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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.
In an interview last year, Doug Golden explained that he sought to establish a scholarship program for small railroad employees to help railroads afford an important necessity – industry training and education. Since its inception, the Doug Golden Scholarship has helped dozens of railroad professionals take advantage of training opportunities, with the latest group of scholarship recipients united in their praise of the program’s myriad benefits.
“As everyone in the industry knows, the rules and regulations are always changing and staying on top of it all is a challenge,” said Housatonic Railroad Company Trainmaster PJ Bailly. “As an employee of a short line, winning the scholarship made it easier for my employer to have me attend more training seminars and classes, which I did. This not only helped upgrade my training, but it also allowed me to bring that knowledge back to my fellow employees.”
Short line railroaders at all levels of experience can benefit from training opportunities, especially those provided by ASLRRA. The most recent scholarship recipients all received funding for an ASLRRA seminar.
For MG Rail Engineer and Conductor Nicholas Amy, the Part 243 training and qualification seminar enabled him to refresh his knowledge after having been out of the rail industry for several years. And for industry newcomer Jessica Price, interline specialist at Trona Railway Company, attending Part 225 training on railroad accidents and incidents “was the perfect chance to grow professionally” with “training content [that] was practical, engaging, and directly applicable to my career.”
Beyond the educational content of the training itself, these seminars bring together railroaders and industry experts, including Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) representatives, which many scholarship recipients find valuable.
“Personally, attending training with FRA and Industry experts eliminates misinterpretations or misunderstandings of regulations,” said Trona Railway Company Manager of Operations Jene Lager.
Interactions with fellow attendees are also a benefit of in-person training. Arkansas-Oklahoma Railroad General Manager Heather Watson said, “ASLRRA trainings are not only informative but allow you to discuss specific issues with instructors and colleagues. It's also a great way to build business relationships with other attendees and hear real scenarios of issues related to some or all the regulations.”
While recent scholarship recipients found the Association’s educational opportunities to be worthwhile, having access to funding made their experiences possible. Watson said she would not have been able to go at all without a scholarship, while Lager said that for him, the scholarship was the difference between “attending the training or missing out.”
Price made the same comment. “The scholarship was invaluable because it made the training accessible,” she said. “Without the scholarship, I might have delayed or even missed out on this opportunity due to budget constraints.”
Matthew Hunt, general manager of Natchez Railway, enjoys learning and keeping up with regulatory knowledge. For him, the chance to attend training “for little to no cost…was an amazing opportunity.”
The ultimate goal, for ASLRRA and Doug Golden, is to help small-railroad employees operate at the highest-possible levels of safety and compliance, something the Association achieves by offering educational opportunities, and Golden achieves by helping railroaders attend them. The two complement each other well, a sentiment Bailly sums up perfectly.
“Learning and passing [along] that industry knowledge is important to keeping railroads and railroaders safe,” said Bailly. “The scholarship is a big help in advancing that initiative.”
ASLRRA congratulates all recent recipients of a Doug Golden Scholarship. In addition to Nicholas Amy, PJ Bailly, Matthew Hunt, Jene Lager, Jessica Price and Heather Watson, the Association awarded scholarships to Aaron Elsea, now with Blacklands Railroad, Matthew Fruchey of Cincinnati Railway Company, Devin Martin of Farmrail Corporation, Matthew Phalon of Morristown & Erie Railway and Ryan Watt of Alexander Railroad Company.
To learn more about the Doug Golden Scholarship Program or to submit an application form, click here. To view a list of upcoming ASLRRA training seminars toward which these scholarships can be applied, click here.
(All photos L to R) Nicholas Amy of MG Rail, PJ Bailly of the Housatonic Railroad and Jene Lager and Jessica Price of Trona Railway Company each received a $1,200 Golden Scholarship to help them attend one of ASLRRA's training seminars.
ASLRRA announces the addition of Wi-Tronix to the Association’s Member Discount Program as a Preferred Provider of digital onboard solutions. Short line railroads can use the company’s Violet Edge system to operate locomotives smarter, safer and more efficiently.
“The Violet Edge solution provided by Wi-Tronix will assist our short line members in tracking the performance of their locomotive fleets. As short lines are laser focused on providing outstanding customer service, maximizing uptime of key capital assets is critical in keeping freight moving as planned,” said ASLRRA President Chuck Baker. “Implementing this technology will help our members reduce risk and costs by proactively identifying maintenance needs, track fuel consumption and record data necessary for regulatory compliance.”
The Violet Edge solution includes locomotive installed hardware with options for adding video and compliance tracking. The Violet 830 hardware provides real-time locomotive tracking capabilities along with live monitoring of fuel usage, fuel monitoring, and excess idle reporting. The Violet 800 series hardware includes all the functions of the Violet 830 and is also an FRA-approved event recorder (ER), digital video recorder (DVR), and PTC recorder.
