Steamtown to Restore Shay Locomotive to Operation
G&W scored industrial development success in 2025
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.
ASLRRA’s January Short Line Carloads Report is now available. The Association has also created a Short Line Carload Reports webpage where previous reports are archived.
In overall short line carload volumes, November 2025 showed a decline from an October peak, a pattern that also occurred from October to November 2024. November 2025 figures for other areas were also largely consistent with that of November 2024. Overall carloads handled shows only a 1% decrease in an annual comparison.
When comparing commodities, November short line carloads saw the greatest growth in coal (13%), agriculture (10%) and waste (8%) compared to November 2024. The largest decrease was seen in carloads for durable manufactured goods (-15%). ASLRRA’s report includes a table and chart showing individual commodity volumes as well as their percentage of total carloads handled.
Please note, carload data is based on a custom short line carload report created in cooperation between ASLRRA and Railinc based on waybill data submitted by railroads. This work product may not be disseminated without permission granted by ASLRRA. Contact ASLRRA at foelsner@aslrra.org for all inquiries.
This table from the January 2026 Short Line Carloads Report presents the long-term trends of carloads handled by short lines and the respective month-over-month percent change.
In a unanimous decision, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) has ruled that the major merger application filed by Union Pacific (UP) and Norfolk Southern (NS) is incomplete. The application lacks certain information required under STB regulations, so the board has rejected the application.
UP and NS will be allowed to re-file a revised application that addresses the deficiencies identified by the STB. In a press release, the STB said that its rejection of the application was based solely on the incomplete nature of the application and should not be thought of as an indication as to how the board might rule on a future application.
The press release describes some of the items missing from the application, including future market share projections and certain schedules and documents. UP and NS must file a letter by Feb. 17 to indicate if and when they anticipate filing a revised application.
A link to the complete decision can be found in the STB’s press release. In November, ASLRRA filed a notice of intent to participate in the STB’s review of the proposed consolidation. The Association still plans to participate in any proceedings when and if a revised application is submitted and accepted by the board.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has published Safety Bulletin 2006-01 concerning movement at restricted speed. The bulletin addresses a passenger train collision that occurred in December.
One passenger train was stopped, waiting for another to clear a station platform, when it was struck by a train coming behind it that was operating at restricted speed. The collision resulted in equipment derailment and injuries to passengers and crew members.
The Safety Bulletin urges railroads to review regulations concerning restricted speed with managers and employees. Railroad testing officers are also reminded to specifically test for compliance with restricted speed rules in all conditions. Railroads are also encouraged to review the FRA’s previous restricted speed safety advisory.
ASLRRA’s Safety Alerts, Reports and Advisories page maintains links to the most recent safety information issued by federal agencies.
The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) is soliciting public feedback on its 2025 Delaware State Rail Plan. DelDOT’s online survey will accept responses until 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 31.
The State Rail Plan covers freight, intercity and commuter rail services. It includes information from and is consistent with the 2025 Delaware Long-Range Transportation Plan and the 2022 Delaware State Freight Plan. The most recent State Rail Plan was published in 2011.
According to DelDOT, railroads in the state helped develop the updated plan, as did other key stakeholders involved in areas such as rail policy, funding and project implementation.
Richard Kloster has been nominated again to become a member of the Surface Transportation Board (STB). Kloster was nominated with Michelle Schultz in September, but his nomination was not advanced with Schultz’s in November.
Kloster was nominated to fill a seat left vacant after the retirement of Martin Oberman. He is not required to sit for a second confirmation hearing but he must receive a majority of Commerce Committee member votes to advance to the Senate floor for confirmation.
Schultz was confirmed to her second term as STB member in December.
On Jan. 15, Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and John Hoeven (R-N.D.) introduced a bill to provide passenger rail crew members the same legal protections given flight crew members and attendants. That same day, Representatives Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) and Michael Rulli (R-Ohio) introduced a bill to require a study of pressure relief devices on rail tank cars.
The Passenger Rail Crew Protection Act would make it a crime to interfere with intercity and passenger rail crew, including assaulting or intimidating employees performing safety-sensitive functions and any personnel responsible for operations, functions or customer service at a rail station. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) and several labor organizations have endorsed the bill.
Meanwhile Deluzio and Rulli’s Under Pressure Act of 2026 would require the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to study and submit to Congress a report on the rate and causes of pressure relief device failures in derailments. The report must also include recommendations to prevent device failures and report the status of rail tank car recommendations issued by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). According to a press release issued by Deluzio’s office, the NTSB, AAR, labor organizations and other rail industry groups helped craft the legislation.
