Partnership Lays Groundwork For Railroad Safety Program In Bucks (Conrail)
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Leading up to Railroad Day on Capitol Hill, ASLRRA staff has been meeting with appropriators and Committee members. We are pleased to see that Association members have also been busy over the past few weeks engaging state and federal policymakers, hosting them at or attending local events and discussing important short line issues.
On April 23 Janet Rossi and Hunter Selvey from the office of Representative Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) visited the North Louisiana & Arkansas Railroad (NLA), where they learned about short line operations and rode an NLA train.
During Rossi and Selvey’s visit, the group discussed a number of short line issues including the short line infrastructure tax credit (45G) modernization bill and funding for programs like Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grants. They also talked about the critical role railroads play supporting farmers in both Arkansas and the Pacific Northwest. Arkansas railroads ship cottonseed to West Coast dairy farmers who use it in cattle feed, and the NLA alone ships over 70,000 tons of cottonseed from southeast Arkansas.
And as ASLRRA reported last week, another example of rail engagement with lawmakers includes Representative Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.), who attended the grand opening of a new Annandale Millwork/Allied Systems manufacturing facility in Salem, New Jersey, which will be served by ASLRRA member SMS Rail Service.
Two Genesee & Wyoming Railroad Services Inc. (G&W) railroads held events for lawmakers this spring. On April 24, G&W’s Maryland Midland Railway (MMID) hosted a Hill Day on the Railroad event, welcoming Republican and Democratic staff members from the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The group, which also included ASLRRA’s Chuck Baker and Nicole Brewin and representatives from the Association of American Railroads, toured MMID’s facility and discussed the short line industry.
On March 24, G&W’s New England Central Railroad provided locomotives for a train on which Vermont state legislators and staff of the Vermont Agency of Transportation ate lunch, part of the annual legislative luncheon hosted by the Railroad Association of Vermont in Montpelier. Vermont Railway, another ASLRRA member, also provided a locomotive used at the event.
Engagement with state lawmakers and agency representatives – not just federal – is also important when it comes to promoting programs and policies beneficial to short lines. Several states have their own rail infrastructure grant programs and tax credit programs similar to the federal short line infrastructure tax credit. These programs arise from active state-level freight advocates and rail associations, which welcome involvement from interested individuals.
State-level engagement can involve visits to railroad property, or meetings with local lawmakers in their offices. During an outreach event last week, representatives from G&W and ASLRRA members Florida East Coast Railway and Seminole Gulf Railway traveled to Tallahassee to speak with state legislators and individuals from the governor’s office and the Florida Department of Transportation about the future of Florida’s freight rail industry.
Meeting with policymakers at all levels helps short line railroads lay important foundations, foundations that help support beneficial policies, regulations and programs. Short lines leverage these policies to provide safer, more efficient service to their customers. It is a cycle of success that starts with grassroots outreach. ASLRRA encourages its members to reach out to their representatives and schedule a visit or meeting. Contact ASLRRA's Crystal Gitchell for assistance in these efforts.
ASLRRA members have participated in multiple advocacy events with state and federal policymakers in recent weeks.
Above Left: Republican and Democratic staff members from the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure participated in a Hill Day on the Railroad event at Maryland Midland Railway. Also in attendance were ASLRRA's Chuck Baker and Nicole Brewin.
Above Center: Hunter Selvey (left) and Janet Rossi (center), staff members in the office of Representative Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) visited the North Louisiana & Arkansas Railroad, where they were hosted by Arkansas Short Line Railroads President Danny Robbins (right).
Above Right: Members of the Vermont legislature and staff of the Vermont Agency of Transportation dined on a railcar as part of the annual legislative luncheon hosted by the Railroad Association of Vermont.
A new alert from the Federal Railroad Administration’s Switching Operations Fatality Analysis (SOFA) Working Group discusses a recent employee injury.
A conductor was seriously injured while switching cars in a hump yard. As a result of the incident, the conductor had his right foot partially amputated. The toes on his left foot were also amputated.
Although the SOFA Working Group has not yet analyzed the incident, the alert was issued to urge employees to remain vigilant during switching operations, especially when working with or in between equipment.
This and other industry safety notifications can be found on ASLRRA’s Safety Alerts, Reports and Advisories page in the Safety & Compliance section.
The Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy has established a Red Tape Hotline to allow small businesses to share concerns about federal regulations that may impose excessive burdens.
The site includes a link to send an email to the Office of Advocacy, as well as a phone number to call. The agency also includes resources to help individuals submit formal comments on regulations that impact their small businesses.
Railroad Day on Capitol Hill takes place next Wednesday, May 7, and ASLRRA is in the event’s final planning stages.
Those who register by 5 p.m. Eastern time today can still request meetings with specific lawmakers. While registrations will still be accepted after this evening, anyone who signs up to participate will be assigned to meetings on an as-needed basis.
