Idaho Short Line Reopens Route (Washington, Idaho & Montana Railway)
TDI Greenway announces US partnership with RDC
Anacostia Rail Holdings Enrolls in RailPulse
Railroad members! If you want to be featured in this section, please email us the link. You can also tag us (@ASLRRA) in your social media posts. Interested in seeing your railroad showcased in your local newspaper? Contact Amy Krouse for assistance.
ASLRRA has selected the Iowa Interstate Railroad (IAIS) as the short line industry’s 2025 Environmental Award recipient. The award showcases the short line industry’s efforts to reduce the environmental impact of freight rail transportation, recognizing a Class II or III railroad that has implemented innovative programs that have reduced the railroad’s environmental impact or contributed to meeting sustainability goals for the railroad and/or their shipper(s).
IAIS has continually worked to reduce its environmental footprint in its railyards and in its offices, but the opening of the Renewable Energy Center catapulted their drive to be good environmental stewards to the next level.
Operating in the heart of one of the best wind resource areas in North America, the company identified Newton, Iowa as the opportune place to build a facility that would service the growth and repair of wind farms across the state. The Renewable Energy Center will allow IAIS to serve new construction and replacement programs, a fiberglass blade manufacturer and a turbines tower all located within one mile of the new facility. Additionally, the Center will provide a custom transloading and storage solution for wind energy components and offer connections to every Class I railroad operating in North America.
“Rail is the most environmentally friendly way to move freight over land. Rail also can move unique and oversized components, such as wind turbine blades that are more than 170 feet in length, safely and reliably, and importantly, not on public roadways,” said ASLRRA President Chuck Baker. “The IAIS has long been a leader in considering their environmental impact on the communities they serve. Its Renewable Energy Center provides a triple beneficial impact for their customers and local economies. It supports a growing industry that provides alternative low emission sources of energy, adding skilled local jobs in the renewable energy sector; it provides safe and efficient access to the entire North American market for manufacturers; and it delivers all of this with low emissions in the heartland of our country.”
IAIS will be honored at this year’s ASLRRA Annual Conference, held April 6 to 8 in Denver, Colorado.
(Top left) This drone image shows the site of Iowa Interstate Railroad's wind energy component transload facility in Newton, Iowa, while it was under construction. Directly adjacent to the facility is TPI Composites, a wind turbine blade manufacturer.
(Top right) This is a photo from the ground of Iowa Interstate's completed facility, which includes three tracks totaling about half of a mile inside the property and approximately 25 acres prepped for wind turbine transloading.
Surface Transportation Board (STB) Chair Patrick Fuchs has provided updates on several of the board’s recent actions concerning several long-standing proceedings. In a press release, Fuchs explained that the updates are an effort by the STB to “promote transparency, accountability, and collaboration.”
Four of the six actions concern Class I or non-member railroads. The other two address petitions for abandonment exemptions filed by the Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail) and R. J. Corman Railroad Property, Inc.
According to Fuchs, more updates are expected soon.
On Feb. 18, representatives from ASLRRA members The Indiana Rail Road Company (INRD) and Madison Railroad welcomed Representative Jefferson Shreve (R-Ind.) for a discussion about short lines at INRD headquarters in Indianapolis. The visit was an opportunity to help Shreve, who is in his first term in Congress, understand how small railroads operate and what makes them different from their Class I counterparts.
INRD and Madison Railroad are part of the Railroads of Indiana (ROI) trade association, which counts most of the railroads in Indiana as members. According to Madison Railroad General Manager Adam Robillard, who is also chair of ROI, the group is working diligently to connect with elected officials at the local, state and federal levels.
For Shreve’s visit, it was the representative’s staff that reached out to organize a meeting, because the congressman was interested in learning more about small railroads. Shreve serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and is a member of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials.
The ideal location for a visit was INRD because the railroad passes through part of Shreve’s district and through Bloomington, Indiana, where Shreve attended Indiana University. INRD Vice President, Regulatory Affairs Shae LeDune helped coordinate the meeting and represented INRD. Also in attendance were Robillard, Shreve’s legislative assistant and an individual from the staff of former Representative Greg Pence.
