Reading & Northern Railroad Partners with Hillside SPCA to Cover Adoption Fees Through Mid-January
OmniTRAX donates $75,000 to Brownsville nonprofits
Reading & Northern again ships 1M tons of anthracite coal
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.
Nominations for all of ASLRRA’s annual organizational awards – the Business Development Awards, Green Spark Award (formerly the Environmental Award) and the Veterans Engagement Award – are due in little over a week, on Friday, Jan. 16.
ASLRRA is pleased every year to honor the achievements of its members. The Association recognizes award winners at its Annual Conference as well as in various communications and on social media. These awards highlight some of what makes the short line industry great – including a commitment to excellence and innovation in business, environmental stewardship and support of military veterans.
The Business Development Awards recognize the Class II and III railroads that have designed and enacted the most innovative and successful business-building initiatives in the small railroad industry.
Click here to submit a nomination form.
Green Spark Award (formerly the Environmental Award)
The Green Spark Award recognizes a member railroad that has integrated eco-friendly practices into its operations, products or services, proving that size is no barrier to impact. Efforts related to energy efficiency, emissions reduction, waste management and sustainable infrastructure projects, environmental innovation and leadership and community and industry engagement are all award-worthy.
Click here to submit a Green Spark Award nomination form.
The Veterans Engagement Award honors an individual Class II or III railroad member that demonstrates positive policies toward U.S. veterans and that implement unique programs and practices to hire, recognize, support and engage veterans in the workplace and the broader community.
Please note associate member companies are no longer eligible for this award, and holding companies can only submit nominations as individual railroads.
Click here to submit a Veterans Engagement Award nomination form.
Please contact Mariel Takamura with any questions.
ASLRRA has received approval from the Federal Railroad Administration for an update to the Part 243 – Dispatcher Training template. The Association has revised the Railroad Dispatcher OJT Check Sheet by removing task 220.49.
Members are advised to update their existing program information with the revised check sheet. Members can access the document by logging in and looking in the Compliance Templates section of ASLRRA’s website under Part 243 > Dispatcher Program > OJT Check Sheet.
Those with questions should contact JR Gelnar.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued a provisional six-month renewal of an hours-of-service (HOS) exemption requested by ASLRRA and the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
The exemption applies to railroad employees and gives them relief from HOS regulations when they are responding to unplanned incidents such as a derailment, bridge strike, weather- and storm-related events and more. ASLRRA and AAR asked the FMCSA to not only renew and extend the existing exemption but to consider codifying the exemption in FMCSA’s HOS regulations.
In granting the provisional renewal, the FMCSA wrote that it “determined in 2020 that the exemption, subject to the terms and conditions imposed, would likely achieve a level of safety that is equivalent to the level that would be achieved absent such exemption.” The FMCSA does not expect the relief would compromise safety when used to respond to unplanned events while the agency considers its final decision.
The FMCSA is currently soliciting public comments on the exemption request. Comments are due Jan. 20.
The Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Switching Operations Fatality Analysis (SOFA) Working Group has issued a SOFA Alert regarding an employee fatality in December.
A conductor was fatally injured in a switching accident, when a block of cars that was being shoved into a siding struck another block of cars on the main track. The impact caused one car to derail and two others to tip on their sides, trapping the conductor underneath.
Although the SOFA Working Group has not yet analyzed the incident, the alert reminds employees to maintain vigilance during switching operations. This is especially true when switching between adjacent tracks. Employees should ensure equipment is clear of adjacent tracks before beginning a shove movement.
As a reminder, ASLRRA compiles recent safety notices from federal agencies on its Safety Alerts, Reports and Advisories page.
In the January edition of its Question and Answer (Q&A) series, the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) discusses laws and rules governing annuity payments to those who work after retirement. The rules apply to age and service and disability annuity payments.
According to the RRB, no railroad retirement annuity or supplemental annuity can be paid for any month during which a retired or disabled individual who works for an employer covered under the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA). Even if the employee worked for only one day, the annuity cannot be paid. These limitations also apply to spouse, divorced spouse and survivor annuities.
The Q&A also discusses earnings limitations and deductions for certain annuitants. Those with additional questions are encouraged to review the RRB’s Earnings & Working After Retirement Frequently Asked Questions page, call an RRB office toll-free at 1-877-772-5772 or make an appointment for an in-person meeting at a local field office.
On Jan. 5, ASLRRA and the Association of American Railroads (AAR) filed joint comments regarding the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ proposed rule to update the definition of Waters of the United States (WOTUS).