Elected officials want to hear from their constituents. For short line freight railroaders, Railroad Day on Capitol Hill offers a unique opportunity to bring a united voice to Washington D.C. to advocate for issues important to their industry.
Representatives from ASLRRA member companies recently shared their perspective on Railroad Day in a video produced by the Association. Joe Arbona and Ross Lane of Genesee & Wyoming Railroad Services Inc., Tracy Alves of Modesto and Empire Traction Company and Tom Greene of Paducah & Louisville Railway encouraged their colleagues to become citizen lobbyists on March 4 and speak out in support of freight rail.
ASLRRA strives to make participation in the event seamless for all, so that even first-time attendees can speak on rail issues with clarity and confidence. The Association offers training videos and Zoom meetings to help participants know what to expect on the day and also provides printed materials and other resources with information about key discussion topics.
Click here to register for Railroad Day.
ASLRRA has a very limited number of rooms still available in room blocks at two Washington, D.C. hotels. Click here to reserve event lodging.
Sponsorships are also still available for Railroad Day. Click here to learn more or contact the meetings team to become a sponsor.
NSH USA Corporation manufactures specialized and multifunction machine tools and automation systems for railway, automotive, aerospace, and other industrial manufacturers worldwide. Founded in 1910 and based in Albany, New York, NSH USA is a member of the NSH Group (Niles-Simmons-Hegenscheidt), an international leader in machine tool technology. NSH USA is the OEM parts and service provider for the complete Stanray, Simmons, Hegenscheidt, Niles, and Farrel railway machine tool product lines.
TransloadX specializes in transloading and railroad operations, combining decades of railroading and transloading experience with industrial real estate expertise. They provide flexible logistics solutions, including transloading facilities, industrial switching, and site development and operations. Their focus is on moving goods safer, faster, smarter, and more cost-effectively through efficient, customized infrastructure and operations.
ASLRRA's 2026 Annual Conference and Exhibition provides opportunities to better understand the legal, legislative and regulatory issues that will shape the short line freight rail industry in the coming year.
Planned education sessions geared to legal professionals, which includes the opportunity to earn continuing legal education (CLE) credits at no additional cost, will cover topics such as preemption and Surface Transportation Board updates.
Other education sessions covering legislative and regulatory priorities include an introduction to the CRISI grant program led by experts from the Federal Railroad Administration; information about advocating for short lines at the state and local levels; and details on hosting members of Congress at the railroad.
Click here to register for the conference, which takes place April 12 to 14 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
For those also needing to book a room for the event, ASLRRA has room blocks in three hotels within walking distance of the convention center. Click here to view available hotels.
The Association also continues to sell event sponsorships, though there are only a few sponsorship opportunities still available at each price point. Click here to learn more.
A limited number of 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.
With only a month of winter gone, railroaders across the country can expect to contend with cold weather for weeks to come. As ASLRRA’s Preferred Provider of personal protective equipment (PPE) and related services, Würth helps thousands of companies protect their employees and work with optimum efficiency for maximum output.
Würth’s team of railroad specialists currently supports nearly 200 short line railroads, rail industry contractors and Class I railroad companies. ASLRRA members can depend on Würth for quality safety and industrial products and exceptional customer service, plus discounted pricing on a huge assortment of products and equipment needed to implement an effective and efficient safety program.
Offerings include foot and leg protection, signs, ergonomic products, hearing and eye protection, clothing protection, lighting and electrical products, storage containment and environmental spill cleanup, traffic control and much more.
Visit the Association’s Member Discount Program page to view Würth’s complete product offering and suite of services and start saving today.
The Short Line Training Center, a collaborative project created by the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) and Iowa Northern Railway Company (IANR), can deliver essential regulatory, compliance and safety courses and materials directly to railroad employees with the Mobile Technical Training Center.
The Mobile Technical Training Center, made possible in part with funding support provided by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), can travel anywhere in the continental United States. Housing two FRA Type II locomotive simulators and classroom space to accommodate up to six students, the training center can bring personalized, instructor-led seminars and locomotive simulator training on-site to railroad employees.
By bringing instruction onto railroad property, this program reduces staff downtime and eliminates travel costs. For more information or to schedule locomotive simulator training, contact Mark Vaughn.
Several ASLRRA members in Kansas and one in Minnesota will tackle infrastructure projects with a boost from state grant funding.
Ten projects will receive $11.2 million in grant funding for rail service improvement through the Kansas Department of Transportation’s (KDOT) Rail Service Improvement Program (RSIP), including six being undertaken by ASLRRA member railroads.
