Railroad Development Corp. seeing expansion in the U.S. and abroad
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 Short Line Industry Catalyst Award recognizes an individual at any member company who has contributed to the development of the short line freight rail industry in a significant but unusual or unexpected way. While there are many entrepreneurs who have built thriving railroad companies, this award focuses a spotlight on those whose out-of-the-box thinking has changed the industry for the better.
Whether establishing a unique company, inventing new technological advancements or developing innovative products and services, these industry catalysts have changed or are changing how short lines and their stakeholders do business. They may not have set out to transform railroading, but their work has had an undeniable impact.
The winner of this year’s inaugural award is Kern Schumacher, chairman and founder of ASLRRA associate business member A&K Railroad Materials, Inc.
“From the humble and scrappy beginning of seeing an opportunity in used railroad ties as a teenage entrepreneur to building A&K into one of the most trusted and innovative names in the rail industry, Kern has spent more than seven decades demonstrating what vision, perseverance and integrity can accomplish. Having owned 13 short lines, he understands firsthand what it takes for these railroads to succeed, and he has consistently used that experience to support the people and communities that depend on them. His leadership has always been understated, but his impact has been anything but,” said Chuck Baker, President, ASLRRA. “Through his support of the short line industry, his commitment to ASLRRA and its members, and his personal advocacy at the most senior levels of government for policies that strengthen short line railroads, Kern has helped shape the industry in lasting ways. He may not have set out to transform railroading, but that is undeniably part of the legacy he leaves behind.”
Before the rise of the modern environmentalist movement and the birth of the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” slogan in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Schumacher worked to recover and repurpose railroad materials. In 1958, Schumacher saw thousands of railroad ties set to be discarded when they were removed from the Oakland Bay Bridge in California. Though he was only a teenager, Schumacher recognized a business opportunity.
Schumacher joined with local salvage expert Alfred Boyd to buy every tie, starting A&K Tie Company in 1958. The company continued buying used railroad ties, selling them primarily for landscaping purposes. As the business grew, A&K Tie Company became A&K Railroad Materials, providing rail and other track materials to railroads looking for cost-effective options.
Schumacher’s commitment to sourcing items was well known. He walked hundreds of miles of track to inspect and recover usable assets, ultimately pioneering the practice of recycling rail materials on a national scale. For short lines, having these more affordable resources was often the key that allowed them to remain in business.
A&K quickly outgrew its modest California headquarters and relocated to Utah also adding locations in 13 states to serve the North American rail network. The company grew to over 300 employees in the 1980s as it expanded to recover and supply materials nationwide.
Today, A&K has grown with the industry offering much more than recycled ties and rail. The company’s product catalog includes new rail, continuous welded rail (CWR), manufactured in-house specialty track work and most every facet of OTM. There are also a wide range of rail services including transloading, storage and track recovery.
As A&K continued to expand, Schumacher became more involved in the short line railroad industry. He acquired his first short line in 1990 and has owned 13 small railroads in the U.S. and Canada. He also supported others by financing their acquisition of railroad lines when no other funding was available. In addition, Schumacher has been a strong advocate for short line issues, drumming up support in Congress for key priorities like the 45G short line railroad maintenance tax credit.
What started as a way to repurpose old railroad ties became a life of dedication to short lines, contractors, industries, transits and customers they serve. Schumacher’s impact goes far beyond individual railroads and track structures. His work has influenced the entire industry.
Kern Schumacher accepts the inaugural Short Line Industry Catalyst Award from ASLRRA President Chuck Baker (left). A&K Railroad Materials, Inc. President Kellen Desmond (right) spoke about Schumacher and his storied career.
Schumacher (center) with family members and representatives from A&K Railroad Materials, Inc.
This collage showcases Schumacher at different stages in his career.
Top right: A young Schumacher points something out to a colleague and a Navy officer.
Bottom right: Schumacher (plaid shirt) at a trade show with A&K Railroad Materials, Inc. team members.
Left: Schumacher today.
For the first year ever, ASLRRA combined its fall region meetings, Finance & Administration Seminar and General Counsel Symposium into one large event, the Fall Super Regional Meeting.
The Fall Super Regional Meeting offered 580 attendees opportunities for education and networking in a more intimate setting, with an emphasis on personal connection and fruitful discussion. Attendees also had the opportunity to participate in the work of the Association, attending committee meetings and Sandhouse Sessions and voting for new board members.
