Safety Person of the Year Nomination Form
Safety Professional of the Year Nomination Form
Nominations are now due Oct. 31 for ASLRRA's Safety Person of the Year and Safety Professional of the Year Awards.
Winners are recognized at ASLRRA's Annual Conference, held next April in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and receive complimentary registration, travel and lodging for themselves and a guest. Use the links above to submit a nomination.
Pinsly starts up new short line in Alabama
PHL, Remora Partner on Sustainability
Indiana tax credits for railroad improvements, infrastructure could benefit rural counties
Pinsly Railroad CEO named to STB rail-shipper panel
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.
Continuing a beloved tradition in Eudora, Arkansas, ASLRRA member North Arkansas & Louisiana Railroad (NLA) joined last week’s birthday celebration for 111-year-old Ida Newbill by staging not one but two locomotives on the tracks near Newbill’s house.
NLA crews have long known Newbill, who would come out of her house every day to wave at the trains as they passed. This year, NLA decorated locomotives No. 22 and No. 703 with birthday banners and balloons in honor of Newbill, affectionately known as Momma Ida, and every NLA employee attended the event.
“We all love Momma Ida and her daughters and are so happy just to be a part of honoring her on her birthday,” said Danny Robbins, vice president, marketing at Arkansas Short Line Railroads, Inc.
In addition to two of her daughters, church members and other relatives, Arkansas Representative Rick Crawford, Chicot County Judge Tom Mosley and Southeast Arkansas Economic Development District (SEADD) Executive Director Patrecia Hargrove joined NLA in gathering to honor Newbill. Other SEADD representatives and members of the Eudora Fire Department, Chicot County Sheriff’s Department and Lake Village Fire Department also attended.
According to Crawford, Newbill has been confirmed to be the oldest person in Arkansas. Crawford entered a letter into the Congressional Record to recognize this milestone, and Chicot County and the city of Eudora both proclaimed Newbill’s birthday, Oct. 14, to be Ida Newbill Day. The story of Ida’s birthday was also reported by several local news outlets.
Left: The North Louisiana & Arkansas Railroad team posed for a group photo with members of Ida Newbill's family and other party attendees in front of locomotive #703.
Center: The NLA crew and Danny Robbins (second from right) with Newbill and two of her daughters.
Right: NLA brought two decorated locomotives to the celebration, including this #22.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation is soliciting public feedback on the Minnesota State Rail Plan.
The plan looks at the future of rail in Minnesota, describing the current state of the rail system and identifying rail investments planned to support the transportation of goods and people throughout the state. Comments will help guide final updates to the plan.
View the draft of the plan here. Comments submitted via online form are encouraged, but written comments can also be sent in by mail.
The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) moved another office to a federal building, this time in Boston. The Boston District Office is now in the John W. McCormack Post Office and Courthouse and was opened to the public on Oct. 17.
According to an RRB press release, the new office is in a more central location in downtown Boston and is only a few blocks from where it used to be. This move is part of an effort by the RRB, in coordination with the General Services Administration, to reduce costs by relocating offices to vacant space in federal buildings. In September, the RRB announced it had completed office moves in Cincinnati, Ohio and St. Paul, Minnesota.
All RRB field offices remain open during the federal government shutdown and continue to accept new unemployment and sickness benefit claims and new applications for retirement, survivor and disability annuities. To find an RRB field office or look up information such as operating hours, view the RRB’s field office locator website.
Since the publication of last week’s Views & News, three more senators have signed on to cosponsor S.1532, the 45G short line infrastructure tax credit modernization bill, bringing the total number of cosponsors to 24, nearly a quarter of the Senate.
The three new senators are Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Senator Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.). Notably Capito is a member of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation and the surface transportation subcommittee, as well as a member of the Appropriations Committee. Coons is also an Appropriations Committee member, while Lujan is on the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.
Six states can count both their senators as cosponsors of the 45G modernization bill, namely Arkansas, Kansas, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Dakota and South Dakota.
The number of cosponsors for the House version of the 45G modernization bill, H.R.516, has not changed since last week. However, the 115 current cosponsors represent a little over a quarter of House representatives.
ASLRRA encourages members to continue outreach to their elected officials to either encourage them to support 45G modernization or thank them for being cosponsors. Find information about this effort on the Association's website.
The House will remain out of session for a fifth consecutive week, while the Senate stays in session, continuing efforts to find a path toward reopening the federal government.
On Oct. 20, the Senate held its 11th vote on the Republican continuing resolution (CR), which failed. Later this week, senators are expected to vote on legislation to provide back pay to federal employees who have been working without compensation, including military servicemembers.
Democrats continue to advocate for extending Affordable Care Act premium subsidies, while Republicans maintain that no negotiations can occur until the government reopens. With open enrollment for health insurance beginning on Nov. 1, some lawmakers are eyeing that date as a potential target for ending the shutdown.