The group’s discussion clarified some key industry details for Shreve, who had thought Class I railroads owned all short lines and was unfamiliar with how small railroads finance infrastructure improvements and how regulation can often have an outsized impact on short lines compared to larger carriers.
According to Robillard, “there was a good conversation regarding collective bargaining, how short lines cross train crafts, and how we have such an impact on the local economy.” The meeting also informed Shreve “of the entrepreneurial spirit, size, and ownership structures in our business,” said Robillard, leaving the congressman “very surprised to learn that many [short lines] are still independent and as small as they are.”
For both Robillard and LeDune, engaging with elected officials is incredibly valuable. In Indiana, local railroads are working to pass a state-level short line tax credit bill, and such connections are a critical part of that effort. Building a strong coalition also helps local railroads in applying for grants as through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program and resolving issues related to crossing closures and trespassing concerns.
“INRD strongly believes in the importance of engaging with our representatives to discuss key issues and opportunities within the rail industry. Our recent visit with Rep. Shreve was a valuable experience,” said LeDune
This visit from Shreve is not a rarity for ROI members. Two years ago Representative Erin Houchin (R-Ind.) visited to learn about short lines, and this week Madison Railroad will host the mayor, city council and economic development agency representatives from North Vernon, Indiana.
“We encourage our smaller railroads to reach out to legislators from all levels and set up meetings such as this,” added Robillard. “What we’ve found is that most of our legislators know very little about our industry and are very happy to take the time to visit and learn.”
ROI works with railroads in Indiana to facilitate connections with lawmakers, providing talking points, materials and other assistance as needed. Other states also have local short line associations, which may be able to provide similar support.
ASLRRA provides this assistance to railroads on a national level. The Association’s government affairs team can help short lines connect with the appropriate elected officials and ASLRRA’s policy pages include information, links and shareable resources that discuss important short line issues. For more information, or to help schedule a Congressional meeting at your facility, contact the Association’s Crystal Gitchell or Richard Sherman.
(Top left) Shae LeDune (right) of The Indiana Rail Road Company (INRD) posed for a picture with Representative Jefferson Shreve (R-Ind.) when they met at INRD headquarters last week to discuss short line industry issues.
(Top right) Adam Robillard (right) of Madison Railroad helped organize and also attended the meeting with Rep. Shreve.
Railroad Day on Capitol Hill, taking place this year on May 7, brings together hundreds of freight railroad industry representatives and other stakeholders to discuss rail priorities with elected officials and policymakers.
Attendees give the industry a face and a unified voice, explaining how railroads play a crucial role in America’s economy and how decisions made in Congress have concrete effects on the ability of railroads to meet their communities’ needs.
Railroad Day will include breakfast and materials pickup in the morning, a day of congressional office visits and an evening reception on Capitol Hill. Individuals can register for Hill appointments only, Hill appointments and the reception or the reception only.
ASLRRA is also welcoming sponsors for Railroad Day. Click here to learn about different sponsorship opportunities, or contact Amy Westerman with questions.
After today, rates will increase for ASLRRA’s Annual Conference. Register today to take advantage of all this year’s conference has to offer.
ASLRRA is excited to offer a new special event this year, the Lucky Strike networking event taking place after the conclusion of education sessions on April 8. Registration for this event is complimentary for all Class II and III member railroad registered attendees. Everyone who plans to attend the Lucky Strike event, free or not, must be sure to add the ticket during the registration process. Those who have already registered can go back and add the Lucky Strike ticket.
And, if you have not already done so, be sure to make hotel reservations today. ASLRRA has added additional hotel blocks at nearby hotels to accommodate high demand. Click here to go to ASLRRA’s event lodging page for information regarding room availability, rates, booking deadlines and direct links to each hotel.
Mike Peters, chief customer officer for Genesee & Wyoming Railroad Services Inc.’s (G&W) North American operations, will be a featured speaker at this year’s Annual Conference in Denver.
