About Us

From his background as a lead mechanic for the Los Angeles Metro, Steven Dang saw a need for quality workwear, and used his skills to build Railcar Fine Goods in 2010. Steven worked night shift at the metro and returning to Railcar during the day for 8 years until he was finally able to do Railcar full time.

At Railcar, we have one goal that continues to drive us every day: to bring you the absolute best products that we can make.

Every aspect of our operation in our El Monte, CA workshop revolves around using our small team of sewers and leather workers to build a product using the highest quality raw materials available that will stand the test of time. Everything is built from start to finish to ensure longevity. We know, because we wear them every day.

Unlike most other denim and clothing companies, every stage of our manufacturing takes place in-house at our workshop. From the beginning when company founder Steven Dang first started building garments, he found that using a large factory for production led to inconsistent quality and errors due to the numerous other brands being sewn simultaneously. He found that the only way to truly stand behind his products was to build every garment in-house from start to finish. Years later, we still believe this to hold true. We would rather take the hard road if it means that we can guarantee the quality and specifications on everything that leaves our shop. Every Railcar Fine Goods pant, jacket, shirt, and leather item was designed, cut, and assembled by our small team using manual and vintage machinery. This allows us to offer you the best service possible, since you are dealing directly with the people building your garment.

We pour everything we have into our goods and services, and we are proud to offer them to you. If you are in the area, please feel free to stop by. We would love to show you where your garments were built.

The Railcar Story

Steven worked at the LA Metro for 13 years, working both the swing and graveyard shifts. Shortly after being hired, he was promoted to shift leadman, a position where he managed, assigned tasks to, and assisted the other mechanics on his shift. He served as the leader between management and mechanics.

As Steven stood between trains during his shift at the LA Metro, he knew he needed a name for his upcoming denim brand. Suddenly, inspiration struck. "Railcar," he thought, the perfect name that connected his current job with his future venture. That was the moment Railcar was born, a denim brand forged in the railways of Los Angeles.

Steven's journey with Railcar began humbly in his own home as a LA Metro light rail vehicle mechanic. In a spare bedroom, he carefully collected a few machines to assemble jeans, his passion project taking its first steps. As his ambition grew, so did his collection of equipment, and soon the machines spilled over into his garage. It didn't take long for Steven to realize that his home could no longer contain his growing venture. Taking a leap of faith, he leased a small 500-square-foot office near his house and established a proper workshop, marking the next chapter in Railcar's story.

Very quickly Railcar grew out of the 500 square foot shop and needed a larger space. After signing a 12 months lease, Railcar moved out in 9 months and absorbing the rent penalty. Urgently looking around, Railcar found a 1000 square foot industrial unit in Arcadia, California and put together Railcar Arcadia in 2011.

For nearly a decade, from the years learning how to make clothes prior to Railcar and starting Railcar, Steven lived a life that few could imagine. By night, he worked the graveyard shift at the Metro, clocking in at 10:00 PM and finishing his duties at 6:30 AM. Without missing a beat, he would head straight to Railcar Arcadia to open the shop, where three full-time employees handled operations during regular business hours. As the morning wore on, exhaustion would inevitably catch up with him around 10:00 AM. Steven had cleverly constructed a small storage and printing mezzanine atop the restroom, and there he would retreat to a cot tucked beneath his screen printing press table for a much-needed nap. After about an hour of rest, he would rise and continue working at Railcar Fine Goods until closing time at 5:00 PM. His day wasn't over yet, though. Steven would return home for a little bit of rest, sleeping until 8:00 PM before waking for dinner. Then, like clockwork, he would head back to the LA Metro to begin another graveyard shift at 10:00 PM, and the cycle would begin anew.

In 2014 Railcar finally out grew Railcar Arcadia and needed to find a larger location. That is when they moved to Railcar Monrovia 4000 square foot retail store and warehouse. Having substantial space, we were able to fully prep and set up full in-house production and have a fully functional retail store.

Growing up in a family steeped in military tradition and mechanical expertise, Steven was fortunate enough to find himself working alongside his father at the LA Metro. By a stroke of luck, he was assigned to the same shift as his ace mechanic father in one of the four maintenance shops. Together, they tackled everything from train propulsion systems to air conditioning, heating, pneumatics, and electronics.

Steven's father, Sonny Dang, had an extraordinary background as a South Vietnamese fighter pilot who flew A-1 Skyraiders during the Vietnam War. In 1975, after immigrating to the United States, Sonny continued his mechanical journey, building a career as an accomplished auto, bus, and train mechanic. For Steven, working side by side with his father wasn't just a job, it was the continuation of a family legacy of mechanical tradition.

After years of balancing his responsibilities, Steven finally reached a crossroads in 2015. With a deep breath and trembling hands, he submitted his resignation letter to the LA Metro and decided to pursue Railcar as his full-time venture. It was undoubtedly the hardest decision he had ever made. Walking away from the security of a well-paying job with comprehensive benefits and a guaranteed pension felt like stepping off a cliff into the unknown. The prospect of becoming self-employed without a clearly defined plan ahead was terrifying.

In 2020 in the peak of Covid, Railcar moved to their new Railcar El Monte headquarters to continue the vertically built company. Here is where they put together a large public retail space, shipping and receiving room, cutting room, screen printing shop, a second story factory, and a vintage Railcar Black heritage sewing shop.

And the family own Railcar story continues.