WASHINGTON, December 16, 2022 – ASLRRA strongly supports H.R. 9581, the Short Line Railroad Relief Act, a bill that would authorize emergency disaster relief funding resources for short line railroads through the USDOT. Current federal programs fail to provide small business short line railroads with immediate relief after natural disasters, but do offer disaster relief benefits to other transportation modes, such as highways and transit.
WASHINGTON, November 29, 2022 – The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) supports Congressional action to avert a shutdown of the nation’s freight rail system.
WASHINGTON, September 15, 2022 – The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) congratulates the Class I carriers and rail labor unions in reaching a tentative agreement early this morning, ending the uncertainty of the past several weeks.
WASHINGTON – August 2, 2022 – The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) released the following statement in response to today’s introduction of the Freight Rail Shipping Fair Market Act by Chair of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-NJ), Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Chair of the House Committee on Agriculture David Scott (D-GA), and Chair of the Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture Jim Costa (D-CA). The legislation will reauthorize the Surface Transportation Board (Board).
WASHINGTON – July 27, 2022 – The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) is disappointed with the Train Crew Size Safety Requirements Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) released by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today, calling the proposal ill-conceived, ill-timed and unnecessary.
WASHINGTON – June 29, 2022 – The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) today awarded a record number of Jake Safety Awards, including twenty member railroads being recognized as President’s Safety Award winners. The Jake Award program recognizes member railroads for above-industry average safety performance during 2021. Of the 364 Jake Award recipients, 332 member railroads will be honored “with Distinction” recognizing their FRA reportable injury-free performance in 2021.
WASHINGTON – June 2, 2022 – Today the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced the selection of grant recipients for the Fiscal Year 2021 Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program. Many short line projects were among the recipients, and an ASLRRA-member short line – the Lake State Railway Company in Saginaw, Michigan – was the location chosen by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg today to officially announce the awards.
ST. LOUIS – May 2, 2022 – The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) has presented LTG (Ret) Richard F. Timmons with the 2022 Schlosser Distinguished Service Award. The award, named for former ASLRRA Chairman Thomas L. Schlosser, is the highest individual honor bestowed by the ASLRRA, recognizing an individual for his or her long-term, significant service to the ASLRRA and the short line industry. Timmons was presented with the award this morning at the ASLRRA Conference and Exhibition in St. Louis, Missouri.
ST. LOUIS – May 2, 2022 – The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) has selected George Betke, Chairman, Farmrail Systems and Walter Rich, former Chairman, Delaware Otsego Corp (posthumously) as the 2022 Short Line Hall of Fame inductees. The inductees were honored at ASLRRA’s Conference & Exhibition this morning in St. Louis, Missouri. The Short Line Hall of Fame recognizes exceptional leaders and entrepreneurs who paved the way for the growth and impact of the modern short line industry.
ST. LOUIS – May 2, 2022 – As the supply chain continued to experience pandemic-related disruptions through 2021, short line railroads sought ways to capitalize on opportunities presented in the wake of truck driver shortages, changing customer buying patterns, and manufacturers challenged to keep plants running in the face of uncertain supply. From a strong field of submissions, the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) has selected three 2022 Business Development Award winners: the Allegheny Valley Railroad, CRANDIC Rail, and the Union County Industrial Railroad. These member railroads were honored for creative use of their unique operations to deliver value to shippers; utilizing partnerships with development authorities, Class 1s, and shippers to capture business opportunities; and driving economic success for shippers and the communities they serve. The awards were presented at ASLRRA’s Conference & Exhibition in St. Louis, Missouri.
