ASLRRA created the Short Line Railroad Industry Hall of Fame in 2020 to recognize short line railroad visionaries and stars who through their dedication, commitment and achievement best exemplify the qualities of innovation, entrepreneurialism, perseverance and service that have advanced the short line railroad industry.
Each year, a class including one posthumous and two living honorees will be selected.
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Richard Jay “Rick” Corman (1955–2013) was more than a railroad entrepreneur – he was a force of nature whose life story continues to inspire generations of railroad professionals. Born in Nicholasville, Kentucky, Corman’s roots were humble, yet his dreams were anything but. From the very beginning, Corman embodied the spirit of possibility, believing that with hard work, ingenuity and a little luck, anything was achievable. Read more |
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R. Lawrence (Larry) McCaffrey had a mid-western upbringing in Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois. He was introduced to railroads at a very early age by a father who was fascinated by them and frequently took his son to watch the Denver Zephyr and Rock Island Rocket blast through town. McCaffrey found this stunningly boring. However, in hindsight, McCaffrey has recognized what was boring in his youth became a fascinating and rewarding career as an adult. Read more |
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While a student at Amherst College, Michael V. Smith spent his summers working as a trackman for the Delaware & Hudson Railway and the New York Central Railroad. Though Smith majored in political science, a job as an operating management trainee with Penn Central Transportation Company after graduation set him on a career path that has lasted over half a century. Read more |
