Patriot Rail names Bradt as next chief operating officer
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The 100,000 square-foot, 37-bay Bob Julian Roundhouse was filled to overflowing with 74-foot-long, 400,000-pound locomotives from places near and far. Each of the locomotives bore special designs honoring the 250th anniversary of the United States, with red, white and blue stars and stripes galore, plus detailed graphics and the occasional pop of bright green, yellow and teal.
If size, scale and overall patriotic vibe were the primary judging criteria, it would be difficult to deny that the North Carolina Transportation Museum’s America 250 Locomotive Celebration was one of the most impressive semiquincentennial events in the country to date.
Held Aug. 28-30, the celebration featured over 30 tribute locomotives and specially designed pieces of rail equipment. ASLRRA member railroads provided 16 engines to accompany others from each of the Class I railroads, several passenger railroads and museum and preservation organizations.
According to the N.C. Transportation Museum, over 10,000 people attended the event, which included passenger train rides and special night and drone photography opportunities for rail fans. Instead of being a static display, museum staff and trained volunteers moved the locomotives throughout the weekend, with each having a chance to take center stage on the roundhouse turntable.
For the ASLRRA member railroads that worked to get their locomotives to Spencer, North Carolina, the decision to participate was a no-brainer. New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway President James Bonner said that his railroad accepted their invitation immediately, as did Genesee Valley Transportation (GVT) President Michael Thomas, who answered the inquiry “with a resounding YES!”
Clearly, however, saying yes was the easiest part of the process. Hauling an entire locomotive across multiple states required more than a little bit of effort, not to mention paperwork.
Aberdeen, Carolina & Western Director of Real Estate Nick Elder described the behind-the-scenes coordination, noting it meant “working through routing, scheduling, interchange and the normal demands of freight operations” to get their locomotive to North Carolina.
Dan Pavick, general manager of Genesee & Wyoming Inc.’s (G&W) Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad, added that ensuring proper waybilling, conducting mechanical inspections and managing tracking was necessary. Also important for these small-business short lines was making certain they would not have any service interruptions. One of the first steps, said Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway Senior Vice President & Chief Administration Officer J.W. Burwinkel, was holding internal discussions “to ensure we could spare the locomotive while it was at this event.”
For some railroads, there was an even larger hill to climb after agreeing to participate. Before they could determine how they’d get their locomotive to Spencer, R. J. Corman Railroad Company had to paint it.
“Accepting the invitation immediately set a very ambitious timeline in motion,” said R. J. Corman Railroad Company President and COO Mat Igoe. “A great deal had to come together in a short amount of time. We worked closely with Wabtec to move the locomotive up in the paint schedule and coordinate everything from paint colors and graphics to final preparation of the unit. Wabtec's team was an outstanding partner throughout the process.”
To get their locomotives to the N.C. Transportation Museum, the railroads relied on Class I partners and even other short lines. Existing partnerships with Norfolk Southern (NS) meant Carolina Coastal Railway’s unit took merely a day to arrive, according to Manager of Train Operations Donald Rackley. Meanwhile Naugatuck Railroad Company received first-mile service from G&W’s Berkshire & Eastern Railroad before interchanging with NS, and R. J. Corman’s RJCC 1776 moved with Iowa Southern Railway, then BNSF and finally NS.
Unfortunately, not all locomotives made it to their destination. Regional Rail had hoped to showcase three of its railroads’ units, but while Carolina Coastal’s CLNA 1776 and Florida Central Railroad Company’s FCEN 1776 got to North Carolina, East Penn Railroad’s ESPN 1776 “was delayed in transit and missed the party, making it as far south as Roanoke, Virginia,” said Regional Rail Vice President-Western Region Matt Schwerin.
Despite all the effort it took to prepare and move each locomotive, every railroader who shared their thoughts on the celebration expressed feelings of pride and immense gratitude for the opportunity. For short lines in particular, participation meant introducing a broad audience to the work – and equipment – of small-business railroads.