Peters will participate in a presentation on Monday, April 7 during the General Session, discussing rail supply chain technology coalition RailPulse. He has been with G&W for ten years and held supply chain roles for over two decades. At G&W he works to develop long-term market strategies and improve the customer experience.
Joining Peters are RailPulse General Manager David Shannon and Norfolk Southern Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Mike McClellan.
Also speaking during the first General Session is Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena. The featured speaker during the second General Session on April 8 will be Surface Transportation Board (STB) Chair Patrick Fuchs.
FTS Tools, LLC, based in Lynchburg, Virginia, specializes in battery-powered track maintenance tools and track inspection technologies. It creates smarter, safer, and more-efficient work environments with its back-protecting, lightweight, and cordless tools. FTS Tools’ Inspection Technology helps measure, monitor, and maintain track, providing track measurements in real time and under full dynamic load. Director of Operations Josiah Stiemann is our primary contact and can be reached on (973) 397-5213. Learn more about them in Booth 350 at our Annual Conference & Exhibition in Denver.
Praedico is a U.S.-based rail technology company with deep industry expertise, helping short line railroads improve efficiency, reliability, and safety through data-driven insights. Their platform integrates operational data and asset management information into an easy-to-use software solution—helping railroads transition from reactive or scheduled maintenance to a more predictive, cost-effective approach. Even with limited operational or measurement data, short lines can benefit from Praedico’s AI-driven platform to reduce maintenance costs, extend asset life, and enhance operational reliability. With decades of rail experience across freight and transit, it understands the challenges short lines face. Whether managing a few miles of track or a larger network, Praedico provides the tools to prioritize maintenance, optimize resources, and improve service availability without the need for costly infrastructure overhauls. Our primary contact is VP Donovan Butler, who can be reached on (913) 526-7105.
On Feb. 19 the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) approved safety upgrades for a rail crossing owned by ASLRRA member Indiana & Ohio Railway (IORY). IORY will install flashing lights and gates and a new surface at the crossing using federal funds allocated by PUCO.
PUCO and the Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) work together to identify highway-railroad crossings for upgrades based on risk of accident with funding approved after the crossing project is authorized by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Ohio also has a separate state-funded Grade Crossing Upgrade Program to help local communities afford crossing improvements not eligible under the federal program.
Ohio is one of several states that administers a program to help fund grade crossing improvements, although application procedures, timing and other requirements can vary greatly. Many of these programs are implemented through the FHWA’s Railway-Highway Crossings (Section 130) Program, which apportions funds to states for elimination of hazards at public crossings.
Below are some of the states that offer grants for crossing improvements. It is not a comprehensive list of all funding opportunities nationwide.
What are the latest ways Association members can engage with ASLRRA? What is ASLRRA’s most recent call-to-action? Below are some of the different types of information the Association would love to gather.
Each year ASLRRA honors short line railroad and switching members with exemplary safety records by bestowing Jake, Jake with Distinction and President’s Awards. However, to be eligible for these awards, railroad and switching members must first complete the required Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) accident/incident reports for every month of the previous year.
All members must be current on their 2024 report filings by this Friday, Feb. 28. For more information, please visit ASLRRA’s safety awards page and see the “Performance-based Safety Awards” section. Included there is a link to FRA Form F 6180.55, the Railroad Injury and Illness Summary. Those with further questions can contact ASLRRA’s Fred Oelsner.
ASLRRA has developed a new educational opportunity as part of the Association’s Leadership Program, the Professional Trainer Development workshop. This particular session, which is being run for the first time by ASLRRA and Iowa Northern Railway Company staff, is being offered at no cost to a limited number of industry professionals.
The workshop is a two-and-a-half day course to help individuals enhance their training skills. Content will cover designing training using adult learning principles, managing participant engagement and the learning environment, enhancing personal presentation skills and developing course materials using Bloom’s Taxonomy for Instructional Design and ADDIE methods.
This event will take place March 11 to 13 in San Diego, California. Individuals who would like to attend can email Sabrina Waiss to request tickets.
