Cathcart Rail announces CEO transition and signals plans to unveil a new brand identity
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.
Oct. 14 marked the 45th anniversary of the Staggers Rail Act, a law that is credited with partially deregulating freight rail and saving it from total collapse. Passage of the Staggers Act is also considered to be the beginning of the modern short line industry.
The Staggers Act allowed railroads to have more control over pricing, enabled them to establish their own contracts without federal agency review and made it easier for them to shed underperforming rail lines.
It was that final detail that helped give birth to today’s small railroads. When larger companies spun off parts of their network, entrepreneurial individuals bought them and built their own businesses. It was a win-win situation for all parties, as these new short lines helped keep small-town and rural customers connected to the national network and ensured local economies and the rail industry could continue to thrive. There are now over 600 short lines in the U.S., operating 50,000 route miles and handling one in five carloads on the national rail network.
The Staggers Act has had other significant effects on the whole freight rail industry. When adjusted for inflation, rail rates are 44 percent lower than they were in 1981. Railroads have also reinvested $840 billion in infrastructure, or $1.4 trillion in today’s dollars, resulting in safer, more efficient service.
ASLRRA is pleased to announce Railroad Day on Capitol Hill 2026 will take place on March 4. Railroad industry professionals and other stakeholders are encouraged to mark their calendars for this event. Bookmark ASLRRA’s Railroad Day on Capitol Hill website to keep track of event updates.
Railroad Day on Capitol Hill brings hundreds of advocates to the halls of Congress to talk about issues important to the freight rail industry. Participants meet with elected officials to help them understand the importance of rail to local, state and national economies and learn how they can support the industry and enable it to continue providing safe, economical and efficient service to thousands of customers nationwide.
For Railroad Day on Capitol Hill 2025, there were over 300 meetings scheduled with representatives, senators and members of their staff. Discussions focused on topics such as maintaining and extending tax policies that incentivize private infrastructure investment; opposing increases to truck length and weight limits and guaranteeing full and consistent funding for safety-enhancing rail grant programs.
Thanks to the efforts of those who participated in last week’s mini fly-ins, hosted by ASLRRA, there are now two new Democratic cosponsors of the 45G short line infrastructure tax credit modernization bill, one each in the House and Senate.
In the House, Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) is the 115th cosponsor, while the addition of Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) makes 21 in the Senate. Earlier this month Senator Jon Husted (R-Ohio) also signed on, as did Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas) and Rep. Eric Sorensen (D-Ill.). The balance of Democratic and Republican support across recent cosponsor additions demonstrates the bipartisan nature of this bill, which would allow the current 45G tax credit to be indexed to inflation and extend program eligibility to all short line track miles.
Pictured here during a meeting last week with the office of Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) are (L to R) Ryan Pidde of ASLRRA supplier member Mickelson & Company, staff member Louis Carrillo, ASLRRA's Richard Sherman and Ross Lane of ASLRRA member parent company Genesee & Wyoming Railroad Services Inc.
The federal government remains shut down after multiple failed efforts by the U.S. Senate to vote on a continuing resolution (CR). The House passed a ‘clean’ CR back on Sept. 19, but it has not been able to secure enough bipartisan support in the Senate to reach the 60-vote threshold for passage.
It is expected that Congress, particularly the Senate, will continue voting on the ‘clean’ CR that passed the House until they can secure enough votes for Senate passage. In the meantime, essential government operations remain open but nonessential offices remain closed and key actions like regulatory review and stakeholder meetings are paused.
Know a company that would benefit from joining and participating in ASLRRA? Let us know by emailing us at ASLRRA@aslrra.org.
FMW Rail Operations provides passenger and freight rail services for clients across North America. The company delivers safe, efficient, and compliant operations for heritage, tourist, and freight railroads. FMW Rail Operations is also the owner and operator of the Finger Lakes Rail Experience, Upstate New York’s newest premium rail tourism brand, offering scenic excursions and curated onboard experiences along the Finger Lakes Railway. Our primary contact is Davidson Ward, who can be reached at dward@fmwsolutions.com.
ASLRRA is reminding short line professionals that regular registration rates for ASLRRA’s Central and Pacific Region Meeting will expire after midnight on Wednesday, Oct. 15. In addition, although discounted hotel room rates have been extended, those too will be gone for good after Friday, Oct. 17.
Click here to register for the meeting, which takes place Nov. 3 to 5. ASLRRA’s region meetings are designed to address short line industry challenges with nearly nine hours of education from the main stage and breakout sessions, and significant time for networking and relationship building with railroad colleagues and industry suppliers.
Like meeting registration rates, the cost to participate in the golf tournament at the Jack-Nicklaus-designed English Turn Golf Course and rent golf clubs will also increase after Oct. 15. Click here to register for golf.
Organizations can still become a sponsor of the region meeting. 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.
Würth is ASLRRA’s Preferred Provider of personal protective equipment (PPE) and related services. ASLRRA members can depend on Würth for quality safety and industrial products and exceptional customer service, plus discounted pricing on a huge assortment of products and equipment needed to implement an effective and efficient safety program.
Offerings include foot and leg protection, signs, ergonomic products, hearing and eye protection, clothing protection, lighting and electrical products, storage containment and environmental spill cleanup, traffic control and much more.
