In 1905, Fairmont machine shop produced single cylinder two-cycle engines primararily for sale to local farmers. From that unassuming little shop, Fairmont grew into a sprawling manufacturing complex with 30 acres, a test track, and 300,000 square feet of floor space.
Installing a Fairmont engine on the little railroad handcar of the local section crew was the single event that put this small shop on the track to success.
In 1909, the company was incorporated as Fairmont Machine Company under the leadership and presidency of Frank E. Wade.
Fairmont was designing and manufacturing a complete line of railway motor cars by 1920 and in 1923 adopted the corporate name of Fairmont Railway Motors.
Over the years, Fairmont developed many "firsts" such as the ballast regulator, Hy-Rail guide wheel units, and a line of hydraulic tools for rail and bridge use.
In 1979 Fairmont became a division of HARSCO CORPORATION, one of the 300 largest industrial corporations in the nation.
In the mid 80's, with the support of HARSCO, Fairmont started making acquisitions. The list of companies acquired is as follows:
1.- 1986, Permaquip-UK, small track tool manufacturing. Today primary business is HyRail. Plant remains in original UK location.
2.- 1987, RTW-Philadelphia company manufactured tie cranes.
3.- 1988, Portec-Pittsburgh company making tie inserter/removers, anchor machines and spike drivers.
4.- 1992, Tamper-Columbia, SC company that manufacture
tampers, track renewal machines, ballast regulators, and many other products. This acquisition resulted in the new name for the company, Fairmont Tamper.
5.- 1995, Holley-Montgomery, Al company that manufactured spike reclaimers, tie plate handlers, anchor squeezers and anchor spreaders.
6.- 1999, Jackson-Ludington, Mi company that manufactures tampers, rail grinders, and the revolutionary 
Stoneblower, pneumatic ballast injection machine.
The Jackson line began almost 80 years ago in 1922 as a partnership between Corwill Jackson and Waren and Ray Cartier, in Ludington, Michigan. Mr Jackson had been 
granted a patent for an electric vibrating motor design in 1920, with the initial application for a hand-held ballast tamper to pack rock under railroad ties. This replaces the picks and shovels used previously. At that time, it was known as the Electric Tamper and Equipment Company.
Other products included a wide range of concrete and earth compactors.
The partnership was later dissolved to become a corporationin 1929.
In 1937, Jackson Vibrators. Inc, was formed, and became the repository for all patents originating thereafter. Mr Jackson subsequently bought out the other stockholders and became sole owner of the Electric Tamper and Equipment Company and Jackson Vibrators, Inc. The companies operated for many years in downtown Ludington, in a building that was originally was the Cartier Auto Agency. Operations moved to a new plant in Ludington in 1949, followed by offices in 1956, the year that Mr Jackson died. Sherman Street on which the plant was located was renamed Jackson Road.
Post World War II years brought increased demand for track maintenance production machines. Jackson Vibrators introduced its 'Track Maintainer' series of machines, offering automatic track jacking as an option, utilizing a light beam reference system to lift and maintain level track. Automatic lining of the track, to insure consistent straight track and smooth curves where required, was added shortly thereafter.
Introduction in 1953, of the Jackson Multiple Tamper, an on-track machine with 8 vibrating tamper units mounted in front, replaced 12 men with hand tampers. It required only one man for operation, with twice the amount of work capability, and with more uniform results.
In 1962, the companies were sold to the O'Laughlin family of Chicago, and were joined by the O.F. Jordan Company, a company producing track ditcher/spreaders, with snowplow capability for the track right-of-way. The names were combined to form Jackson - Jordan, Inc. in 1980. During that time, truss-type track lifting and lining machines were developed, including the 6000 series, our first single unit truss-suspended production tamper, introduced in 1973, and the 7000 series Switch Tamper. Production of concrete vibrators, industrial vibratory finishing machines, vibratory road rollers, and associated products were discontinued in the early 70's.
In 1983, the model 6700 switch production tamper was introduced, and became one of the most successful models, with over 400 units sold. The 80's also introduced grinding to the lineup offered by Jackson Jordan, including 16 and 20-stone Switch and Crossing grinders, as well as 96-stone mainline grinders. In 1990, the fleet of Speno Rail Services (including 120-stone mainline grinders) was combined with that of Jackson Jordan by the then-owners of Speno, Romolo Panetti and Pandrol Ltd. , to form Pandrol Jackson, Inc. Rail flaw detection was also added to the lineup in 1995, with the merger of Pandrol Jackson Technologies and the Pandrol Jackson group. PJT was originally part of the Dapco line, acuired at the same time as Speno Rail Services and Jackson Jordan, but operated independently.
The 1990's also ushered in the requirement for innovative technologies. In 1992, development began on a new 'stoneblowing' technique of ballast maintenance, where stone is measured and then injected by air pressure into the gap under the ties when lifted, without disturbing the surrounding ballast. This helps minimize the tendency of the ballast to return to its original location, and thereby extends track-working intervals. A contract for 8 Stoneblower machines from British Railways was awarded in June of 1992. An additional order for 5 machines brought the total Stoneblower fleet to 13, all currently working in the UK.
The Jackson line celebrated its 75th Anniversary in 1997. Then in late 1999, Harsco Corporation acquired Jackson and combined Fairmont, Tamper and Jackson to create a part of its infrastructure segment, Harsco Track Technologies. Now called Harsco Rail.
Tamper's history goes back to 1934 when the company was founded as Electric Tamper Equipment Company of Canada, Limited by H. E. McKeen. In that year, Mr McKeen designed and developed a vibrator for compacting concrete, and using this principle, then made and sold the company's first hand held ballast tampers.
Tamper forged ahead with the concept of a one-operator production tamper and in 1948, introduced the first such machine, the Electro-Gang.
Aquired by Canron, Inc. of Canada in 1952, the company name was changed to Tamper in 1959.
Tamper also developed many "firsts" in the maintenance of way industry including an electro-mechanical vibratory principle for tamping, an infra-red surfacing device, an automatic curve liner and a hydraulically operated spike driver.
The company relocated to West Columbia, SC in 1966 to better accommodate the needs of its largest customer base, the US railroads. This move also enabled the testing of the tamping machines year round due to the milder climate.
In that same year Tamper Pty. (Australia) was established in Melbourne, Australia.
Tamper then acquired the railway products division of Kalamazoo Manufacturing Company in 1969. This acquisition added products that included the ballast equilizer, brush cutters and car switchers. Matisa, Material Industriel S. A. of Crisser, Switzerland was acquired by Tamper's parent company, Canron in 1969. This increased the product line and gave Tamper a manufacturing area in Europe. (Matisa was later re-sold in 1982)
The purchase of Trakway Industries, Inc. in 1990 enabled Tamper to enter the hy-rail market. This line of products was later absorbed into Fairmont's Hy-Rail product line when Tamper was purchased by Harsco.
Acquired by Harsco Corporation in 1992, Tamper merged with Fairmont to form the new company, Fairmont Tamper. The West Columbia, South Carolina location became the head office. This facility , located on 33 acres, has over 400 employees. The plant and office areas encompass 300,000 square feet.
Harsco Rail continues to build on its rich history by improving the technology, the quality, and the reliability of its products and services, and by advancing the 'state of the art' for all aspects of Railway Maintenance equipment in use today, as well as for use in the railways of tomorrow.