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Two ASLRRA member railroads celebrated project milestones in August, making important infrastructure improvements funded by Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grants from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). Such celebrations are a reminder to other short lines that even though the next CRISI notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) has not been released, it is not too early to begin preparing CRISI grant applications.
On Aug. 28, ASLRRA member Texas North Western Railway Company (TXNW) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate completion of the Etter Interchange Improvement Project in Moore County, Texas. A CRISI grant covered half of the project’s $8.2 million cost.
The project combined two four-track yards in the Fisher Yard Complex into a single yard that will allow more efficient interchanges between TXNW and its Class I partner BNSF Railway. TXNW’s facility can now handle full-length unit trains, allowing a more seamless flow of freight traffic.
Thanks to the CRISI grant, TXNW and BNSF will be able to improve service to their current customers. But there are significant benefits beyond what is immediately tangible. Local partner Dumas Economic Development Corporation said it has already received inquiries from companies interested in the area’s rail-served industrial sites and estimates the project’s overall economic impact “could be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.” Indeed, during the nine-month construction phase alone, TXNW estimates the project directly and indirectly created over 100 jobs across several industries.
On Aug. 14, representatives from the engineering team at ASLRRA member parent company Patriot Rail participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony at the grand opening of the newly reconstructed railroad crossing at Blazer Boulevard in Elkhart, Indiana. According to Patriot Rail, this project was an important milestone in the Elkhart Preservation and Improvement for the Community (EPIC) Project.
The EPIC Project will include upgrades to nine miles of track, resurfacing of three grade crossings, expansion of rail siding capacity and relocation of an interchange used by the Elkhart & Western Railroad and Norfolk Southern. Relocation of the interchange will eliminate a blocked crossing, where Elkhart residents would have to wait approximately 15 minutes if trains with more than nine railcars interchanged at that point.
Elkhart Mayor Rod Roberson celebrated the completion of this portion of the EPIC Project, saying “This was one of several railroad crossings that have been particularly challenging for our community. Cars, trucks, bicycles, and school buses crossed these tracks every day, and now they can do so safely. Anytime we can make daily commuting easier and safer, it’s a win for Elkhart.”
The completion of the Etter project and the Blazer Boulevard crossing reconstruction are demonstrations of the importance of CRISI grants to short line and regional railroads and the significant impact these grant-funded projects can have on communities across America. The CRISI program is the only one for which short lines are directly eligible, and small railroads have received over $2.7 billion in infrastructure funding since the program’s inception in 2015.
Railroads Urged to Prepare for Next CRISI Application Period
ASLRRA anticipates the FRA will publish the next CRISI notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) in November or December. If so, railroads should be working now to prepare their CRISI applications, including ensuring they are registered in the federal system and gathering relevant information.
Lucas Brewer, national market lead for freight rail engineering services at ASLRRA member Colliers Engineering & Design and member of ASLRRA’s Board of Directors, discussed the upcoming CRISI funding round in a recent writeup. Brewer notes the current and next fiscal years, 2025 and 2026, may be the last rounds featuring funding levels over $1 billion, although ASLRRA and other industry groups are working to raise awareness of the importance of the CRISI program and advocate for continued robust financial support.
Brewer identifies some factors that could delay announcement of this year’s CRISI NOFO, including federal budget uncertainty and FRA leadership transitions. Brewer notes that while it may be “a waiting game right now,” railroads should not sit passively waiting for the NOFO release. He urges railroads to use their time wisely by planning projects, gathering partners and preparing application materials. Because the future of the CRISI program is uncertain, short lines should be ready to take advantage of this present opportunity.
ASLRRA maintains a CRISI page with information and resources to help railroads prepare CRISI grant applications. The CRISI Grant Funding page also provides details and background that stakeholders can use when advocating for robust program support. In addition, Brewer’s organization, Colliers Engineering & Design is an ASLRRA Member Discount Program Preferred Provider of grant writing services. Colliers can help Association members write and administer state and federal grants.
