“Tangible symbols of America’s early telecom, railroad & power industry.” Railroadware lighting & hardware products connect the railroad to early telecom and power industries. As emerging technologies abandon the old and move on… Railroadware finds these stranded “industrial artifacts” and turns them into beautiful and useful products. For 18 years we strike a resonant cord with satisfied customers, curious designers and commercial businesses from our shop in Fort Bragg, CA
Industrial artifacts made of glass, steel & waste stream materials are transformed into useful products again adding distinctive depth, texture and historical reference to your residential and commercial decor that is delightfully functional and re-made in USA.
STARTED IN RANCH BARN STUDIO SINCE 2006 we design, machine and handcraft our products on our ranch studio outside of Chico, CA. (NOW MOVED TO FORT BRAGG, CA) Most of our products are waste stream sourced materials, regionally located from collections or saved from landfills. The artifacts are then sorted, cleaned and restored. The glass and steel artifacts are generally drilled, welded, cut & grinded. Some tasks outsourced to friends that share the passion and craftsmanship. Our hardware products are not power coated or enameled, they use raw materials (industrial artifacts) and they spend time in the rust field for more exposure to the elements before final oiling, polishing, sealing and shipping worldwide. These are not reproductions they are the real thing!
YUREKA!~ WE MADE THE FIRST INSULATORLIGHT FIXTURE. Insulatorlights™ are regionally sourced, all made in the USA meeting all NEC Standards and can be tested & UL labeled as an option. Fixtures come ready to hang with LED dimming bulbs (replaceable), canopy, hardware & instructions. Insulatorlights come in a variety insulator colors, shapes, canopy & cord finishes including custom design.
RAILROADING BACKGROUND My great grandfather was the Western District Supervisor of Central Pacific. My GRAND mother shared fond memories of riding in his private car. My first connection with the railroad came when I was in seventh grade and my twin brother & I were invited by my grandmother to board a sleeper car from the Oakland, CA Railroad Station to Ogden, UT then hop an event bus to Promontory Point Utah to witness the Bicentennial Celebration of the Driving of the Golden Spike in May of 1969 on the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad.
RIDING THAT TRAIN 2004 – When visiting antique shops and collecting Insulators in Northern California, taking pictures and enjoying hiking along the rails in 2004, I became aware of insulators, trafficlight lenses and hardware visible from any RR crossing. You are not allowed to take these, however I collected a few to take back to my barn to study and engineer new products from these industrial artifacts. Eureka! Railroadware was readies and set on the tracks.
SWITCH OPERATOR – Tim is an architect, craftsman and manufacturer of a unique line of products called Insulatorlights™ by Railroadware™ He is also the inventor of a patented sports water bag called the WaterRipper and an innovator of new water sports at www.RipperBall.com Sports. Tim’s products are sold worldwide. Tim designs and makes these products NOW in a garage shop in Fort Bragg, CA
Architect / Environmental Graphics & Special Events / Store Planner / Lighting & Hardware Designer & Manufacturer /Toy Inventor/ Water Sports Promoter
Tim is an architect and lighting designer living in Chico. He grew up in the Bay Area and spent time in Chico in the late 70’s. In 1984 Tim graduated from the U of O School of Architecture & Allied Arts. After graduating with a Bachelor of Architecture, he attended a Syracuse University Graduate Program and lived abroad outside Florence Italy for a year. In 1985 he returned to San Francisco and the Bay Area and lived there for twenty years before moving his family to Butte Valley near Chico. In 2024 he moved to Fort Bragg, CA
special events
Tim has experience in residential architecture, store planning, commercial retail and special events planning involving all phases of architectural services. As a store planner, he designed prototypes and developed store layouts for major retailers. He has worked on store concepts, signage programs, fixtures and interiors for a number of retail chains and specialty stores. For 12 years at Flying Color Inc. in Berkeley (www.flycolors.com) , Tim applied his architectural and organizational skills in the unique niche market of large-scale special event planning and temporary environment installations for major sporting events and themed environments. This included corporate branding for sports teams, a number of Disney projects, museum projects, stadium improvements and signage projects, corporate brand identity campaigns and commercial shoots around the country.