North Carolina & Virginia Railroad to serve future US Forged Rings plant
OmniTRAX opens Chicago area multi-modal logistics hub
Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum plans Easter trains
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.
Class I and short line railroads, suppliers and contractors to the industry, and the major Associations that represent them participated today in an advocacy tradition spanning over 25 years – Railroad Day on Capitol Hill.
Over 380 participants will meet with more than 330 congressional offices to ensure elected officials understand their perspective when considering important legislation that affects the freight railroad industry.
“This longstanding tradition has continued without interruption, even shifting online during the COVID years, and tomorrow citizen advocates will exercise their First Amendment right to petition their government and share their stories,” said ASLRRA President Chuck Baker. “The services our industry delivers support tens of thousands of shippers nationwide, helping businesses stay competitive and keeping prices affordable for American families. Railroad Day on Capitol Hill puts a face on the businesses and communities that Congressional actions will impact, making connections that will be invaluable to the industry and to Congress as it considers legislation that will produce powerful outcomes for the public.”
Today’s meetings will focus on four major points. Industry representatives will call on Congress to:
ASLRRA encourages everyone, including those who could not attend Railroad Day on Capitol Hill in person, to share freight rail priorities on social media and interact with posts talking about the day’s events. Online engagement further helps drive awareness and demonstrates wider support for the industry.
See the Legislative section below to view photos from Railroad Day on Capitol Hill.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and its Fatality Analysis of Maintenance-of-Way Employees and Signalmen (FAMES) Committee both issued safety notices after a recent fatality in Pennsylvania.
On Feb. 23, a maintenance-of-way employee was fatally struck by a work train while clearing snow from a switch with a backpack blower. The maintenance-of-way work group that included the worker was using train approach warning (TAW) as their method of on-track safety.
The FRA issued Safety Bulletin 2026-02 Train Approach Warning concerning the incident, reminding railroads to comply with all federal requirements and rules when using TAW in the foul of the track. These reminders include ensuring all employees understand and receive comprehensive training on rules concerning use of TAW.
Meanwhile the FAMES Committee issued a FAMES Alert reminding workers about the importance of conducting an on-track safety briefing prior to fouling the track. The alert also notes watchmen and lookouts must focus their sole attention on detecting approaching trains and equipment.
As a benefit to members, ASLRRA compiles recent safety notices and makes them available online. Find them here.
The Surface Transportation Board (STB) issued a unanimous decision denying an application for adverse abandonment made by the Great Redwood Trail Agency (GRTA).
GRTA asked the STB to remove a 40-mile rail corridor in California from the national rail network, to be used as a recreational trail. The corridor is owned by ASLRRA member Mendocino Railway. In denying the application, the STB preserves future freight and passenger rail options in Mendocino County.
Although the application was denied, a press release from Mendocino Railway notes the decision does not prevent trail development and instead makes clear that recreational trail use can coexist with rail service. Mendocino Railway calls for a partnership with GRTA to develop a coordinated approach that meets the needs of both organizations.
ASLRRA previously submitted comments to the STB in support of Mendocino Railway. The Association expressed concerns that adverse abandonment requests like that made by GRTA present a serious threat to the long-term viability of the national freight rail system, threatening short lines for which seemingly small and insignificant pieces of rail line are critical to their economic and operational viability.
The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) announced it has appointed Monica Deoras attorney-advisor to the Thomas Jayne, RRB’s management member.
Deoras will advise and counsel on various issues concerning the RRB’s benefits and programs. She comes to the RRB from the Bechtel Corporation, where she was senior counsel for nuclear, security and environmental.
Also new from the RRB is an updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page discussing the Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA). The updated information concerns processing and issuance of retroactive payments under the SSFA, which repealed two statutory reductions for railroad retirees, spouses and survivors.
According to the RRB, 99% of all retroactive payments have been made. The remaining cases involve special circumstances requiring more in-depth review. The agency said it will continue updating the page with information as necessary.
Railroad Day on Capitol Hill participants met with (clockwise from top left) Representative Blake Moore (center) of Utah, Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (third from right) of Mississippi, Representative Frank Pallone (right) of New Jersey and Representative Adriano Espaillat (center) of New York.
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Do not delay in registering and booking hotel rooms for ASLRRA's Annual Conference and Exhibition. Hotel rooms are quickly selling out during peak days of the conference – April 12-14. The final day to reserve lodging under ASLRRA’s discounted pricing is next Wednesday, March 11.
Click here to register.
ASLRRA is excited to announce the education breakout session matrix has been posted online. Individuals can now see the entire schedule for education sessions and committee meetings and map out how they plan to spend each day of the conference. There will be 38 expert-led sessions across 12 different tracks. Continuing legal education (CLE) credits are available for certain sessions at no additional cost to attendees.
While very limited, there are still a few booth spaces and sponsorships available for ASLRRA members to purchase. Click here to learn about reserving a booth, or click here to learn more about sponsorships. 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.
ASLRRA has added new General Code of Operating Rules (GCOR) course material to the Short Line Training Center Learning Management System (LMS) platform.
The training features GCOR chapters arranged in such a way they may be assigned to learners as individual courses and assessments that are applicable to the learner and railroad. Available are
The course was developed by subject matter experts for the Short Line Training Center and funded by a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant. The training center was developed via collaboration between ASLRRA and Iowa Northern Railway Company.
