Sunshine Rail Services

In November 2022, three men with a passion for railcar mechanics and a commitment to exceptional customer service founded Sunshine Rail Service in Putnam County, Florida.

James Hinson, Doug Fournier, and Joe Fournier launched the company with a clear priority: safety. The team holds weekly meetings to reinforce this safety-first mindset and to address any challenges or concerns. Doug explains, “There are no shortcuts to safety or production—every detail matters. The better you understand your task and how it should be completed, the fewer chances there are to make the wrong choices in railcar repair.”

While the trio brought deep technical knowledge of railcars, they were less familiar with the business side of operations. That’s when Doug turned to the Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at the University of North Florida in Putnam County. “Back in 2022, I was introduced to the SBDC and scheduled a meeting with Rick,” Doug recalls. “I was blown away by his business knowledge and excited to learn more about what the SBDC had to offer. We started by working on our pro forma financial statements—thanks to Rick, I now know what that means! That work helped us secure our first business loan of $50,000.”

With the loan, Sunshine Rail Service equipped two trucks for mobile repairs. Their strategy was simple: go to the customer. By servicing railcars on-site—where they can be unloaded—clients save on costs and overhead. Once the company secured insurance and all necessary legal documentation, they launched their mobile repair service. Doug credits Rick’s guidance for their rapid growth: “We set several goals on a timeline, and with Rick’s help, we’ve exceeded them. We’ve grown from a three-person team earning about $60,000 to a 10-person operation generating over $1 million in sales.”

Looking ahead, Doug says, “We’ll continue working with Rick to better understand our numbers and manage our budget as we pursue our goals. We’ve purchased industrial property and are under contract to acquire the adjoining 50 acres. We’re preparing to submit a proposal to CSX for a new 10-year rail yard plan on this site. It’s critical that we manage our funds wisely and be ready for grant or loan approvals to support this expansion. We plan to hire around 50 new employees for this location in addition to our current team." 

As the business has grown, so has the team’s expertise. Sunshine Rail Service staff now boast over 100 years of combined experience working on all types of railcars, including boxcars, flatcars, hopper cars, rotary dump cars, well cars, covered hoppers, rapid discharge cars, and gondolas.

In fact, while this story was being written, Doug, James, and Joe secured another multimillion-dollar contract—proof that their momentum is only just beginning.

"I want to thank the SBDC for everything they do—and especially Rick—for always being willing to answer my questions and play such a big role in our success.”

Doug Fournier, owner Sunshine Rail Service LLC