Engine 1776 of GVT’s Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad is an older, rarer ALCo unit. Thomas and the Delaware-Lackawanna team knew the railroad community would be particularly interested in seeing the locomotive up close.
The community element was also important to OmniTRAX, which sent its OMLX 4200. According to Director of Marketing and Communications Kristina Lee, the OmniTRAX operations team took inspiration from the 1976 bicentennial train event in Chicago, remembering “how meaningful that event was to generations of attendees.”
“Just like our nation’s birthday, trains connect us,” said Lee. “Passionate community engagement has been the greatest value of the 250 Locomotive Celebration.”
Elder added, “An event like this gives short line railroads an opportunity to tell our story to people who may not realize the important role we play in the larger freight rail network and in the communities we serve.”
As much as the event celebrated America and its railroads, for Naugatuck Railroad General Manager Alex Formanek, it was also a celebration of the work of railroading.
“Our railroad is comparatively small, operating on only 20 miles of trackage in Western Connecticut,” said Formanek. “We wanted to showcase our railroad's capabilities and celebrate the employees who made our semiquincentennial locomotive a reality. Our locomotive received substantial mechanical repairs and body work before receiving its unique paint job. Our employees designed this special paint scheme, and performed all the paint and lettering work in-house at our repair shop in Thomaston. This locomotive is a huge source of pride amongst our staff, and they were thrilled to see it on display with the many other locomotives at the event.”
The America 250 Locomotive Celebration was impressive, and its impact has been far reaching. Burwinkel expressed the thoughts of many of his railroad colleagues when he said, “bringing together these locomotives really demonstrates the size, diversity, and impact of the industry.”
“There is tremendous value in connecting with other railroads, industry partners, employees, customers, and the public,” added Burwinkel. “It gives us an opportunity to celebrate what we do, recognize the people who keep the railroad moving and help generate interest in an industry that continues to play a critical role in moving America's economy.”
ASLRRA members shared some photos from the recent America 250 Locomotive Celebration at the North Carolina Transportation Museum.
Clockwise from top left: Carolina Coastal Railway, Florida Central Railroad, Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway, Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad (photo by Spencer Whitman) and OmniTRAX's Chicago Rail Link.
The Federal Railroad Administration has released Safety Advisory 2026-01: Restricted Speed. The advisory was published in response to seven train accidents in 2024, 2025 and 2026 involving a failure to operate at restricted speed.
The FRA emphasizes that restricted speed relies heavily on visual and physical requirements, not just a numeric speed cap. These rules require train operating crews to stop movement within half their range of vision. For example, a crew that can only see clear track 20 car lengths ahead due to any conditions including curvature, weather or darkness must be able to stop movement in 10 car lengths.
In the Safety Advisory, the FRA says that while there were many factors contributing to the accidents, those factors often included, among other things, an overreliance on positive train control (PTC) technology and a failure to reduce speed in alignment with reduced visibility.
The advisory provides the date, speed and outcome of the seven recent restricted-speed accidents and provides five recommendations. The FRA advises railroads review the circumstances of the accidents with employees; assess training effectiveness and rules instruction; reinforce the idea that PTC is supplemental; evaluate reviews of operational testing data and emphasize that all crew in the controlling locomotive are responsible for maintaining situational awareness during restricted speed operations.
ASLRRA maintains a Safety Alerts, Reports and Advisories webpage, where visitors can find recently published federal safety notifications.
Last Wednesday, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce approved H.R. 3194, the Lifting Overburdensome Commerce Obstructions and Motives (LOCOMOTIVES) Act, advancing the measure to the full House for consideration. The bill, which ASLRRA supports, would amend the Clean Air Act to prohibit states from seeking waivers that impose locomotive emissions standards more stringent than federal requirements.
The measure was in response to the since-repealed In-Use Locomotive Regulation, passed by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) in 2023, which aimed to phase out locomotives more than 23 years old and push the state’s railroad operators to adopt zero-emission technologies.
