125th Anniversary
BR&L CELEBRATES 125 YEARS ON THE RAILS
There were 45 states in the Union, and William McKinley was president.
The Wright Brothers had yet to fly. Electric light hadn't been perfected; candles and kerosene lamps would illuminate most homes and offices for another 20 years.
A newfangled device known as the automobile was destined to replace the horse-and-buggy as the preferred method of personal transportation.
For cross-country travel and shipping, however, the railroad was still king. So it made sense when Haskins Williams decided to open a factory in Birmingham, Ala., to repair and rebuild steam locomotives.
He called his business Birmingham Rail & Locomotive. The year was 1899.
Today, 125 years later, Haskins' company lives on. A streamlined BR&L employs 80 people at four locations in Alabama, Ohio and Texas and serves three key markets: railroads, locomotives and the crane rail industry.
"It's amazing to consider how the history of BR&L parallels America's rise to prominence on the world stage," said PHIL PIETRANDREA, president of maintenance of way at Stucki.
"The company's legacy is truly a testament to the vision of its founder and the dedication and commitment of its employees over the years."
BR&L experienced steady growth in the first half of the 20th Century under the leadership of two generations of the Williams family, who sustained it through two world wars and a global economic depression.
A third generation entered the picture when Carlisle Jones, who married into the family, joined BR&L in the 1950s. His responsibilities gradually increased and in 1972 he purchased the company.
REGINALD FOX, who still works on the production line at BR&L, began working part-time for Carlisle as a high school student in 1973.
"Mr. Jones would hire students to do various jobs during the summer," he recalled. "I worked with his sons and we kind of grew up together in the mill, sorting rail spikes, painting steam engines and doing whatever else was needed."
Under Carlisle’s leadership, BR&L opened a Houston shop in 1972, added a spike division in 1986 and built a new manufacturing facility in nearby Lipscomb in 1991. In addition to serving its rail and locomotive customers, the new plant helped accommodate BR&L’s expansion into the crane rail business.
Carlisle’s sons, Monroe and Carlisle Jr., eventually moved from the factory to the front office and assumed leadership of the company – roles they would fulfill until 2019, when BR&L was purchased by A. Stucki Co.
"It was a true family business for more than 100 years," said JO ANN CARY, who worked at BR&L for 27 years, retired as president in 2021 and then served Stucki as a consultant.
"We modernized operations, improved safety conditions and made other changes over the years, but we never lost the family culture and supportive work environment that had always existed," she said.
BILL BROOKS, former director of rail yard operations, said the family atmosphere gave "regular folks like me the chance to grow and move ahead in their careers."
"I started out as a welder and did practically every job in the plant at one time or another," said Bill, who joined BR&L in 1986 and retired in 2022. "If you had the ambition and the desire to learn, the opportunities for advancement were there."
Reginald said the company provided a steady paycheck and a good life for hundreds of employees over the years.
“I’ve been there my whole adult life,” he said. “It’s been a great place to work.”
Today, BR&L supplies new and reconditioned rail, switch material and other track supplies to the railroad and industrial markets. It also provides rail and accessories for overhead cranes, as well as parts and services for locomotives.
"It's a tremendous source of pride to be a part of a company that has served its customers with distinction for 125 years," said Phil.
"We're committed to continuing that legacy by maintaining the highest standards of excellence in manufacturing and customer service for many more years to come."
This article originally appeared in the Summer 2024 issue of the Stucki Express employee newsletter.