Würth’s customer-first approach to service and support has a long history. Since opening their doors, Würth has helped thousands of companies protect their employees and work with optimum efficiency for maximum output. Their team of railroad specialists currently supports nearly 200 short line railroads, rail industry contractors and Class I railroad companies.
Visit the Association’s Member Discount Program page to view Würth’s complete product offering and suite of services and start saving today.
Last week’s Professional Trainer Development seminar was the ninth and final training seminar of ASLRRA’s 2025 lineup. Twenty-five short line railroaders and industry suppliers traveled to Freeport, Maine, to learn about effective facilitation techniques, adult learning principles and classroom management strategies.
This seminar is a new module of ASLRRA’s Leadership Program, launched under the CRISI-funded Short Line Training Center. ASLRRA’s JR Gelnar, Amy Krouse and Sabrina Waiss, along with Mark Vaughn from the Iowa Northern Railway Company, were seminar presenters.
The Professional Trainer Development seminar will take place again in 2026 and ASLRRA is also planning to offer the following:
Additional instructor-led training seminars are currently in development and will be offered when complete in 2026. The full training seminar schedule will be announced in Views & News and posted on ASLRRA’s website later this fall.
Last week, ASLRRA presented its final in-person training seminar to a group of 25 attendees. The Association plans to offer its Professional Trainer Development course again in 2026, along with several other popular seminars.
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) has approved funding for two rail crossing upgrade projects, including one for an ASLRRA member.
Columbus & Ohio River Railroad will receive $489,073 to install flashing lights and gates at a crossing in Tuscarawas County. The project, which is expected to be completed by July 1, 2026, also includes surface reconstruction.
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
Fiscal Year: 2022
CRISI Grant: $37,364,504
Local Match: $9,341,126 (20%)
Total Project Cost: $46,705,630
The project replaced approximately 1,000 railroad ties per mile on 135 high-density track miles on three OmniTRAX short line railroads, Illinois Railway, Alabama & Tennessee River Railway, and Georgia & Florida Railway. These improvements will help sustain current FRA track safety standards and maintain current timetable speeds. The project is estimated to reduce track-related accidents by 67 percent, saving $11 million in losses, and reduce locomotive utilization by 186,000 hours. The project will also eliminate the need for 16 subsequent tie spot replacement mobilizations, saving $43 million.
Notable Quotes
"Covia Holdings is a major supplier of elemental raw materials used in a variety of industries, including glass production and housing construction. The majority of shipments to Covia’s customers throughout the U.S. are handled by railroads such as those managed by OmniTrax Rail Holdings. Covia supports the TIES Project [and] reasonably believes that TIES will improve safety on the Illinois Railway (IR) by replacing a simple yet essential element of safe railroad infrastructure: the wooden railroad tie. The IR’s ability to service Covia’s plants, uninterrupted, in Illinois is fundamental to Covia’s daily operations."
Russell Montgomery, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Covia Holdings LLC
Crystal Gitchell, Amy Krouse and Sarah Yurasko traveled to Schaumburg, Illinois to attend the Railway Age and Railway Track & Structures (RT&S) Women in Rail 2025 conference. Krouse participated in a panel discussion titled “Inclusive Growth and Emerging Talent.”
The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) has again partnered with ASLRRA to present a series of webinars on important railroad retirement topics. Edward Hinsberger, Milwaukee district manager for the RRB, will explore general eligibility, retirement and disability benefits, working after retirement, spouse and survivor benefits, unemployment and sickness benefits and more. Due to the popularity of this topic, the first webinar will be presented live twice to enable as many people as possible to attend.
Each webinar is scheduled for 90 minutes to allow ample time for audience questions. Each webinar is free for ASLRRA members and $15 for non-members. Follow each link below for more information or to register.
With a new year around the corner, the Short Line Safety Institute (SLSI) is encouraging interested organizations to schedule an in-person hazardous materials (hazmat) training event now, to secure their spot on the SLSI calendar.
Put the SLSI’s over 700 years of hazmat transportation experience to work on your railroad. Review SLSI’s offerings below and contact HMIT@shortlinesafety.org to ask questions or schedule an event.
The Hazmat Training Program ensures employees are conversant and compliant with the latest regulations guiding the transportation of hazardous materials. It provides a winning combination of instruction, hands-on training, and interactive experience-based discussions tailored to meet a railroad’s unique operations.
Hazmat Training for First Responders
This program is designed specifically for first responders and covers safety on railroad operating property, safety considerations at the scene of a rail incident, understanding train documentation and rail cars, placards and markings. This course will allow first responders to understand your specific railroad operations, and what might be encountered in an emergency.
Emergency Preparedness, Reporting & Response Exercise (EPRRE)
This program educates small railroad management teams on the process of working within the Incident Command System (ICS), structuring their team to handle an incident. The exercises allow railroaders to apply their knowledge of the hazardous materials regulations (HMR) to real-life scenarios of actual or potential hazardous materials releases.
Transportation Emergency Response Plan (TERP)
SLSI’s team of experts can help railroads develop a Transportation Emergency Response Plan (TERP) specific to their location and operations. The TERP is a valuable training and guidance document that railroads can use to prepare their employees for safely responding to hazardous materials incidents and other emergencies.
Views & News is published by American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association.
Please contact Mariel Takamura, associate editor, with questions or comments.
