding endorsement of this important industry shift, and the CEO sees it as a rallying cry: “UP is the de facto leader of the railroad industry. Their measured implementation of our ties builds trust and confidence for others. I think the message is: It’s time to get on board.”
Industry Veterans Signal Transformation
One of the most promising signs of Evertrak’s potential to revolutionize the railroad industry is the company’s ability to attract respected executives who have historically been on the wood tie side of the business.
“Yes, it really signals disruption in the industry,” Noonan explains. “These executives understand that the Class 1 railroads do not have alternatives when it comes to ties. They understand the business practices and products that keep things going between big creosote and the railroads.”
This insider knowledge is proving invaluable as Evertrak seeks to transform the industry. With the never-ending rise of single-use plastic and the detrimental impact of deforestation, Noonan believes there’s room for improvement. “We can do better,” he asserts. “I’ve been speaking with a number of industry veterans who believe that the time is right for transformation.”
The involvement of these industry veterans not only lends credibility to Evertrak’s mission but also suggests that the railroad industry as a whole might be gearing up for a significant shift towards more sustainable practices.
Future of Sustainable Infrastructure in Railroads
Evertrak’s highest priority is continuing to build trust with Class 1 customers, bringing awareness to one of America’s oldest industries—some of the first tracks were laid nearly 200 years ago—so they have the resources and support to join the modern era. The company’s goals are ambitious: save millions of trees, drastically reduce plastic buildup, and do it all now. Evertrak’s approach is collaborative, empowering the customer to dictate success through communication and keeping commitments. “We have 7 years of proven results,” Noonan says. “And that includes never missing a delivery timeline. To date, we’ve installed over 100,000 composite ties with zero claims.”
For other companies looking to innovate with sustainable materials, Noonan offers this advice: “Identify a pain point and make that pain go away for the customer. Your customer doesn’t care that the product is made from sustainable material; they want their problem to go away. Deliver the business case, and the case for sustainability comes along to close the deal.”
As the railroad industry grapples with the need for more sustainable practices, companies like Evertrak are proving that environmental responsibility and business efficiency can go hand in hand. By addressing real industry pain points with innovative, sustainable solutions, Evertrak is helping to lay the tracks for a sustainable future in transportation infrastructure.
The implications of this shift are far-reaching, potentially influencing other sectors of the transportation industry. As Noonan puts it, “If a pain point in the business can be solved through a sustainable solution, I believe the industry can have the business case and the benefit of sustainability without a tradeoff.”
With industry leaders like Union Pacific embracing these innovations, it’s clear that the future of railroad infrastructure isn’t about maintaining the status quo—it’s about revolutionizing it for a more sustainable, efficient tomorrow. In Noonan’s words, “It’s time for the railroad industry to declare its independence from wood ties and creosote. Join us in this revolution! We’re not just making ties—we’re making history.”