To help members fulfill federal regulatory requirements, ASLRRA has developed a variety of compliance templates for different parts of 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). This includes templates for 49 CFR Part 243, Training, Qualification, and Oversight for Safety-Related Railroad Employees.
ASLRRA’s Part 243 templates have been approved by the Federal Railroad Administration and can be used by railroads and contractors. These organizations can adopt ASLRRA’s model programs in the FRA’s 243 Program Portal. To access the templates, members must log in.
Additional template programs, including requirements for record retention, contractor safety training are available to members in the Compliance Templates section under Safety & Compliance.
All templates are available at no cost to railroad members, and select templates are available free to associate business members. Contact ASLRRA’s JR Gelnar with questions about safety and compliance resources and templates.
Industry experts in ASLRRA's Member Discount Program can assist member railroads in the preparation and submission of a number of different grant applications at the federal, state and local levels.
As a preferred provider of grant writing services, Colliers Engineering and Design offers discounted rates, industry expertise, and exceptional service to ASLRRA members. Visit ASLRRA’s Member Discount Program page and select Grant Writing Services to learn more about Colliers and other exceptional preferred providers.
Jo Strang participated virtually in the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) critical incident Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC) Working Group meeting held yesterday and today.
ASLRRA’s On Demand Webinars resource library offers over 200 webinar recordings on a variety of topics, from industry-specific finance, human resources and legal issues to business development, strategic communications and more. Check out the following popular sessions discussing innovative technology used in railroad inspection and maintenance:
Visit ASLRRA’s webinar homepage and log in to view all the on-demand offerings in the Association’s webinar library.
This month, the Short Line Safety Institute (SLSI) reached a milestone, with more than 5,000 short line railroad employees and first responders completing in-person hazardous materials training. An additional 1,500 railroad employees have been trained on the safe transportation of hazardous materials by participants in SLSI’s Train-the-Trainer program.
The need for supplemental training on the safe movement of hazmat and the need to communicate and coordinate with first responders during incident pre-planning, mitigation, and recovery efforts were identified through Safety Culture Assessments (SCAs) conducted on short lines across the country.
SLSI-provided hazardous materials training was initiated in 2018 with a competitive grant from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). In 2022, SLSI began to offer training that included first responders, supported by an Assistance for Local Emergency Response Training (ALERT) grant from PHMSA. Since 2018, SLSI has provided 355 classes and 171 training events in person, reaching participants from 951 organizations.
“Our hazardous materials in-person training has been one of our most impactful offerings, with more than 951 organizations and more than 5,000 individuals taking part in a classroom training, an exercise or a drill. Including first responders in railroad training has proven to be constructive and beneficial in preparing a coordinated response in the case of an incident,” said SLSI Executive Director Tom Murta. “With the ongoing support of PHMSA, SLSI delivers a variety of high-quality interactive training programs to railroads of any size, particularly those in rural areas.”
Railway Age magazine has announced the winners of this year’s Short Line Railroad of the Year and Regional Railroad of the Year awards. Also announced were four short line honorable mention recipients.
ASLRRA member Rochester & Erie Railway (RER) is this year’s Short Line Railroad of the Year. The railroad was honored for its impressive growth and the way the RER team has brought the business back from disrepair in 2023 to “vibrant daily operations” today.
ASLRRA member Iowa Interstate Railroad (IAIS) is the Regional Railroad of the Year. IAIS, which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2024, was recognized for its “continued evolution and innovation” that take place alongside a continuous commitment to safety.
The four honorable mention recipients are the Great Sandhills Railway and ASLRRA members Central Montana Rail, the Columbus & Ohio River Rail Rod and the R. J. Corman Railroad Company West Virginia Line.
All of this year’s award winners and honorable mention recipients will be recognized at ASLRRA’s Annual Conference in Denver, held April 6 to 8.
Click here for a calendar of industry events.
Views & News is published by American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association.
Please contact Mariel Takamura, associate editor, with questions or comments.