The Associations support the proposed revision to the definition, emphasizing the need for regulatory clarity and predictability for the regulated industry. The comments also urged the agencies to categorically exclude railroad right-of-way drainage ditches from the definition of WOTUS, since designating railroad ditches as WOTUS could trigger additional permitting requirements under the Clean Water Act and other regulatory requirements, leading to delays and increased costs for railroad infrastructure projects.
The Surface Transportation Board (STB) announced that on Dec. 18, the Senate confirmed Michelle Schultz to a second term as a member of the board. Her second term will expire Nov. 30, 2030.
Schultz first joined the STB in 2021. She has served as the board’s vice chairman. Previously, Schultz worked at the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), most recently as deputy general counsel.
Wyoming and North Carolina are both working to finalize their updated state rail plans and have invited the public to provide feedback on their state’s respective plan.
The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) invites the public to provide feedback through a recently unveiled self-guided public meeting website. Part of the online meeting is a survey for stakeholders. Feedback is due by Jan. 31. Those interested in receiving a physical copy of the survey must contact the project team listed on the State Rail Plan website.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) requests feedback on its plan by Jan. 20. On the NC State Rail Plan website stakeholders can view frequently asked questions concerning the plan and read and provide comments on individual sections of the plan. Comments can also be submitted on North Carolina’s Rail Service and Investment Program (RSIP).
The new year brings three new cosponsors of S. 1532, the Senate version of the 45G short line tax credit modernization bill. That brings the number of cosponsors to 34, or just over one-third of all senators.
The new additions are Senator Angus King, (I-Maine), Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Senator Peter Welch, (D-Vt.). Their support further cements the bill’s bipartisan popularity, which is notable in both the Senate and the House.
Two senators recently issued press releases highlighting their support of the tax credit. Senator John Ossoff (D-Ga.) made his support of the short line tax credit modernization bill the main focus of a Dec. 30 press release in which he also noted other efforts to support transportation infrastructure upgrades in his state.
Meanwhile in his 2025 year in review, Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) included cosponsorship of S. 1532 as one of the ways he supports tax reform to bolster infrastructure improvements and economic growth.
Achieving passage of the 45G modernization bill, which would increase the per-mile credit cap for short line infrastructure investments, index the cap to inflation and make all short line track eligible for the credit, remains a priority for ASLRRA and industry stakeholders. The Association will continue to advocate for this bill on Capitol Hill and urges others to join the effort.
Learn more about 45G and the modernization bill on ASLRRA’s advocacy webpage. Consult this list to see which elected officials are bill cosponsors and contact your representatives and/or senator to thank them for their support or urge them to sign on. Hearing from constituents about the importance of short line freight rail service and how the tax credit encourages private investment in infrastructure improvements can be instrumental in moving the needle on this vital issue.
The House and Senate are both in session this week as Congress begins the second session of the 119th Congress.
In the House, Republicans are expected to bring several fiscal year (FY) 2026 appropriations bills to the floor, including Commerce, Justice, and Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment, ahead of the January 30 expiration of the current Continuing Resolution. Two additional legislative packages could follow, including minibuses covering Homeland Security, State–Foreign Operations, and Financial Services, as well as Defense, Labor-HHS-Education, and Transportation-HUD. While significant work remains, there is cautious optimism on Capitol Hill that all FY 2026 spending bills could be enacted before the January 30 deadline.
In text released by the House and Senate Appropriations Committees on the Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act 2026, language was added directing the Department of Justice (DOJ) to allocate funding to prosecute cargo theft in certain crime hot spots. The bill also requires the DOJ to report to Congress on cargo theft and efforts to establish regional task forces addressing the issue.
As Congress works through the FY 2026 appropriations process, and begins laying the groundwork for FY 2027, ASLRRA staff continues active advocacy on key priorities, including the 45G short line tax credit and surface transportation reauthorization. At the same time, preparations are underway for Railroad Day on Capitol Hill, which will take place March 4.
Representative Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), a supporter of short line railroads, has died. He was 65.
Upon learning of the sudden passing of LaMalfa, ASLRRA made the following statement on its social media profiles:
“The short line railroad industry mourns the loss of Representative Doug LaMalfa, who served California’s first district where short line railroads provide critical transportation for agriculture products. Rep. LaMalfa was a supportive friend to the short line community, cosponsoring bills on disaster relief and the 45G short line tax credit, and was instrumental in pushing back against CARB’s unrealistic locomotive rule.”