The LOCOMOTIVES Act would establish exclusive federal authority over locomotive emissions standards, providing important regulatory certainty for interstate rail commerce and helping railroads avoid the operational and capital costs associated with abiding by varying state requirements.
Citing the potential impacts of state-specific emissions mandates, Representative Craig Goldman (R-Texas), a cosponsor of the bill, said, “Short line railroads would have been hit hardest….CARB’s own assessment admitted that some of these businesses would have been eliminated…and when short lines disappear, the freight moves to trucks…[which are] worse for safety, worse for congestion, worse for the environment.” Following additional debate among committee members, the bill’s markup concluded with committee approval of the legislation.
H.R. 3194 currently has 26 cosponsors. A companion bill, S. 1779, has been introduced in the Senate by Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa). S. 1779 has 19 cosponsors and was referred to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works where it is pending consideration.
Know a company that would benefit from joining and participating in ASLRRA? Please contact Vice President, Membership Danialle Lovik via email or at (202) 585-3443.
Elite Railcar Leasing proudly joins a network dedicated to strengthening the short line and regional railroad industry. They provide flexible railcar leasing and comprehensive railcar services, including fleet management, storage solutions, mobile services, AEI tagging and restenciling, and other customized solutions to keep their customers’ fleets moving efficiently. Elite Railcar Leasing looks forward to supporting the railcar needs of ASLRRA members nationwide. Primary contact and Vice President of Leasing, Heather Slone, can be reached at (567) 224-9468.
Ethos Benefits is a fiduciary-focused employee benefits consulting group. Unlike traditional brokers, Ethos operates without commission-based conflicts of interest, focusing instead on data-driven strategy, claims analysis, and vendor management to help employers control healthcare costs and provide quality service. Primary contact and CEO, Donovan Ryckis, can be reached by email at donovan@ethosbenefits.com.
ASLRRA’s inaugural Fall Super Regional Meeting w will have standout speakers at the general sessions, highlighting performance and priorities for the upcoming year.
Top-level representatives from Union Pacific, CSX, CN, BNSF, Norfolk Southern, and CPKC will share highlights from 2026, and a panel of short line CEOs including Ken Beard, Sierra Northern Railroad, Jonathan Carnes, The Wheeling, and Kevin Erasmus, Fort Worth & Western Railroad will provide the short line view.
With a wide variety of educational offerings, region elections being held at Sandhouse Sessions, and more than twelve committees and working groups meeting onsite, it’s a can’t miss event for the short line industry.
Register today for the meeting, which takes place Oct. 5-7 in St. Louis, Missouri. Be sure to secure hotel lodging before the Sept. 10 cutoff date.
ASLRRA welcomes organizations interested in sponsoring this year’s inaugural event. Visit ASLRRA’s website to learn more or contact meetings@aslrra.org to ask questions and purchase a sponsorship.
The Coalition Health Plan is specifically designed for ASLRRA members looking for a solution to reduce medical premiums and simplify the employee healthcare experience. When you partner with HUB, you're at the center of a vast network of experts who will help you reach your goals through risk services, claims management, and compliance support.
Click here to learn more about ASLRRA’s Member Discount Program and view all available products and services, or contact ASLRRA’s Sabrina Waiss for more information about becoming a Preferred Provider.
Sept. 10, 2026: Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) Loans 101
This webinar will educate short lines on recent regulatory updates (specifically how upfront Credit Risk Premium [CRP] payments have transitioned to an interest rate spread), loan terms, public pipelines, and intake steps. In addition to providing an update on the overall state of the program, U.S. DOT subject matter experts will cover what can be financed, core terms, public pipelines, technical changes, and how RRIF fits into a railroad’s long-term capital planning process.