For grant information or inquiries, members can also contact ASLRRA’s Assistant Vice President, Policy and Industry Affairs Richard Sherman.
Texas North Western Railway (TXNW) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of a CRISI-funded infrastructure project in Etter, Texas.
The TXNW ceremony included an outdoor program on the project site.
President Donald Trump has nominated Richard Kloster to be a member of the Surface Transportation Board (STB), filing a position left vacant after former STB Chair Martin Oberman retired in 2024. Current STB member Michelle Schultz was also nominated to a second term.
Kloster is founder and president of private transportation consulting company Integrity Rail Partners, Inc. He got his start in railroading with the Chicago & North Western Railway, which is now a part of Union Pacific, and has experience with both Class I and short line railroads and rail fleet management. If confirmed, his term would expire at the end of 2028.
Schultz has been nominated to her second term with the STB. She joined the board in 2021 and currently serves as the STB’s vice chairman. STB members may serve a maximum of two five-year terms, although they can remain in their roles for up to 12 months after their term expires if a successor has not been confirmed by the Senate.
Yesterday, the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) posted updated information concerning processing of retroactive payments under the Social Security Fairness Act.
The RRB maintains a page titled “Frequently Asked Questions about the Social Security Fairness Act.” Signed into law on Jan 5, 2025, the Social Security Fairness Act ends two statutory reductions for railroad retirees, their spouses and survivors. This means that individuals who were previously affected by these reductions will retroactively have their full tier-I benefit amount restored for the months after December 2023, which was the effective date of the repeal.
The update posted by the RRB, under the “When can I expect payment?” question, says that as of Sept. 16, 98 percent of all SSFA cases have been calculated and issued. There are fewer than 500 cases that still require action, which includes more in-depth review and sometimes special processing steps.
To understand payment eligibility and the payment process, review the RRB’s Frequently Asked Questions page.
Since its creation by Congress in 2015, the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program has become the most important federal tool supporting the short line freight rail industry. The program funds projects that improve safety, efficiency, and reliability across both freight and passenger rail. But for short lines, CRISI has been transformational.
As Congress works on the next surface transportation reauthorization bill, the short line industry’s top priority is clear: preserve robust, guaranteed CRISI funding. Without it, short lines would struggle to maintain safe operations and the communities and industries they serve would lose a vital connection to the national freight rail network.
ASLRRA is actively urging Congress to preserve robust, guaranteed funding for the CRISI grant program in the next surface transportation bill, highlighting its proven role in improving safety and reliability on short lines. Members can help by sharing how CRISI projects have strengthened their railroads and communities, reinforcing the program’s value directly with their elected officials.
The CRISI program is designed to meet the needs of short lines directly. It enables railroads to apply on their own for projects sized to their realities, like tie replacement or track upgrades, that may not compete well in larger infrastructure grant programs aimed at massive, multi-billion-dollar undertakings.
CRISI grants allow small railroads to tackle their most pressing safety concerns. For short lines, the leading causes of derailments are worn-out track and deteriorated ties and this funding directly addresses these issues, making operations safer for all.
The program’s impact has been extraordinary. Since 2015, short lines have received 240 CRISI grants totaling more than $2.7 billion. Every dollar invested through CRISI not only improves infrastructure but also strengthens the economic health of the rural and small-town communities’ short lines serve.
CRISI’s stability has been just as important as its size. Current funding levels of $1 billion per year in guaranteed advance appropriations through fiscal year 2026, with the potential for an additional $1 billion annually through discretionary appropriations, have given short lines and their partners the ability to plan projects with confidence. Returning to a system where funds must be authorized but not guaranteed would put short lines at a severe disadvantage.
With an estimated $12 billion backlog in necessary infrastructure improvements, programs like CRISI are essential to keeping short line railroads safe and competitive.
Representatives from the Texas Short Line Railroad Association (TSLRRA), many of whom also work for ASLRRA member organizations, traveled to Washington, D.C. on Sept. 9 to meet members of Texas’s congressional delegation and advocate for short line priorities including the 45G short line tax credit modernization bill.