“We are entering an exciting new chapter with enhanced capabilities to assist our customers and the industry in accelerating the digitalization of locomotive fleets. This will drive new efficiencies and enable the transfer of advanced technologies from Class I railroads to short lines, resulting in substantial benefits,” said Wi-Tronix Vice President of Sales and Customer Experience Chad Jasmin. “We look forward to assisting ASLRRA members in achieving their operational goals.”
For more on Wi-Tronix and a full listing of products available, members can login and click here.
To join ASLRRA’s Member Discount Program, contact ASLRRA’s Senior Vice President, Education and Business Services Sabrina Waiss.
The Railroad Retirement Board’s (RRB) March edition of its Question and Answer series explains how the Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA), which was signed into law on Jan. 5, will affect railroad retirement annuities.
The SSFA repeals earlier legislation that reduced railroad retirement annuities or social security benefits for railroad workers, spouses or survivors who also received public service pensions on work not covered by social security. The SSFA also removes a reduction applied to annuities of railroad employees who receive certain nonprofit or foreign pensions.
The restoration of annuities is applied retroactively to the months after December 2023. However, the calculation and issuance of retroactive payments may be delayed by the RRB’s need to update its computer systems to implement the SSFA.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee has approved its authorization and oversight plan for the 119th Congress, which includes a section from the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials.
House rules require committees to adopt a two-year authorization and oversight plan that lays out each committee’s agenda. The rail subcommittee section of the T&I plan begins at the bottom of page 15.
In its section the subcommittee says it will review budget proposals for agencies in its jurisdiction and monitor use of funds for rail infrastructure and safety improvements, including the CRISI grant program. The subcommittee will also conduct oversight of Amtrak and the Surface Transportation Board, work on reauthorization of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) pipeline safety program and continue to oversee PHMSA’s hazardous materials safety program.
In related news, T&I Committee Chair Sam Graves (R-Mo.) recently announced the T&I subcommittee vice chairs for the 119th Congress. For the rail subcommittee, the vice chair is Representative Nick Begich (R-Ark.).
With the addition this week of Representatives Derek Schmidt (R-Kan.), Michael Baumgartner (R-Wash.), Celeste Maloy (R-Utah) and Tim Moore (R-N.C.), the Short Line Railroad Tax Credit Modernization Act, H.R. 516, now has 34 co-sponsors.
The bipartisan group of co-sponsors, 24 Republicans and 10 Democrats, represent 23 different states. To educate lawmakers about the bill and encourage their support, ASLRRA and its members continue to connect with members of Congress via phone, email and with in-person meetings.
The short line tax credit, also known as 45G according to its section in the tax code, is a vital driver of infrastructure investment in the short line railroad industry, fueling over $8 billion in spending on rail upgrades since its inception in 2005. In those 20 years, however, there has been no change to the credit cap of $3,500 per mile. H.R 516 would update the credit cap to $6,100 per mile, index the credit to inflation and allow for all short-line-owned track miles to be eligible for the credit.
Registration is Open for Railroad Day on Capitol Hill
One way to help communicate the importance of 45G and encourage federal elected officials to support the bill is by participating in Railroad Day on Capitol Hill, taking place this year on May 7. This industry fly-in brings together hundreds of freight railroad industry representatives and other stakeholders to discuss rail priorities with elected officials and policymakers.
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.
The Expo Hall at ASLRRA’s Annual Conference is always full of potential, offering opportunities for short line professionals to network with each other and the hundreds of industry suppliers stationed at myriad booths.
From equipment manufacturers to engineering firms, insurance companies to software developers, the conference Expo Hall features the products and services railroads need to ensure safe, efficient operations. Attendees eager to see who will be at this year’s event and perhaps plan which booths they intend to visit can view a list of exhibitors and an Expo Hall floor plan here.
Conference attendees who need to book lodging have many options, but room block rates at all of the participating Denver hotels will expire on March 12. Click here to go to ASLRRA’s event lodging page for information regarding room availability, rates, booking deadlines and direct links to each hotel.
Those who would like to register for the short line railroad industry’s premier event are still able do so. Register today to take advantage of all this year’s conference has to offer.
East Penn Manufacturing, based in Lyon Station, Pennsylvania, is a leading manufacturer of Deka valve-regulated lead acid (VRLA) batteries including the revolutionary Deka Fahrenheit. Its diverse product line covers a wide variety of reserve power applications including Rail, Switchgear, Utilities, Telecommunications, UPS systems, Solar and Emergency Lighting. Central Region Sales Manager Bernadette Finnegan is our primary contact and can be reached on (484) 513-4008. Learn more about them in Booth 1106 at our Annual Conference & Exhibition in Denver.