Individuals had the opportunity to meet with representatives from federal agencies, including the Railroad Retirement Board and Federal Railroad Administration, for one-on-one conversations on various topics such as navigating the federal grant and loan process. Surface Transportation Board member Dick Kloster also stopped by to meet with attendees.
This year, ASLRRA introduced a new award, bestowing the inaugural Short Line Industry Catalyst Award on A&K Railroad Materials Chairman and Founder Kern Schumacher.
Keeping with the usual fall meetings, ASLRRA recognized President’s Award winners during General Sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Tuesday, representatives from Texas North Western Railway, Southwestern Railroad and the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis accepted President’s Awards in the General Category – Employee on Duty Hours.
On Wednesday, representatives from the Indiana Rail Road Company, Stockton Terminal and Eastern Railroad and Port Terminal Railroad Association accepted President’s Awards in the Yard and Switching Operations Category, while representatives from Arkansas Southern Railroad, Luxapalila Valley Railroad, Central Railroad of Indiana and TGS-Cedar Port Railroad accepted President’s Awards in the General Category – Train Miles.
Click here to view a full list of all President's Award winners.
Other General Session speakers included representatives from each of the six Class I railroads, U.S. Transportation Command Deputy Commander Lt. Gen. Jered Helwig and Short Line Safety Institute Executive Director Tom Murta.
Attendees had the opportunity to attend a variety of education sessions led by industry experts, covering topics from cybersecurity to locomotive efficiency. There were also multiple networking events including an outing at Topgolf.
ASLRRA is grateful to all event sponsors and attendees who helped make this year’s meeting a success.
ASLRRA and the Association of American Railroads (AAR) have filed a joint response to a request for information from the U.S. Department of Transportation on its America’s Great Corridors of Commerce (AGCC) initiative. The comments provide information regarding how the AGCC can be implemented while ensuring safety during construction, operations and maintenance.
In particular, ASLRRA and AAR detail the safety and operational considerations that need to be taken into account when analyzing the colocation of energy infrastructure along railroad rights-of-way (ROW). The comments highlight the dangers presented by unauthorized access to railroad ROW, noting that construction on or near ROWs requires careful planning and strict safety protocols.
ASLRRA and AAR also urge companies looking to work near or under a ROW get assistance from federal experts when completing a railroad’s formal application process. Such efforts can reduce lead time and facilitate the review and approval process. Lastly, ASLRRA and AAR express appreciation for the voluntary nature of the program and point out opposition to a mandatory version of the program.
The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) are each inviting public comment on their respective state transportation plans.
ADOT seeks input on its State Freight Plan, which, according to an agency press release, “helps ensure the state’s freight system remains strong by providing an action plan to guide decisions and investments that support a safe, reliable and competitive freight system for moving goods in and through Arizona.”
The Arizona State Freight plan provides an overview of current freight movement, a forecast of future demand, proposals for future freight projects and more. A draft is available for review here. Comments on the Arizona plan are due Oct. 13.
DRPT is looking for public input during this second phase of development for its 2026 Virginia Statewide Rail Plan. A survey asks respondents to provide input on strategies to support freight and passenger rail. Those who complete the survey can enter a drawing for two roundtrip Amtrak Northeast Regional tickets. According to DRPT officials, the survey will be open through early November.
The October edition of the Railroad Retirement Board’s (RRB) Q&A series discusses RRB appeals procedures. Claimants have the right to appeal unfavorable determinations on their claims, and this month’s Q&A explains the process.
All appeals under either the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA) or Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA) undergo a three-stage process. Individuals must first request a review under the RRB’s reconsideration section. Requests must be submitted in writing within 60 days of the mailing date of the decision notice. Individuals can also request waivers of overpayment recovery for annuity or benefit overpayments.
Those dissatisfied with a reconsideration decision can appeal to the RRB’s Bureau of Hearings and Appeals, and further disapproval with a decision from the Bureau of Hearings and Appeals can lead to a final appeal to the RRB’s three-member board.
More information, including appeal options beyond the RRB, can be found in the Q&A.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has published a research results paper and two technical reports with information that may be of interest to short line freight railroads.
The research results paper is titled “Feasibility of Vibration Test Unit Modifications for TGMS Validations.” In this study, a research team from ENSCO examined the feasibility of using a vibration test unit (VTU) to validate the accuracy of track geometry measurement systems (TGMS). The VTU is a computer-controlled device that holds a full-scale railroad car and can simulate a rail car moving along the track at a given speed. Meanwhile the TGMS uses non-contact sensors to measure rail position. Being able to use the two together would allow for laboratory-controlled validation testing of full-scale TGMS. The study showed that this approach is feasible.
