Nortrak-Damy - voestalpine Railway Systems

History

Mr. Eduardo M. Damy, the Company’s founder, started relations with Ferrocarril del Pacifico S.A. de C.V. in the mid-1950’s, with construction based on the widening of the freight yard of the Guadalajara terminal.

During the 50’s, the steam locomotive system was changed for the new diesel-electric locomotives. Mr. Damy contracted the dismantling of the old water tanks off the steam locomotives, substituting them for fuel tanks for the diesel-electric locomotives.

Mr. Damy invented a system that controlled the unloading of the ballast onto the track, preventing the derailing of the hopper car due to an excess in the unloading of the ballast. The new system could interrupt the unloading of the ballast when desired, and could deposit the ballast indiscriminately over either of the two rails. This saved significant material when crossing bridges due to the new control system. This also was the time when Damy began manufacturing for the US railroads.

In the early 1960’s, Damy began manufacturing some of the components for switch fittings and replacement parts for railroad cars, and reconditioning parts for locomotives and bridge girders.

Damy sold its products to several U.S. railways: The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, Western Maryland Railway Company, The Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad Company, and for the construction of the Bay Area Rapid Transit System, of the Metropolitan System of San Francisco, CA.

Damy developed the manufacturing line of Turnouts and Accessories in the late 1960’s, which included different types of switch stands. In 1967 the company began manufacturing the high-speed No. 20 turnout; this was the first time this turnout was manufactured in Mexico. Damy expanded to include the fabrication of Switches during the 1970’s with the acquisition of new machinery to cover the capacity needs of railways in Mexico, which required various types of Frogs, Crossings and Accessories.

In 1972 through the 1980's, Damy designed their reversible Double-Life frog for use with the heavy traffic at low speeds found in rail yards and developed the system for refurbishing frogs and installing them on site. The Company also manufactured parts for coach and sleeper car trucks, such as: Bolts, Brakes, Coupling Rods, Buffers and parts in general for the Pullman Car Brake System.

In 1994, Damy began business relations with former ABC Rail Products Corporation based in Chicago, due to new specifications required by former FNM (Ferrocarriles Nacionales de Mexico). In 1997 the two companies established a joint venture company. The joint venture ended in 2000 and Damy established its own marketing strategy for the US and Canadian market.

In 2008, Damy Cambios de Vía, S.A. de C.V, the Mexican industry leader for the supply of complete turnouts, started a relationship with voestalpine Nortrak, the technology leader in the North American market for the design, production and supply of complete turnouts, components and OTM´s. In 2008, voestalpine Nortrak acquired ownership in Damy and the Company changed its name to Nortrak-Damy Cambios de Vía, S.A.P.I. de C.V., a company belonging to the Austrian voestalpine Group. The strategy is to have a market presence in Mexico, offering know-how and products manufactured by the group worldwide for the Mexican railroads and access to sell Nortrak-Damy products worldwide.

In 2010, the first turnouts with UIC European specification for suburban passengers rail located at Mexico City was supplied, Nortrak-Damy is the first national manufacturer of supply that kind of specification.