Speakers include Mike Patella, director, Outreach & Project Development, U.S. Department of Transportation; Dan Schned, deputy director, Outreach & Project Development - acting, U.S. Department of Transportation; Jake Sacks, project development lead, U.S. Department of Transportation; Will Resch, head of project development - acting, U.S. Department of Transportation
Click here to view upcoming webinars and log in to browse the On-Demand Webinar Library.
View ASLRRA’s three-part series on railroad retirement, unemployment, and sickness benefits, presented in partnership with the US Railroad Retirement Board.
ASLRRA’s On-Demand Webinar Library offers more than 200 recordings on a variety of topics. Click here to log in and access the library.
Hotel block expires tonight! Book now to secure your spot.
ASLRRA Leadership Development Regulatory Module
September 22-24, San Diego, California
The Regulatory Module of ASLRRA’s Leadership Development Program is the only industry training of its kind, covering a broad selection of topics in a single setting. The two and a half-day training seminar provides an overview of the federal agencies that regulate railroads and, in addition to federal regulations 101, the course will cover Part 217, Part 218, Part 219, Part 225, Part 228, and Part 243.
Training combines traditional presentation methods with interactive discussion using real world examples to round out attendees’ understanding of complicated regulations and how they impact frontline operations. Developed for frontline supervisors and managers from multiple crafts, the curriculum is essential for these individuals and relevant for anyone involved in day-to-day railroad operations. Attendees will gain an in-depth understanding of regulations that govern railroad operations and participate in facilitated, interactive dialog with expert instructors and peers.
Click here to see additional upcoming seminars as well as event details and online registration and hotel booking links.
All nominations are due Sept. 11 by midnight for individuals hoping to fill six ASLRRA board seats. Emails with information and nomination links were sent to railroad’s main contacts in each of ASLRRA’s four member regions.
There will be elections for four regional director positions and two region vice presidents. Region vice presidents also serve on ASLRRA’s Executive Committee. Nominees must be affiliated with an ASLRRA-member railroad operating in the region the individual would represent.
Elections will take place during each region’s Sandhouse Session at the Fall Super Regional Meeting in St. Louis, Missouri. The meeting will be held Oct. 5-7. Railroad representatives must be present to cast a vote, and nominees must be present to be elected.
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) has approved over $1 million to upgrade rail crossings in three Ohio counties.
ASLRRA members Akron Barberton Cluster Railway and Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad will each install flashing lights and gates at a crossing. Akron Barberton Cluster Railway will receive $339,340 for its project in Akron, Ohio, while Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad will use its $335,303 to make improvements at a crossing in Portage County.
Last week, Amy Krouse (pictured) conducted a test run of ASLRRA’s newest in-person training seminar, titled “ASLRRA Leadership Program - Crisis Communications.” Sabrina Waiss, JR Gelnar and Nicole Brewin participated as seminar attendees and observers.
Several industry professionals were invited to attend this pilot presentation and offer their feedback. ASLRRA appreciates all those who took the time to travel to Virginia to participate.
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 Global Ukraine Rail Task Force (GURTF) will unveil plans for its Ukrainian Rail Kids Retreat Project at InnoTrans, an international trade fair for transport technology held Sept. 22-25 in Berlin.
Members of the GURTF are working with Ukrainian and German railroad organizations and the Ukrainian trade union on a plan to provide vacation retreats for children of railway workers. The camp is meant for youth who have experienced trauma such as deaths and injuries in the family or loss of their homes. The camp will provide children a week of respite, as well as counseling.
GURTF hopes to raise $500,000 for this effort. Additional information about how to donate to this effort will be available after the initiative’s initial unveiling at InnoTrans.
GURTF unites rail and transportation professionals in the U.S. and Europe in support of Ukraine’s railway sector. The current GURTF chair is former Federal Railroad Administrator Jolene Molitoris. GURTF was founded in 2022 and has already raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Ukrainian railway workers and their families.
Views & News is published by American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association.
Please contact Mariel Takamura, associate editor, with questions or comments.