Anyone unable to attend Railroad Day in person is encouraged to support communication efforts on social media. Amplifying the rail message on various platforms, including Facebook, LinkedIn and X (Twitter), helps it reach a wider and more diverse audience. Lawmakers note active online engagement, especially when it involves their constituents.
Getting engaged online is as simple as liking, commenting on or re-posting content shared by Railroad Day participants. Original posts that discuss the specific importance of freight rail to local communities are also valuable. To be seen and supported by ASLRRA and its Railroad Day partner organizations, original posts should include the official event hashtag, #RailDay2025. Tagging lawmakers and organizations in posts also improves visibility.
Elected officials have returned to Washington, D.C. after their spring recess and are beginning work on myriad issues, including those in the transportation realm.
Yesterday, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure’s (T&I) Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials held a roundtable titled “Combatting Cargo Theft: Stakeholder Perspectives.” Participating in the roundtable was Association of American Railroads (AAR) President and CEO Ian Jefferies. A bipartisan group of representatives recently introduced the Combatting Organized Retail Crime (CORCA) Act, which is meant to combat organized supply chain theft and related crime.
The T&I Committee’s Subcommittee on Highways and Transit also held a hearing yesterday on the Highway Trust Fund. ASLRRA advocates for a true user-pays system to sustain the fund, an idea that was discussed during the hearing.
Today, the T&I Committee held a full committee markup on the budget reconciliation for fiscal year 2026. A copy of the budget reconciliation proposal, which was released yesterday, is available here.
And on May 6, the T&I railroad subcommittee will hold a hearing titled “America Builds: Improving the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Federal Rail Assistance.” Pinsly Railroad Company General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer Kristin Bevil was invited to testify on behalf of ASLRRA. The hearing will be streamed live on the T&I Committee website and its YouTube page.
ASLRRA staff continues to engage lawmakers in these areas. Government affairs team members Nicole Brewin and Richard Sherman have met with House and Senate Appropriations Committee transportation subcommittee staff to discuss the Association's appropriations requests for fiscal year 2016. Brewin has also submitted surface transportation reauthorization bill priorities to the appropriate House subcommittees.
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 will offer two in-person training seminars in June, both of which help railroad professionals understand important federal regulations. Interested individuals are encouraged to register soon, before the last remaining spots are filled.
The FRA Locomotive & Car Compliance (Part 215) training being held June 3 to 5 in Cedar Falls, Iowa brings Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) subject-matter experts to review CFR Parts 215, 229 and 232 from the mechanical employee’s perspective. In addition to classroom instruction, seminar participants will receive hands-on field training. This course is recommended for chief mechanical officers, shop foremen and inspectors at short line railroads.
The FRA Minimum Training Standards (Part 243) will be held June 24 to 25 in Nashville, Tennessee. This seminar also features subject-matter experts from the FRA who will not only offer an in-depth review and discussion of Part 243 Minimum Training Standards but discuss how Part 243 interacts with training requirements under Part 214 Roadway Worker Safety and Part 217 Efficiency Testing. Participants will gain an understanding of the requirements, tools, and resources related to this regulation, along with available templates, plans, and policies to aid compliance.
Other training seminars will take place in July, August and October. Go to ASLRRA’s Training Seminar webpage to view upcoming events.
In order to help employees of small railroads attend these seminars, ASLRRA offers two scholarships, the Doug Golden Scholarship and the Jake Jacobson Memorial Scholarship.
Doug Golden Scholarships award up to $1,200 to help cover registration, travel and lodging fees for industry-specific training, while the Jake Jacobson Memorial Scholarship awards $500 to cover registration for an ASLRRA training seminar. Use the links above to apply for a scholarship online.
ASLRRA’s Member Discount Program is open exclusively to Associate Members who are committed to providing exceptional service and volume discounts to short line railroads. Preferred Providers are vetted by the association and trusted by railroads to deliver quality products and services at negotiated discount rates.
ASLRRA’s Member Discount Program is highly rated as a valuable member benefit providing access to programs tailored specifically for the short line railroad industry and including exclusive offers, special pricing, and guaranteed exceptional service. Preferred Providers benefit from a broad range of marketing/promotional activities, including visibility on ASLRRA’s website and in print and electronic communications.
ASLRRA is actively seeking to expand program offerings and onboard new Preferred Providers for new and existing categories, including drug and alcohol programs and services, digital onboard data system platforms, background screening services and payroll processing services.
Discount Program offerings currently include personal protective equipment from Würth; tie inspection services from Loram Technologies; grant writing services from Colliers Engineering & Design; electronic recordkeeping software and services from MaxAccel; employee health insurance from HUB International; workforce assessments from Aon and digital onboard solutions from Wi-Tronix.