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.
Only a few spaces are left in the ASLRRA Leadership Program – Regulatory Module, the only industry training of its kind. This training seminar provides railroad managers with more insight into the workings of federal regulatory agencies and the rules that affect front-line employees. This year, the seminar will be held in Freeport, Maine May 6 to 7. Click here to register.
The Leadership Program – Regulatory Module is intended for managers, supervisors and anyone else involved in leading day-to-day railroad operations. Attendees learn about the federal agencies that regulate railroads and key regulations governing them. Seminar presenters will also cover leadership qualities for managers, incorporating interactive discussions with instructors and industry peers.
Visit the Training Seminars webpage to view all of this year’s in-person training opportunities, and register for these events.
Employees of small railroads are eligible for scholarships to help them attend important industry training. Click here to learn more about ASLRRA’s scholarship opportunities.
ASLRRA members have exclusive access to downloadable Drug and Alcohol Educational Materials, including posters, a Part 219 educational brochure, affidavit templates and employer review documents, designed in consultation with subject matter experts on the Association’s Safety and Training Committee.
The members-only educational-materials webpage also features links to webinar recordings addressing Part 219 control of alcohol and drug use, regulatory requirements, testing programs and issues, and educational materials for railroads. All recordings can also be found in ASLRRA’s On-Demand Webinar library.
On March 7, Chuck Baker will join the Association of American Railroads’ Ian Jefferies for a live podcast on Progressive Railroading magazine’s subscription site RailPrime. The title of the podcast is “The 2025 Rail Landscape – Policy, Trade & Market Outlook.” Baker and Jefferies will explore key rail issues and topics including those related to trade, regulations, policy shifts and market trends.
Join industry colleagues for an informative webinar, in which speakers will explore the challenges of outdated locomotive control systems that many short line railroads are facing and the advantages of upgrading to modern solutions that improve traction, fuel efficiency, and reliability. Sponsored and presented by subject matter experts from ASLRRA associate member ZTR, the session will discuss:
Attendees will have an opportunity to participate in Q&A at the end of the presentation.
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ASLRRA is a member of the Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay program, which helps companies advance supply chain sustainability. A series of webinars helped participants learn more about the program and its application, and members can find recordings of these webinars in ASLRRA’s On-Demand Webinar Library. Look for the following titles:
Visit ASLRRA’s webinar homepage and log in to view all the on-demand offerings in the Association’s webinar library.
The Short Line Safety Institute (SLSI) has published a new Hazardous Materials Safety Tip (Hazmat Tip), the second in its three-part series on railway security.
When it comes to safety, railroaders are the first line of defense, and the information they gather is vital to safe operations across the entire rail network. This tip discusses the rail network threat environment and provides an overview of rail industry alert levels and the Association of American Railroads (AAR) Railway Alert Network (RAN).
The Hazmat Tip describes the system of alert levels developed by AAR and other stakeholders that offers a unified approach to rail industry security. The tip also provides emergency and non-emergency contact information for RAN and explains how the RAN supports security awareness and information sharing. A PDF version of the Hazmat Tip is here, and a video version is here.
SLSI produces Hazmat Tips and Safety Tips for railroads to use in training and other communications. View the institute’s full list of tips here.
The SLSI team will be at ASLRRA’s Annual Conference in Denver in Booth 735. Attendees can stop by to learn more about the institute’s programs and talk directly with staff about Safety Culture Assessments, hazardous materials training, leadership development programs and the other resources SLSI provides to railroads and first responders.
SmartWay, an effort by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help companies advance supply chain sustainability, has two programs to recognize SmartWay Partners and SmartWay Affiliates for excellence in freight sustainability. Both will begin the selection process soon.
The SmartWay Profiles in Leadership program recognizes affiliates and air carriers, rail carriers, barge carriers and logistics companies for freight sustainability leadership actions. The application period for this award is expected to open in early April.
The SmartWay Excellence Award goes to program partners in the shipper and truck categories that represent the top two percent of superior environmental performers.
SmartWay will offer webinars discussing each of these recognition programs. One, “Excellence Award Criteria,” took place today, but a recording should be made available on the SmartWay Webinars & Events website. The other, “Profiles in Leadership Overview,” will take place on March. 26. Click here to register for that webinar.
Railway Age magazine has opened the nomination period for its annual 10 Most Influential Industry Leaders poll. Nominations are due April 9.
According to the magazine, individuals can nominate the person “they believe is the single-most influential active (non-retired) man or woman in the industry.” Nominees must be part of the North American rail industry and can represent any industry group, including freight carriers, transit and commuter rail, suppliers, contractors, government agencies and trade associations.
The top ten individuals will be featured in Railway Age’s May issue. Click here to learn more or access a nomination form.
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.
