About Conrad V. Tannhauser

Conrad Tannhauser

Conrad V. Tannhauser
(815)236-2998
Marengo, IL
editor@therailmart.com

Work History

1977 – 1982 Union Oil Company (Union 76)
Managed Rail Fleet & Operations

1984 – 1985 Temco Corporation
Operations Manager

1985 – 2016 MTAX Corporation
Managing Director

1986 – The Rail Mart is established
Editor/Publisher/Owner

The Rail Mart was started back in 1986 and incorporated in as an independent classified paper for the rail industry to allow shippers to utilize their fleet to the fullest by communicating with other shippers, their rolling stock needs and surpluses. The Rail Mart is always adapting and changing to serve it’s customers needs. The one constant denominator is the never ending process of maintaining a good and current database for the publication as well as keeping the cost down to its advertisers. In doing so it has become the number one source for equipment listings that are real. Because the advertisers are required to pay for listings the listings they do put in are for equipment, parts and services that are actually available not just checking the market.

2000

The Rail Mart added its website in 2000. It is now on the first page of all major search engines for several keywords. It is maintained daily and the current digital edition is always available.

March 2011

Starting in March 2011 The Rail Mart began publishing a digital edition with active links & email. This state of the art edition has been well received. It started with 350 subscribers and in less than nine months has grown to over 1800 subscribers. The cost of advertising in The Rail Mart has not changed it remains the same in 2012 as an 2011.

2011

In November 2011 The Rail Mart started a scrap directory. This list includes scrapping companies from around the country. It too is organized by state in alphabetical order.

2012

2012 The Rail Mart print edition is in full color, yet the pricing remains the same.

Conrad has been involved in the rail industry for over 40 years now and has a vast array of experience in the rail industry. His career started with a Union Oil where he managed a fleet of leased and owned tank cars. He moved from Union Oil to a railcar leasing company as their operations Manager to set up original systems to manage their fleet owned and brokered railcars. From there He went on to start “The Rail Mart” in 1986 and at the same time purchased and managed a small fleet consisting of box cars and covered hoppers.

The Rail Mart, Inc. is now offering the many years experience in managing railcars to companies who need these services. During his career he has done consulting for short line railroads, bank & financial institutions as well as leasing companies doing everything from residual evaluations to fleet planning and marketing. Conrad is always in close contact with companies and customers in the industry. Constantly learning more about the industry with an ever expanding knowledge of the different segments from used parts to railcar scrapping as well as switch engines and locomotives. He has also done considerable amount of consulting work for short lines, railcar lessees and financial institutions.

2016

Started publishing the railcar scrap prices. Currently the first company on the first page of Google with links to advertisers.

2022

The newly updated Rail Mart online website is launched.

Find your equipment needs from flat car bridges, tank cars, scraping services, tank cars, maintenance of way equipment, hopper cars and more.

Quick easy fill out forms to find prices on railcars for scrap & price quotes, flat cars for bridges and more.

Conrad Tannhauser
Editor & Founder

Conrad V. Tannhauser

I sometimes am told the William Shatner looks like me!

Volunteer work:

Current:
Moore Food Pantry
Stone Soup Social: Soup Cook

Past:
Horizons for the blind
Fish Food Pantry

Habitat for Humanity
(Building homes for disabled Veterans)

Helping build housing for disabled veterans in Marengo with my good friend Connor O’Malley.

Medical Aid Missions

Volunteers in the pharmacy for medical aid mission.

Volunteers working in triage style to treat over 2,000 patients in one week.

Documenting (photographing) Medical Aid Missions

CIS – Catanduanes International Association; Inc.10th Medical and Humanitarian Mission – Philippines

Young lady with her first pair of glasses. Smiling from ear to ear at being able to see clearly for the first time in her life.

Orphanage

Children growing up in the Orphanage.

Volunteers donating money to help out the kids.

One of two bedrooms for the children.

Although it is considered an orphanage the children here
are often taken care of because the parents are not able to
provide even the basics for them. If not here they would
spend their youth begging on the streets.

On one medical aid mission the kids with a parent were waiting
to be treated would be standing in line on a 90+ degree day.
There was an ice cream vendor there selling ice cream cones.
But a lot of people could not afford it. I talked to the vendor and
gave him some money to give all the families who wanted ice cream.
The line all the sudden grew and seemed to be unending. But that was ok.
In the end I just told the vendor to serve till he ran out of ice cream.
You might think i was being generous but the total bill cam up to about $60.
That was ice cream for around 300 people. They gave me the nick name
Santa Clause with my white beard.

Now when I give up the heated back seats in my car or eat at home more,
I feel good because the money saved can go to make a difference in so many.

Around my house I planted fruit trees. Figured if I have trees I should get as much
as possible back from them. So I have Pear, Peach, cherry and apple trees lining my
yard as well as some berry bushes. When the fruit is ripe I provide the food pantry
with fresh fruit that I have extra. The neighborhood kids come and pick and eat some
fresh fruit. I swamp some of my neighbors fruit for veges that they have extra of.

The extra goes to the local food bank to help out some of the local who enjoy.

Also donate extra fruit to the local soup kitchen.