Preferred Providers must be an ASLRRA Associate Member in good standing. Interested companies may visit our website or contact Sabrina Waiss to learn more.
ASLRRA member Iowa Interstate Railroad will make upgrades at multiple highway-rail crossings in Illinois after receiving approval from the Illinois Commerce Commission.
Funding from the Illinois Grade Crossing Protection Fund will cover 95 percent of the project’s signal design and construction costs. Automatic flashing light signals and gates will be installed at nine crossings in three counties. Iowa Interstate Railroad will be responsible for the balance of the costs and any future maintenance.
Chuck Baker was in Omaha, Nebraska at Union Pacific headquarters to attend UP’s short line railroad conference and business development day. The event also included short line advisory group meetings.
ASLRRA’s webinars feature an impressive lineup of subject-matter experts helping attendees understand a variety of issues including federal regulations and requirements for short lines. These webinars are available as on-demand recordings for ASLRRA members, accessible any time online.
Visit ASLRRA’s webinar homepage and log in to view all the on-demand offerings in the Association’s webinar library.
The Short Line Safety Institute (SLSI) has entered the procurement phase of its Safety Train Systems (STS) project, working to acquire, modify and renovate rail cars and other equipment to build the Safety Train, which will help bolster SLSI’s hazardous materials (hazmat) emergency response training offered to short line and regional railroad employees and first responders.
Today, April 30, SLSI has issued an open request for quotations (RFQ) from manufacturers or railroads for one flat car and one boxcar that were manufactured in or after 2005. The RFQs provide more information, including additional car specifications. Submissions are due May 30, and any questions can be submitted via email to slsi@shortlinesafety.org. SLSI will also gratefully consider donations of cars that meet the criteria.
The flat car RFQ can be viewed here, and the boxcar RFQ can be viewed here.
SLSI plans for the Safety Train to comprise several railcars, including a boxcar converted to a classroom, pressure and general service tank cars and a flatcar with tank car valve and fitting configurations. SLSI also plans to procure roadway-based cargo training trailers equipped with railcar housings, valves and other fittings.
"The Safety Train System will bring the training experience directly to railroaders and first responders, providing the opportunity to become familiar with railroad rolling stock, valves and fitting configurations that they may commonly encounter when responding to incidents involving hazmat,” said Tom Murta, Executive Director, SLSI. “The train will also include a classroom car, eliminating the barrier that smaller railroads have had in providing training space. The STS system will allow us to bring the entire training solution to any railyard.”
Four executives at ASLRRA member companies were named among the railroad industry’s top ten influential leaders in 2025, as chosen by readers of Railway Age magazine. In addition, all three honorable mention recipients are leaders at ASLRRA member organizations.
This year’s honorees include:
Receiving an honorable mention were:
This award recognizes active, non-retired individuals in the North American rail industry who embody an entrepreneurial spirit anchored in a commitment to service, safety and sustainability. Winners are chosen by readers via an online poll.
Operation Livesaver, Inc. (OLI) has awarded $219,155 in rail safety awareness grants to Operation Lifesaver programs in 11 states. Funding for the grants came from the Federal Railroad Administration and the Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh.
Projects funded by the grants include partnerships with minor league baseball teams in Illinois to launch a season-long awareness campaign; a campaign to combat a trend of train surfing in New York City; an effort in South Carolina to engage the community at major public events; and work to increase rail safety education among truck drivers in Texas.
This is the seventh year the Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh has supported OLI’s grant program. Henry Posner III, chairman of Iowa Interstate Railroad and 2025 inductee in the Short Line Railroad Industry Hall of Fame, is also chair of the Posner Foundation.
“Increasing the public’s awareness about grade crossing risks, trespass prevention and suicide are rail industry challenges worldwide. In the USA, Operation Lifesaver is front and center in dealing with these societal problems through education and advocacy,” said Posner. “We are honored to not only provide funding but to stand as dedicated supporters of OLI’s lifesaving mission.”
Scholarship applications are now being accepted by the League of Railway Women for its Connie Sumara Memorial Scholarship, Future of Railroading Scholarship and Sue Black Memorial Scholarship.
Applications are due June 6. Click each link to learn more and access an online application form.
The Connie Sumara Memorial Scholarship awards $5,000 to a female graduate or undergraduate student who is seeking to further her career in the rail industry. Sumara, who passed away in 2014, was one of the founders of the LRW and its longest-serving president.
The Future of Railroading Scholarship awards $3,000 to a graduate or undergraduate student whose goal is to work to advance the rail industry.
The Sue Black Memorial Scholarship, sponsored by ASLRRA supplier member The Greenbrier Companies, awards $5,000 to an individual who demonstrate financial need and is pursuing a graduate or undergraduate degree in the rail industry.
Click here for a calendar of industry events.
Views & News is published by American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association.
Please contact Mariel Takamura, associate editor, with questions or comments.
