Please use the link below to fill out meeting notes about each meeting you participated in. This information is vital for us to continue to advocate on your behalf. It also lets us know if any congressional offices make any specific requests of us, indicate their support, or other key related issues.
Without your feedback, there might be delays in our ability to appropriately address these types of requests or comments.
Download the Railroad Day 2025 handout here
America’s freight railroads operate in 49 states and the District of Columbia, serving nearly every major industry – from agriculture and chemicals to energy and manufacturing. To deliver safe and reliable service, Class I railroads – the six largest – work closely with 600+ short line railroads. Short lines are small businesses typically employing less than 30 people, operating nearly 30% of the nation’s route miles, providing the first- and last-mile connections for thousands of shippers to the national rail system.
For nearly 200 years, freight railroads have been a key driver of America’s economic development, linking businesses across the country and around the globe. Freight railroads continue this legacy using advanced technologies that improve safety, enhance efficiency, and expand economic opportunities for our customers, and reduce emissions. To support these goals, we urge Congress to:
Modernize the 45G Short Line Tax Credit
The 45G short line tax credit has been instrumental in addressing the leading causes of short line derailments – worn out track and ties. First enacted in 2005 and made permanent in 2020, the credit provides $.40 for every dollar invested in track and bridge improvements, capped at $3,500/mile.
The tax credit has spurred $8B in private infrastructure investment, but inflation and outdated rules have eroded its effectiveness, with maintenance costs now exceeding $15,000 per mile, almost double the costs from 20 years ago. Expenditures on track acquired since 2015 are ineligible for the credit, and nearly $12B in upgrades remain.
Action Request: Co-sponsor and support H.R. 516, and S. 1532, the 45G Tax Credit Modernization Act, which increases the per-mile cap to an inflation-adjusted $6,100, includes all short line track miles, and indexes the cap to inflation moving forward.
Oppose Caps for Corporate SALT Deductions
At a time when the focus is on bringing jobs and investment back to the United States, Congress should not enact tax policies that target industries, like railroads, with the majority of their assets and activities based in the U.S.
Railroads operate large parcels of property, and cannot shift their businesses to locations with better tax rates. A cap on corporate SALT deductions would have the same impact as a tax rate hike.
Action Request: Oppose any caps on corporate SALT deductions, which could harm railroads’ ability to operate safely and efficiently.
Freight railroads invest billions of private dollars into their own infrastructure, reducing the burden on taxpayers and removing millions of trucks from our highways. In contrast, trucks rely on publicly subsidized highways while underpaying for the damage they cause. This imbalance threatens the integrity of our roads and the sustainability of the Highway Trust Fund (HTF).
Increasing truck sizes and weights would:
Action Request: Congress should oppose increases in federal truck size and weight limits until trucks pay their fair share.
Railroads consistently invest in improvements – bridges, terminals, track – but permitting delays can stall projects that enhance safety and efficiency.
The industry supports reforms to:
Action Request: Encourage USDOT to modernize permitting rules and ensure timely environmental reviews that reflect a project’s relative complexity.
Federal grant programs like Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI), Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE), and Section 130 are essential to keeping railroads – and the communities they serve – safe.
The CRISI program has been a game-changer for short line railroads particularly, enabling substantial infrastructure projects that would not otherwise be possible, resulting in safer and more efficient service to thousands of customers, while attracting new business to rail. Currently, CRISI is funded at $1 billion/year in guaranteed funding through FY 2026 (via advance appropriations), plus up to $1 billion/year in additional discretionary funds.
The RCE and the Section 130 programs play a vital role in public safety by providing funding to remove or improve hazardous highway-rail grade crossings – the leading cause of fatalities and injuries involving trains.
Action Request: Guarantee robust, long-term funding for these programs in the next Surface Transportation bill.
To co-sponsor the Short Line Tax Credit Modernization Act, contact:
H.R. 516
Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA)
Quinn Ritchie
(202) 225-5406
Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA)
Eric Hoffman
(202) 225-3311
S. 1532
Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID)
Don Snyder
(202) 224-4515
Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR)
Grace Enda
(202) 224-4515
We encourage all participants to post messages of support on Railroad Day, and to post photos tagging the Member of Congress, and using #Railday2025 and #Railchampions.
A document to help you draft your own social media posts is available here.
We also encourage you to use the below templates, which have space for a logo or image, as a way to further ignite conversation about the event. When posting, please use the hashtag #RailDay2025 so others can see and amplify your message.
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