Press Releases
| Timmons Named Railroader of the Year |
| November 18, 2005 |
| November 18, 2005 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Richard F. Timmons, President of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, has been named 2006 Railroader of the Year by railroad industry trade journal Railway Age. "Late last year, the short line and regional railroad industry scored a landmark victory in Congress with passage of H.R. 4520, the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004," said Railway Age Editor William C. Vantuono. "Section 245 of that legislation gives Class II and Class III railroads the opportunity to earn tax credits against their federal tax liability through qualified railroad infrastructure investments. In light of the enormous investments that small railroads need to make in order to remain competitive and viable in today's freight transportation market, getting this legislation passed was critical. The hard work and perseverance of hundreds of short line railroaders, customers and suppliers, led by Rich Timmons and the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, made it all possible. It's a prime example of what a committed grass-roots effort can accomplish." "I am honored to receive this award, not for myself but on behalf of the tremendous effort made by the short line railroads and our suppliers and contractors. The rehabilitation projects made possible by this credit will allow the short line industry to take a huge step forward. It will make more short line track 286 ready, give small shippers increased access to longer heavier trains and help short lines win back much needed traffic from the highways. I think it will come to be viewed as the most important piece of federal railroad legislation since the passage of the Staggers Act." Richard F. Timmons is the 43rd recipient of Railway Age's Railroader of the Year Award, which was started by Modern Railroads magazine in 1964 as the "Man of the Year" award. Railway Age acquired Modern Railroads in 1992 and has presented the award annually since then. Timmons will receive the award, one of the most prestigious in the railroad industry, on March 21, 2006, at Chicago's Union League Club. American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (www.aslrra.org) is a Washington-based trade association representing the nation's Class II and III railroads. The number of short line railroads has grown dramatically since the passage of the Staggers Act, increasing from 190 companies and 8,800 miles of track in 1980 to over 500 companies and nearly 50,000 miles of track today. These were the underperforming light density lines of the Class I railroads and from the beginning they required significant rehabilitation. ASLRRA made the passage of the rehabilitation tax credit its top legislative goal beginning in 2003 and hundreds of individual industry executives devoted substantial time and financial resources to achieve this legislative victory. Railway Age (www.railwayage.com) is a monthly magazine circulated at the management levels of North American freight and passenger railroads. Founded in Chicago, IL, in 1876, it is the transportation industry's oldest trade magazine. Railway Age is published by the Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corp., New York, NY Contacts: Steve Sullivan American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association 202-585-3432 sullivan@aslrra.org William C. Vantuono Railway Age 212-620-7240 wvantuono@sbpub.com |