ASLRRA has opened registration for its Leadership Program – Professional Trainer Development seminar, the next in-person training seminar on the Association’s schedule. The event will take place July 14-16 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
This interactive seminar is designed for subject matter experts and trainers of all levels who want to expand and enhance their training skills. Course content includes designing training using adult learning principles, managing participant engagement and the learning environment, enhancing personal presentation skills, and developing course materials using Bloom’s Taxonomy for Instructional Design and ADDIE methods.
Speakers include ASLRRA’s JR Gelnar, Amy Krouse and Sabrina Waiss, and Iowa Northern Railway Company’s Mark Vaughn.
Registration is also open for several of ASLRRA’s other in-person training seminars. They are:
Space in all these seminars is limited, so individuals are encouraged to register early.
Click here to view the planned 2026 training schedule. ASLRRA continues to finalize the 2026 training seminar schedule and will update its website with registration links and other details as they become available.
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Visit the Association’s Member Discount Program page to view Würth’s complete product offering and suite of services and start saving today.
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: Texas, Gonzales & Northern Railway (TXGN)
Fiscal Year: 2020
CRISI Grant: $2,223,768
Local Match: $2,223,768 (50%)
Total Project Cost: $4,447,536
The project extended the siding at the interchange with the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) to 9,000 feet. The construction project included installing welded rail, steel ties, new modern power switches and the replacement of two aging wooden trestles enhanced drainage. With concrete culverts. The purpose of the project was to enhance capacity, improve service, enhance safe operations and help relieve highway congestion by moving shipments from truck to rail.
The project has allowed TXGN to accommodate UP’s Unit Train traffic simultaneously with our carload traffic which allowed for double capacity at interchange and a more fluid handoff with UP. Prior to the CRISI project completion UP could deliver only 1 of those trains while then waiting on TXGN to clear the interchange before a second train could arrive. The increased operating capacity has saved customers up to 24 hours of transit time. The expanded capacity has allowed TXGN to attract two new storage customers and annual carloads have increased from 3,726 in the year prior to the project to 4,634 carloads in the first year following project completion, a 24% increase. Most recently TXGN attracted a new major company that has just announced that they are building a new facility on TXGN and will increase carloads by 700 annually.
Notable Quotes
“The TXGN CRISI Grant Interchange Project has been a game-changer for our operations at Livestock Nutrition Center. By enabling the seamless handling of Unit Trains, this project has significantly improved the efficiency of our railcar traffic and opened the door for potential Unit Train movements into TXGN Railway. Without the enhancements brought by this project, we wouldn’t have the opportunity to consider expanding our location. This improvement has not only reduced turnaround times for our railcars, improving utilization and operational efficiency, but it has also positioned us to better serve our customers and explore new growth opportunities. We are truly grateful for the partnership with TXGN Railway and the commitment they have shown to helping businesses like ours thrive."
?Maurice Janda, Fulfillment Manager, Livestock Nutrition Center
ASLRRA member parent company OmniTRAX hosted Association staff members aboard its newly restored PV-79-E business car, the Savannah Sunrise. The car’s maiden voyage took it from St. Louis, Missouri to Washington, D.C. this week, where OmniTRAX representatives will be participating in Railroad Day on Capitol Hill.
According to an OmniTRAX press release, this will be the company’s flagship engagement car to host company, customer and industry events. The Savannah Sunrise is Amtrak-network compliant and can be brought anywhere along the OmniTRAX network.
ASLRRA staff (L to R) Fred Oelsner, Amy Westerman, Sarah Yurasko, Sabrina Waiss and Jo Strang, along with Chuck Baker (not pictured) toured the Savannah Sunrise (right photo), OmniTRAX's newly restored business car.
Join subject matter experts from the Short Line Safety Institute (SLSI), for a webinar that will explore the benefits of having a Safety Vision and provide steps on how to develop one. A Safety Vision is a slogan or statement of clear goals and aspirations for workplace safety that should be prominently displayed and understood by all employees. 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. Attendees will have an opportunity to participate in Q&A at the end of the presentation.
Speakers: Sam Cotton, Director of Safety Culture Programs; Julia Leone, PhD, Assistant Director of Research and Organizational Development; Karen Adams, Safety Culture Assessor; Trevon Matthews, Safety Culture Assessor, Short Line Safety Institute
ASLRRA maintains an industry calendar featuring events that may be of interest to members. If you have an industry event you would like included on the calendar and possibly in Views & News, please send relevant event details and links to Mariel Takamura for consideration.
The Short Line Safety Institute (SLSI) has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for a flatcar training platform buildout, part of SLSI’s Safety Train project.
The buildout will transform a typical flatcar into a platform with multiple props and displays attached to the car deck. Proposals must be submitted by April 15. Review the RFP at the link above for more details and contact information.
SLSI’s Safety Train will comprise a classroom railcar, tank car and flatcar. The train will be used to provide comprehensive hazardous materials training with both hands-on and classroom components for first responders and short line and regional railroad employees.
Progressive Railroading magazine announced a new recognition program, the Rail Mentor Awards, to honor individuals who foster others’ career growth and help guide up-and-coming rail professionals.
Nominations are now being accepted for this new award. The magazine does not state a specific due date for nominations, but notes it anticipates announcing honorees in late April. Eligible individuals should work for North American Class I, short line or regional railroads, passenger railroads, rail industry suppliers, service providers or professional associations.
Nominees must be endorsed by their employers or professional association, know they are being nominated and know they are part of a mentorship program. Companies can submit up to three nominations. Click here to go directly to a nomination form.
Views & News is published by American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association.
Please contact Mariel Takamura, associate editor, with questions or comments.