The Chehalis Centralia Railroad & Museum is a 501c3 non-profit organization that was created for the specific purpose of preserving history and providing a tourist railroad experience in the Pacific Northwest. A ride on the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad is a pleasant, scenic, and relaxing 2-hour journey over ten miles of track. The excursion through the Chehalis River Valley features coaches from the 1920s and offers indoor and outdoor seating. The train excursion operates year-round with special events including The Polar Express. Thank you to Toby Van Altvorst from Goose Lake Railway for the recommendation.
Helwig Carbon Products, Inc., located in Milwaukee, WI, manufactures high-quality stock and custom-engineered traction motor brushes, dynamic brake blower brushes, alternator slip ring brushes, and other locomotive brushes for Class I, II, and III railroads. Helwig’s dependable grades, including popular traction grade H84, are formulated for long life in tough conditions. Helwig is AAR M-1003 and ISO 9001:2015 certified and keeps your motors running with short lead times, 98% on-time delivery, and local, on-site field support. With made-in-the-USA brushes manufactured in Milwaukee, WI, from raw materials supplied by our St. Mary’s, PA, plant, Helwig provides consistent quality and a reliable long-term supply. Contact their team at techsquad@helwigcarbon.com for quotes on stock and custom-engineered brushes.
Early bird rates for ASLRRA’s 2026 Annual Conference and Exhibition expire in exactly one week, on Jan. 14. Register today to take advantage of this opportunity to secure your spot at the short line industry’s premier event at the lowest possible cost.
This year’s conference promises to provide the robust education and networking opportunities attendees have come to expect. There will be more than 40 hours of industry-specific education delivered by industry experts, with nearly 50 education breakout sessions across 12 industry tracks. Session topics include payroll and accounting solutions, wayside detector technology, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, federal agency updates and more.
For those also needing to book a room for the event, ASLRRA has room blocks in four hotels within walking distance of the convention center. Click here to view hotels and reserve lodging.
The Association also continues to sell event sponsorships. There are a wide range of sponsorship opportunities available at a variety of price points, starting as low as $1,000. Click here to learn more.
Exhibit hall booths are also still available. Click here to learn more or submit an interest form. Individuals can also contact the meetings team to ask a question about sponsorships or booth sales.
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.
As an ASLRRA Preferred Provider, Loram offers discount pricing on its Aurora Track Inspection Technology featuring state-of-the-art imaging technology that scans track to reveal the specific condition of every tie along the way, pinpointing potential problems and marking their exact location.
A comprehensive tie inspection using Loram’s Aurora technology provides a detailed report that enables a railroad to streamline capital maintenance programs and helps ensure they are in line with industry regulations with compliance reports, while also helping them to plan repairs in the most efficient way possible.
All ASLRRA Member Discount Program Preferred Providers are carefully vetted companies committed to providing discounted pricing, special offers and guaranteed exceptional services on a range of industry-specific products and services. Visit the Association’s Member Discount Program page to view all Preferred Providers and learn how Loram’s Aurora Track Inspection Technology can make railroad operations safer and more efficient.
Interested in joining ASLRRA’s Member Discount Program? Contact Sabrina Waiss for more information.
Hundreds of employees at ASLRRA-member companies already receive crucial industry training through programs available on the online Learning Management System (LMS), and they will soon have access to several new courses in the upcoming year.
The LMS is part of the Short Line Training Center, a collaboration between ASLRRA and Iowa Northern Railway Company that also includes a mobile training center. With the LMS, short line railroads can access a custom-built suite of industry training programs, including three virtual reality courses.
In addition to the virtual reality courses, railroads can access training on Part 214 roadway workplace safety, drug and alcohol reasonable suspicion training and post-accident toxicological testing training. There are also a variety of other programs on federal regulations including track safety standards, railroad operating rules and freight car safety standards.
ASLRRA introduced seven new courses last year, including six mechanical training courses covering Part 215, Subpart B and Part 231. All courses are approved by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) as Part 243 compliant. The seventh course is Part 214 Supplemental Training that can be customized by a railroad to their specific on-track safety procedures and rules. These new courses bring the current number of LMS offerings to 35.
Beyond providing training, the LMS simplifies the training process, allowing companies to enroll employees, assign courses and monitor progression. Railroads can also generate reports and upload employee on-the-job training records to take full advantage of the platform’s ability to facilitate a company’s record-keeping capabilities.
For more information about enrolling in the LMS program or to schedule an online demonstration, please contact ASLRRA’s Sabrina Waiss.