TNW Corporation’s Joey Evans, TGB Group’s Rebecca Murphy and Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railway’s Shariff Gonnella visited with Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Representatives August Pfluger, Roger Williams and Beth Van Duyne and members of their staff. The group focused on 45G, hearing from some lawmakers that they already signed on to cosponsor the modernization bill, while others promised to go back and review the bill again.
Connecting with elected officials can happen in many ways, and there is no one path to success when it comes to raising awareness of the issues most important to short lines. Inviting lawmakers to tour a rail facility and giving them a chance to climb aboard a locomotive or meet with shippers provides a first-hand look at rail operations. But traveling to sit and speak with members of Congress in their offices also helps build relationships. Even sending emails and letters, making phone calls and engaging on social media can foster connections.
ASLRRA encourages its members to reach out to their elected officials in any and all ways, helping them understand why short line freight rail is a critical part of local, state and national economies and why it is important to support small railroads. The Association’s government affairs team works to advocate on behalf of members, but can also lend a hand to railroads looking to make those efforts on their own. Contact any member of the team to ask questions or seek assistance with outreach.
Joey Evans of TNW Corporation (left) met Texas Senator Ted Cruz during a trip to Washington, D.C. with members of the Texas Short Line Railroad Association (TSLRRA) to advocate for the 45G short line tax credit modernization bill. TGB Group’s Rebecca Murphy and Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railway’s Shariff Gonnella also participated.
With Representative August Pfluger (second from left).
With Representative Roger Williams (second from right).
With Representative Beth Van Duyne (second from left).
Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.) and Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) have introduced the Freight Rail Assets Investment to Launch Commercial Activity Revitalization (RAILCAR) Act that would establish a temporary tax credit for the purchase of new railcars.
The goal of the bill, S. 2758, is to incentivize railcar owners to retire older and less efficient assets. Companies would receive credit for up to 10 percent of freight railcar fleet modernization expenses, capped at 1,000 railcars per taxpayer. The bill is also meant to support U.S. manufacturing jobs and help the rail industry address supply-chain constraints.
This bill is the companion version of H.R. 1200, the House Freight RAILCAR Act introduced in February by Representative Darin LaHood (R-Ill.) and Representative Brad Schneider (D-Ill.). The bill was also introduced in 2023 during the 118th Congress but was not passed into law.
Early bird registration expires next week Wednesday, Sept. 24 for ASLRRA’s Central and Pacific Region Meeting. The meeting will take place Nov. 3 to 5 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Networking events at this meeting include a golf tournament at the English Turn Golf and Country Club. Early bird rates for golf also expire Sept. 24.
During the meeting, ASLRRA will also honor winners of this year’s President’s Awards from the Central and Pacific regions.
Central Region Winners
Pacific Region Winners
Click here to register today. Attendees can also click here to reserve a room in the ASLRRA hotel block at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans.
Organizations interested in sponsoring the Central and Pacific Region Meeting can click here to view the sponsorship prospectus or contact the Association’s meetings team at meetings@aslrra.org with questions.
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 is accepting nominations for its annual Safety Person of the Year and Safety Professional of the Year Awards, recognizing two individuals from ASLRRA member railroads who demonstrate a strong commitment to safety leadership in their organizations.
Any employee of an ASLRRA member railroad is eligible to receive this award. Winners will be honored in person at ASLRRA’s 2026 Annual Conference, which will be held April 12 to 14 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Click here to submit a Safety Person of the Year Award nomination.
Click here to submit a Safety Professional of the Year Award nomination.
The Safety Person of the Year Award recognizes an employee of an ASLRRA Class II or Class III member railroad who works with management on effective safety programs, exhibits a high degree of safety awareness and contributes off-duty time to activities promoting safety awareness in the community.
A safety person candidate would be any railroad employee at any level, except those considered to be professional safety management employees, whose actions consistently show a dedication to safe performance on the railroad. In other words, a safety person is someone who has multiple jobs or responsibilities, but consistently demonstrates ‘safety first’ on their railroad.