The 10 projects were selected from 20 applications. Altogether the grant awards and local matching funds will result in a local rail infrastructure investment of over $16.5 million. ASLRRA members receiving awards are:
Member projects funded through the RSIP include siding expansion, track upgrades and bridge maintenance. Land Rush Rail, the newest subsidiary of ASLRRA member parent company Farmrail System, Inc. also received a $323,583 grant for emergency repairs.
In Minnesota, Cloquet Terminal Railroad received $1.9 million through the Minnesota Highway Freight Program (MHFP). This funding will support intermodal and railroad improvements, which will enable the railroad to better accommodate stacking and cargo at the Sappi Paper Cloquet Mill.
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.
Project Facts
Railroad: Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARR)
Fiscal Year: 2019
CRISI Grant: $3,871,913
Local Match: $3,871,913 (50%)
Total Project Cost: $7,743,826
The Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARR) will replace the 151-foot bridge that crosses Bird Creek at ARR milepost 86.6, south of Anchorage. The project replaces the aging Pratt style 123-foot pony truss span and two 14-foot timber trestles, with a 125-foot through plate girder bridge. Bridge replacement will help ensure railroad infrastructure remains in a state of good repair. The integrity of critical rail corridor infrastructure ensures the safety and reliability of passenger and freight train operations to meet rail business demands.
This week, JR Gelnar was in Atlanta, Georgia to attend the Association of American Railroads’ Tank Car Committee meeting. Norfolk Southern hosted the meeting at company headquarters. The committee discussed multiple items regarding tank car safety and certification and facility certification.
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
January has been a busy month for live webinars, with ASLRRA having held three since the year began. For Association members who may have missed these engaging events, recordings are already available in ASLRRA’s On-Demand Webinar Library.
New recorded webinars include “Managing CRISI Projects from Announcement to Completion: Tips and Tricks from the Railroad Perspective,” “Scouts of America – Railroad Merit Badge” and “2025 Railroad Industry Economic Wrap-Up and the Year Ahead.” Recordings include the question and answer segments at the end of the live seminar.
Presentation materials from these webinars are also available for download, including the complete 84-page Railroading Merit Badge presentation from Merit Badge University for railroads interested in offering a similar program in their communities.
Follow the link above to access the January 2026 webinars, or to browse the over 200 other recordings available in ASLRRA’s online library.
Progressive Railroading magazine has named ASLRRA Senior Vice President, Safety, Regulatory and Environmental Policy Jo Strang one of its 2026 Women of Influence in Rail in the leadership category.
This is the second year of the Women of Influence in Rail award program, but only the first year employees at industry associations like ASLRRA were eligible. All 55 honorees will be featured in the March issue of Progressive Railroading magazine and on the magazine’s website. They will also be recognized during a virtual celebration in March.
ASLRRA congratulates all of this year’s honorees, especially those listed below who are employees at the Association's member companies.
The University of Tennessee – Knoxville’s Tennessee Transportation Assistance Program (TTAP) has posted its 2026 course calendar, which includes several railroad track and bridge courses.
TTAP will offer four Railroad Track Inspection and Safety Standards courses in March, June, September and November. Also being offered are Basic Railroad track Maintenance, Railroad Track Design and Railroad Bridge Inspection, all in May.
ASLRRA members who attend TTAP courses in track and bridge maintenance and inspection could be eligible for a scholarship of up to $1,200 to help cover registration, travel and lodging costs. Click here to learn more about the Golden Scholarship Program and submit an application.
Registration is now open for the next William Hay Railroad Engineering Seminar being offered by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on Feb. 6. The seminar is being offered both in-person and simultaneously on Zoom.
The seminar, titled “Smart Management of Railroads using Human-Machine Interfaces,” is being presented by Fernando Moreu, Robert J. Stamm Professor of Advanced Design and Construction Practices and associate professor at the University of New Mexico.
Registration for the event is free, though 1.5 professional development hours are available for $25. All attendees must register for the event.
Railway Age magazine has announced the winners of its 2026 Fast Trackers 25 Under 40 awards. These individuals were recognized for their accomplishments and the positive impact they have had on their workplace and within the larger railroad industry.
The winners will be featured in the February issue of Railway Age magazine.
ASLRRA congratulates all of this year’s honorees, especially those listed below who are employees at the Association's member companies.
Honorable Mention
Views & News is published by American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association.
Please contact Mariel Takamura, associate editor, with questions or comments.
