ASLRRA and Iowa Northern Railway Company, in partnership with the Federal Railroad Administration, are hosting an FRA Locomotive and Car Compliance Training Seminar for short line railroads. Intended for short line railroad Chief Mechanical Officers, Shop Foremen, and Inspectors, this three-day training seminar will include 2 ½ days of classroom and one ½ day of hands-on field training covering compliance requirements of locomotives and railcars. FRA subject matter experts will review CFR Parts 215, 229 and 231 from a mechanical employee’s perspective and discuss common defects found throughout the industry and recommended actions for compliance. Attendees will have an opportunity to engage in open discussions with colleagues and subject matter experts who will be available to answer questions and remove any confusion regarding compliance.
Note: Attendees must wear PPE for hands-on training.
Patrick Merritt, FRA MP&E Training Specialist TTSD (Acting), Federal Railroad Administration
Stephen Strong, SMT-6 Chief Inspector, Federal Railroad Administration
JR Gelnar, Vice President Safety & Compliance, ASLRRA
Mark Vaughn, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Iowa Northern Railway Company
Members - $495; Non-Members - $900
Space is limited to the first 35 registered attendees. Please register early, this training filled up quickly in 2023! Once the class is full we will maintain a waiting list and register additional attendees in the event of cancellations.
Cancellations made 30 or more days before training will receive a full refund; no refunds will be given if cancellation is made within the 30-day window.
Classroom training will take place at the Holiday Inn & Suites/Bien Venu Event Center in Cedar Falls, IA. Hands-on field training will take place at Iowa Northern Railway’s railyard. Attendees should plan to spend three full days in training, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. daily, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The Waterloo, IA Regional airport is a non-hub commercial service airport providing twice-daily service to O’Hare International Airport (ORD) in Chicago, IL; recommended travel days for attendees are Monday, June 24, and Friday, June 28.
A block of rooms has been set aside and training will be held at the Holiday Inn & Suites at 7400 Hudson Road in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
A block of rooms has been set aside at the Holiday Inn & Suites at 7400 Hudson Road in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Please use this link to book a room at the negotiated rate of $114/night plus taxes and fees, which includes daily hot breakfast. Guests may arrange FREE shuttle service to and from Waterloo Airport by emailing flight arrival/departure information in advance to Sandy Thomas, Corporate Sales Manager, Holiday Inn & Suites.
Cedar Falls, Iowa is served by the Waterloo Regional airport (ALO) and is a 1 1/2-hour drive from the Eastern Iowa airport in Cedar Rapids (CID). Passengers may have limited access to ground transportation via taxi, ride share apps, and rental cars at both airports and are encouraged to arrange transportation to/from the airport in advance. The Holiday Inn & Suites is 8 miles from ALO airport and 70 miles from CID.
Questions, please contact Sabrina Waiss.
SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE TO EMPLOYEES OF SMALL RAILROADS to attend the training seminar. Qualified candidates must be employed by an ASLRRA member railroad earning less than $10 Million in annual revenue (click here for complete criteria). The online scholarship application form is quick and easy, and scholarship recipients will be reimbursed up to $1,200 for registration, travel and lodging expenses. Apply today!