The Safety Professional of the Year is open to any professional safety management employee of an ASLRRA Class II or Class III member railroad who is responsible for safety programs, training and the overall management of safe behavior and actions on their railroad(s). In other words, a safety professional is someone whose job is safety on a full-time basis, for example a manager of training, director of safety and operations, safety manager or head of safety and training.
ASLRRA member railroads consistently demonstrate a commitment to safe operations, with a record 394 earning a Jake Award for below-industry-average safety performance in 2024 and 347 of those railroads earning a Jake Award with Distinction for having zero reportable accidents. ASLRRA understands that it takes the dedication of railroad employees to achieve these noteworthy safety records, so the Safety Person of the Year and Safety Professional of the Year awards enable the Association to recognize those individuals who have had a truly significant impact on their railroad’s safety performance and safety culture.
The 2025 Safety Person of the Year Award winner was Matt Lane, general manager at Pioneer Valley Railroad. He was recognized for being a proactive leader who provides team members a chance to collaborate on safety-related topics. One of the many safety-focused practices he conducts on a regular basis includes holding monthly meetings with Pioneer Valley Railroad employees to examine unsafe-condition reports, review industry-wide safety alerts and discuss safety preparedness.
The 2026 Safety Professional of the Year Award winner was Herman Crosson, chief safety and compliance officer at Anacostia Rail Holdings Company. Crosson was recognized for his efforts to support Anacostia team members and develop relationships that bolster organization-wide safety. He also started the Safety Recognition Program to honor those who demonstrate safety leadership.
Nominations for both awards are due Oct. 17. Please email Mariel Takamura with any questions about the award, especially if unsure about whether a candidate falls under the Safety Person or Safety Professional category. If submitted under the wrong category, the nominator will be asked to re-submit the nomination using the correct form.
All those who attended ASLRRA’s Finance and Administration Seminar and the General Counsel Symposium should have received an email on Sept. 12 with a link to access session materials and view a final attendee list.
Those who attended the Eastern and Southern Region Meeting would have received an email with both those links and a link to a post-event survey. ASLRRA asks attendees to take a few minutes to complete the online survey, which provides valuable insight into the meeting’s successes and opportunities for improvement and helps inform the Association’s plans for future events.
Need the survey link re-sent? Contact Cameron Downs.
Wi-Tronix, one of the newest Preferred Providers in ASLRRA’s Member Discount Program offers valuable products and services to Association members.
Wi-Tronix provides digital onboard solutions. Short line railroads can use the company’s Violet Edge system to operate locomotives smarter, safer and more efficiently. The Violet Edge solution includes locomotive installed hardware with options for adding video and compliance tracking.
Violet 830 hardware provides real-time locomotive tracking capabilities along with live monitoring of fuel usage, fuel monitoring, and excess idle reporting. The Violet 800 series hardware includes all the functions of the Violet 830 and is also an FRA-approved event recorder (ER), digital video recorder (DVR), and PTC recorder.
For more on Wi-Tronix and a full listing of products available, members can login and click here. To join ASLRRA’s Member Discount Program, contact ASLRRA’s Senior Vice President, Education and Business Services Sabrina Waiss.
ASLRRA has developed and obtained approval from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for Part 214 Supplemental Training, delivered through the Short Line Training Center. The course covers railroad-specific on-track safety procedures and rules that every roadway worker, roadway maintenance machine (RMM) operator, watchman or lookout and flagman must understand while on the railroad’s property.
The Part 214 Supplemental Training is available to railroads no matter the type of training program or system they utilize.
Current users of the ASLRRA-IANR Learning Management System (LMS) may complete a fillable form to have the Part 214 Supplemental Training course customized with their railroad-specific details and added to their Team Library for delivery through the LMS.
All railroads, even those not currently using an LMS, can now train their contractors on Part 214 Railroad Workplace Safety and/or the railroad-specific Part 214 Supplemental Training using the ASLRRA-IANR online LMS platform for as little as $50 per person.