One of the technical reports is titled “A Risk-Informed Decision-Making Framework for Coastal Railroad System Subjected to Storm Hazards.” Researchers worked to identify and mitigate the risks of current and future tropical storms affecting railroad infrastructure along the coasts of Louisiana and Alabama. The team used a model to simulate projected future storms and integrated that with a model assessing failure probability of railroad track components. The team then determined the expected life of tracks and bridges and worked to devise mitigation strategies that can increase the expected life of that infrastructure.
The second technical report is titled “Machine Learning-Based Analysis for Railway Track Maintenance.” Researchers analyzed track degradation rate (TDR) data on passenger revenue track, using ground penetrating radar (GPR) and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) along with geometry data to examine subsurface and drainage conditions of the tracks. Two distinct methods to estimate TDR offered unique insight and provided tools for estimating TDR and improving maintenance scheduling.
On Sept. 30, Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) introduced the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026. The bill would reform the federal environmental review and permitting process.
Some key points in the 417-page bill include procedural changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). These changes affect the scope of review, which projects get reviewed and timelines for review, decision making, public comment and dispute resolution. The bill also revises the NEPA judicial review process.
Also in the bill are changes to the National Historic Preservation Act, affecting what triggers a review and what is considered an adverse effect. The bill also addresses deadlines, judicial review and capacity and funding.
ASLRRA is reviewing the bill to assess its impact on short line railroads. The Association of American Railroads (AAR) issued a statement in support of the bill, which AAR says marks an important step toward comprehensive permitting reform.
MaxAccel provides innovative, best-of-class web and mobile-based software solutions to drive safety, regulatory compliance and operational efficiency. Over 220 freight railroads, passenger operations and railroad contractors rely on MaxAccel’s suite of AssetPro™ and SafeTrack™ applications every day making them some of the most widely used in the rail transportation industry.
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.
Check out these sessions covering Part 243 Training, Qualification, and Oversight for Safety-Related Railroad Employees, including an important three-part series presented by industry subject matter experts:
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.
For this inaugural presentation, registration is FREE for ASLRRA members! Fewer than 5 spots remain!
ASLRRA Leadership Program: Crisis Communications Training Seminar
October 27-29, Charlotte, North Carolina
This new training seminar will help railroads prepare for their worst day by developing a communications strategy and working with key partners in advance of an incident. During the seminar, individuals or teams from a railroad will create a Crisis Communications Plan and become proficient in using a Communicators Response Guide to determine the appropriate level of response based on the incident. Training will also address the role of the railroad communicator when Incident Command is in place. Attendees will return to their railroad with a communications plan that they may further refine, implement and incorporate into their railroad’s Emergency Response Plan.
Developed as a new module of ASLRRA’s Leadership Program, the crisis communications training seminar is geared to company leaders who are responsible for driving the external response to an incident on their railroad, as well as company spokespersons and communications professionals.
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.
ASLRRA is accepting nominations for its annual Safety Person of the Year and Safety Professional of the Year Awards. Winners will be honored in person at ASLRRA’s 2027 Annual Conference, which will be held March 14-16 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The Safety Person of the Year Award recognizes any railroad employee at any level, except those considered to be professional safety management employees.
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).
Nominations for both awards are due Nov. 12. 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.
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) and Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) have approved funding to ASLRRA members for crossing and infrastructure improvement projects.
PUCO has approved safety upgrades for Republic Short Line. With its $14,970 award, Republic Short Line will install lights and a new crossing bell at its Finefrock Road crossing in Massillon, Ohio.
ORDC also approved grant funding for Ashland Railway. The railroad will receive $744,000 to help rehabilitate four miles of mainline track, installing 7,000 ties, replacing tie plates and installing ballast.
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.
Progressive Railroading magazine has opened the nomination period for its 2027 Women of Influence in Rail awards. Nominations are due Nov. 30.
The program honors women who have made or are making significant contributions to the rail industry. Individuals can be nominated in four different categories, leadership, innovation, technology and sustainability.
Winners will be recognized in a virtual award ceremony and with a profile on the Progressive Railroading website and in a print version of the magazine. Click here to view nomination submission guidelines, or here to submit a nomination.
Views & News is published by American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association.
Please contact Mariel Takamura, associate editor, with questions or comments.
