Canadian Supply & ServiceFive Locations Across Canada
Buy Railway Tools in Canada, Not Across the Border
For a Canadian railway operation, importing tools and parts from the US can look cheaper on the invoice — until the freight, the customs paperwork, the exchange rate, and the wait at the border are added up. And when an imported tool needs warranty service, it has to go right back across that border. Backtrack takes all of that off your plate: parts, tools, and factory-authorized service, sourced and serviced here in Canada, from five locations with the expertise to keep your crews working.
The Full Landed Cost
The Hidden Costs of Importing from the US
When you buy a railway tool from a US supplier, the price on the invoice is only the start. The real landed cost also includes cross-border freight, customs brokerage and paperwork, and currency exchange — along with the swings that come with it. And then there's time: the days or weeks a shipment can sit at the border. For a crew waiting on a tool to keep a track program moving, that lost time is often the most expensive line of all.
Importing vs. Buying with Backtrack
Importing from the US
Buying with Backtrack
Availability
Order and wait; lead times ride on the border
1,000s of parts, tools & accessories in stock across five locations
Freight
Cross-border shipping on every order
Same-day delivery available from your nearest location
Currency
Priced in USD; exchange rates fluctuate
Priced and paid in CAD
Customs & paperwork
Brokerage, duties, and customs forms
None — it's a domestic purchase
Warranty repairs
Ship the tool back across the border
Factory-authorized repairs done in Canada, warranty intact
Service turnaround
Weeks, plus border delays
Most repairs completed in one to two weeks
Support
A phone number in another country
Knowledgeable, authorized staff who know MOW equipment
Hard-to-find parts
Whatever that supplier happens to stock
Deep inventory of OEM, obsolete, and legacy parts
Warranty & Service
The Real Risk Is Warranty and Service
The sticker price is one thing; what happens when the tool breaks is another. A tool imported from the US usually has to go back to the US for warranty work — more freight, more paperwork, more downtime. As Canada's factory-authorized repair, warranty, and distribution centre focused on railway MOW, Backtrack performs warranty and non-warranty repairs here, with genuine OEM parts, so your coverage stays intact and your tool comes back to spec — without ever leaving the country.
Downtime Is the Enemy
In Railway Work, Speed Is the Whole Game
Railway crews can't wait on cross-border delays. A tool stuck in customs is a crew standing still. Because we stock parts and tools in Canada and service what we sell at every location, the tool you need is usually already on this side of the border — ready to ship, or ready to fix.
Why Backtrack
What You Get with Backtrack
01
Five Locations Across Canada
Plus our mobile trailer for on-site demos, training, and delivery.
02
Factory-Authorized
Sales, warranty, and repair for the major railway tool brands.
03
Brand-Agnostic Advice
We recommend what's right for the job, not just what's on our shelf.
04
1,000s of Parts In Stock
Tools and accessories, including hard-to-find and discontinued items.
05
Built by Railroaders
For railroaders — 30 years serving Canada's railways.