Railroads using a third-party LMS can pay a flat fee to receive the customized course for delivery through their platform. The full Part 214 Railroad Workplace Safety course can also be delivered via SCORM Cloud through a third-party LMS for a flat fee based on the number of people trained.
Interested railroads may contact Sabrina Waiss for additional details and pricing or contact JR Gelnar to receive the fillable form for customized training.
ASLRRA Associate Business Member North Carolina Railroad Company (NCRR) has opened the application period for the fall 2025 round of its Build Ready Sites Program. Applications are due Oct. 17.
The Build Ready Sites Program awards grants to communities to help them prepare rail-served industrial sites. This is the first time NCRR is offering two funding rounds in one year. Any potential rail-served site that meets program guidelines may apply for a grant.
NCRR awarded $2.5 million to four communities this past spring, including $500,000 to Mecklenburg County in partnership with ASLRRA member Aberdeen Carolina & Western Railway Company to clear and grade a 40-acre site and connect it to public utility infrastructure.
In this new section, ASLRRA will highlight its 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
Awardee: DeQueen & Eastern Railroad
Fiscal Year: 2022
CRISI Grant: $11,830,000
Local Match: $5,070,000 (30%)
Total Project Cost: $16,900,000
The project involves rehabilitation of certain bridges, modification to select grade crossings, and other associated infrastructure improvements to the DeQueen and Eastern Railroad (DQE) and the Texas, Oklahoma and Eastern Railroad – the rail lines operate as a single railroad in certain parts of Oklahoma and Arkansas. The project will improve operations, allow for increased carrying capacity to 286,000 pounds, and enhance resiliency of the railroad to withstand severe weather events and adverse impacts from potential flooding.
Notable Quotes
“Oklahoma communities know best how to use federal dollars, and I’m confident this grant will go a long way to fund track improvements, rehabilitate rural bridges, and modify select grade crossings across Southeast Oklahoma. I’m proud to have helped bring this grant application across the finish line to modernize small freight rail, meet existing and future demand, and enhance resiliency.”
Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin
Fred Oelsner, Lauren Schlechte and Amy Westerman traveled to Indianapolis, Indiana this week to attend the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) Annual Conference and Expo. They staffed an ASLRRA booth in the event expo hall.
Crystal Gitchell went to Iowa to visit several ASLRRA members, including Iowa Interstate Railroad and CRANDIC Rail.
Those who may not have had a chance to travel to North Carolina to attend ASLRRA’s General Counsel Symposium can still learn about industry-specific legal issues thanks to the Association’s On-Demand Webinar library. Included are recordings that feature insight from legal experts in the rail industry, often accompanied by copies of the speakers’ webinar presentations.
Members can log in to the On-Demand Webinar Library to view the following legal webinars, as well as browse ASLRRA’s entire selection.
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) is seeking to hire a director of hazmat programs. Anyone interested in the position must email a cover letter and resume to SLSI@shortlinesafety.org before 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Sept. 29. A copy of the job description and required knowledge, skills and abilities is available here.
The California State Railroad Museum, in partnership with Lemelson-MIT, is offering Rail Innovation in Action, a free virtual program for high school students nationwide.
The program runs on Saturdays from Oct. 18 to Dec. 13, with no classes on Thanksgiving weekend. All students who are in the 9th to 12th grade for the 2025-2026 school year are invited to apply. The deadline for applications is Sept. 22.
The theme for the fall 2025 program is Community Impact. Students will be exploring real-world, human-centered issues that shape a community’s relationship with the railroad industry, in the past, present and future. No prior knowledge of railroading is required for participants.
During the program, students will hear from experts from Siemens Mobility, Inc., Union Pacific Railroad, Rails to Trails Conservancy, the MIT Transit Lab, the Henry Ford Museum, the California State Railroad Museum, and more; engage in fun activities, virtual tours, and career exploration; and work together as a development team to propose new railway innovations and inventions.
Click here to complete an online application form. For questions and comments, please reach out to railinnovationinaction@mit.edu.
Views & News is published by American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association.
Please contact Mariel Takamura, associate editor, with questions or comments.
