SCI Expands Rail Operations into New Business

JOC Staff |
September 27, 2012, Ligonier, Indiana — Structural Composites of Indiana, a leading fiberglass manufacturer since 1999, announces the expansion of its rail operations in the form of a separate company. This emerging company is known as United Railcar Covers, LLC.

United Railcar Covers (URC) designs customized railcar cover systems that meet the diverse needs of the rail industry. URC offers complete protection of coal, hazardous waste, mineral, aggregate, or other commodities by keeping it from being exposed to wind, rain, snow, or ice. URC systems also help support the environment by keeping the commodity in the railcar, which prevents dusting, leakage, or added rail maintenance. “Our initial success in the rail market has opened many opportunities for URC,” said Ken Baranowski, president of URC. “Whether it be design, testing, fabrication, leasing or maintenance programs, we put the customer’s needs at the forefront of everything we do,” he concluded.

United Railcar Covers is excited to be participating in discussion and future testing to determine if covers provide fuel savings due to aerodynamics. A proposal has been submitted for 80 United Railcar Cover systems to be sent to the Transportation Technology Center (TTCI) near Pueblo, Colorado for full scale testing.

Past computer modeling and wind tunnel tests have indicated that covers provide a significant fuel savings due to increased aerodynamics. This reduction in fuel consumption would reduce pollution, increase efficiencies, and reduce the cost of rail transportation.

Structural Composites of Indiana is located in Ligonier, Indiana, and has been a supplier of quality fiberglass products to markets such as the recreational vehicle, industrial, corrosion, military, and most recently, the rail industry since 1999.