This section highlights ASLRRA members that have received Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grants, showcasing the importance of this funding and how benefits reach beyond the railroad itself.
If your railroad has received a CRISI grant and would like to submit information for this section please complete our online form.
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Project Facts
Railroad: Elkhart & Western Railroad (EWR)
Fiscal Year: 2021
Grantee: Elkhart & Western Railroad (EWR)
CRISI Grant: $2,618,173
Local Match: $2,618,173 (50%)
Total Project Cost: $5,236,346
The project will relocate interchange track, upgrade the nine-mile Elkhart Branch line to Class 1 track safety standards, expand rail siding capacity, and replace three grade crossing surfaces on the EWR in Elkhart, Indiana. The interchange used by EWR and Norfolk Southern (NS) will be moved out of the city center and into an industrial area. Currently, EWR and NS track intersect two roadways, and when a train is more than nine railcars long, it blocks the roadway for approximately 15 minutes while trains interchange. The proposed track relocation would eliminate the blocked crossing and improve grade crossings with deteriorating conditions.
Notable Quotes
“The EWR has worked closely with communities like Elkhart for many years to reduce instances of blocked crossings and the impact that at-grade crossings have on rail traffic, motorists, public safety, and community quality of life. The EWR and NS have partnered to implement operational changes to lessen their impact on the community, but EWR now faces an infrastructure constraint that precludes further reductions in blocked crossings through operational changes alone. The EWR worked in close coordination with community members in designing this project and has shown a sincere interest in responding and finding solutions to their concerns over the blocked crossings. INDOT believes the improvements from the project will support the community, improve efficiencies, and make a difference in the Indiana economy.”
The Honorable Joe McGuinness, Commissioner, Indiana Department of Transportation
Back in December, Chuck Baker spoke with Dennis Wilmot, president of the North East Association of Rail Shippers (NEARS), for an interview that was featured in their Christmas Special podcast.
The interview focused on a variety of topics related to short lines, starting with the UP/NS merger. Baker also talked about what he believed was at the top of short lines’ Christmas wishlist, shared some feel-good short line stories from 2025 and spoke about some of what short lines were planning for the holiday season.
JR Gelnar traveled to Jacksonville, Florida to attend a Fatality Analysis of Maintenance-of-way Employees and Signalmen (FAMES) Committee meeting hosted by CSX. The Committee met with over 1,200 CSX engineering employees to discuss FAMES’s work.
This webinar will discuss Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern’s application for UP to acquire and control NS, including specific items of interest for short line railroads. We are blocking an extra 15 minutes to allow plenty of time for audience questions following the presentation.
Speakers: Rob Wimbish, Attorney, Fletcher & Sippel, Valerie Quinn, Attorney, Fletcher & Sippel, Justin Marks, Attorney at Law, Clark Hill PLC, Chuck Baker, President, ASLRRA and Sarah Yurasko, SVP, Law and General Counsel, ASLRRA
Note: This webinar is available exclusively to ASLRRA members.
Join us for an exciting conversation as the Iowa Interstate Railroad (IAIS) team reveals its partnership with the Scouts of America to bring the Railroad Merit Badge to Merit Badge University students! This initiative allows high schoolers to dive into rail safety, operations, and career paths in the rail industry. Discover the journey behind their sponsorship and newfound partnership with the Scouts of America.
Speakers: Chasity Rojas, Assistant Director HR/Talent Acquisition, IAIS and Tom Meirhoff, Director Rules and Operating Practices, IAIS
Join Tony Hatch of ABH Consulting for a review of 2025 railroad industry highlights and a discussion of what’s ahead in 2026. We will block 90 minutes for this session to allow ample time for audience questions following the presentation.
Presented by Tony Hatch, ABH Consulting
Q&A moderated by Chuck Baker, President, ASLRRA
The Short Line Safety Institute (SLSI) team discusses Safety Action Plans and provides steps on how to develop one. A Safety Action Plan is a living document that tracks your safety performance, manages your safety programs, and outlines your future safety goals. Whether you don't know where to begin or have already developed one and have specific questions, SLSI's "Ask the Experts" is here to be your resource to keep safety on track.
Speakers: Sam Cotton, Director of Safety Culture Programs, SLSI; Julia Leone, PhD, Assistant Director of Research and Organizational Development, SLSI; Karen Adams, Safety Culture Assessor, SLSI
Views & News is published by American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association.
Please contact Mariel Takamura, associate editor, with questions or comments.