Meanwhile, work continues on surface transportation reauthorization. ASLRRA staff remain actively engaged with Senate and House committee staff, advancing short line industry policy priorities and continuing strong advocacy for the 45G tax credit. The Association’s consistent presence and collaboration helps ensure that small-railroad interests remain front and center in ongoing transportation discussions.
Know a company that would benefit from joining and participating in ASLRRA? Let us know by emailing us at ASLRRA@aslrra.org.
Cordel develops AI-driven solutions that automate railway infrastructure inspections and asset management worldwide. Its cloud-based platform, Cordel Connect, integrates LiDAR, video, and GPS data to deliver automated insights on clearances, ballast, vegetation, electrification and grade crossings for safer and more efficient operations. Cordel’s proprietary hardware can operate unattended on in-service trains, capturing high-resolution data while minimizing track time and inspection costs. Guided by a mission to enhance safety, efficiency, and sustainability, Cordel partners with major rail networks globally to modernize maintenance practices through AI and big data analytics.
November’s Central and Pacific Region Meeting is the last opportunity for ASLRRA members to gather in 2025. If that fact were not motivation enough, there are at least ten other reasons why people should attend this event in New Orleans.
The Central and Pacific Region Meeting will feature:
Click here to register for the meeting, which takes place Nov. 3 to 5, and 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.
The Learning Management System (LMS), the online training platform of the Short Line Training Center, allows short lines to access a custom-built suite of railroad industry training programs. With the recent addition of six new mechanical training courses and Part 214 Supplemental Training, LMS users have access to more than thirty courses on important industry rules and regulations.
The new mechanical courses are offered in two “learning paths,” with three modules per path. The Part 215, Subpart B - Freight Car Truck Suspension learning path includes learning and assessment modules for nomenclature, train yard inspections and AAR inspections, while the Part 231 - Freight Car Safety Standards learning path includes learning and assessment modules for boxcars, flatcars and tank cars.
Other courses in the LMS cover topics such as locomotive safety standards, accident/incident reporting, railroad operating rules and practices, drug and alcohol reasonable suspicion and more. The LMS also allows railroads to enroll employees, assign courses and monitor progression. Railroads can generate reports and upload employee on-the-job training records to take full advantage of the platform’s ability to facilitate a company’s record-keeping capabilities.
All courses are reviewed and approved by FRA before being made available on the LMS. Users of the ASLRRA-IANR LMS have full access to all available learning programs and new courses are automatically added to each user library as they are launched on the platform. Users of third-party LMS platforms may license available courses for a fee.
The Short Line Training Center is a collaborative project created by ASLRRA and IANR and funded through a Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement (CRISI) grant. The Short Line Training Center includes the LMS and Regulatory Training Courses plus a Mobile Technical Training Center equipped with two Type II Locomotive Simulators and two additional simulators permanently located at the IANR training center in Waterloo, IA, all of which will deliver essential regulatory, compliance and safety training and materials to railroad employees.
ASLRRA Member Discount Program Preferred Provider MaxAccel offers a suite of software products available in web and mobile-based solutions to assist small railroads in driving safety, regulatory compliance, operational efficiency and return on investment.
MaxAccel’s product offerings available as part of the Member Discount Program include all eight solutions on the AssetPro and SafeTrack Platforms. ASLRRA members can choose one application or several to make MaxAccel their single solution for electronic recordkeeping. MaxAccel also provides interactive infographic analytics capabilities for easy assessment of reporting and risk management.
Click here to learn more about ASLRRA’s Member Discount Program and view all of the products and services available from the Association’s Preferred Providers.
The Iowa Transportation Commission announced it has approved $3.3 million in funding for rail projects through its Railroad Revolving Loan and Grant (RRLG) Program.
The commission awarded one grant and approved three loans. ASLRRA member Burlington Junction Railway will receive a $792,000 loan for a transload yard expansion project. Loans under the RRLG Program are offered at zero percent interest for a maximum term of 10 years.
The RRLG Program is meant for rail infrastructure and development projects that, among other things, support business growth and job creation and improve business access to rail transportation.
Two ASLRRA members will complete upgrades at nine rail crossings after the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) approved funding for their projects.
Chicago, Fort Wayne and Eastern Railroad will install flashing lights and gates at six crossings. In addition, two of those crossings will be resurfaced and one will have an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant sidewalk built on one side. PUCO authorized $3.2 million in funding for the projects.
Columbus & Ohio River Rail Road will receive $1.1 million to install flashing lights and gates at two crossings, with one of those crossings also being resurfaced.
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.
The Lake State Railway Team lays down 115-pound rail as part of CRISI-funded infrastructure upgrades.
Project Facts
Awardee: Lake State Railway (LSRC)
Fiscal Year: 2019
CRISI Grant: $7,875,770
Local Match: $8,197,230 (51%)
Total Project Cost: $16,073,000
The project rehabilitated 30.3 miles of track with 115-lb. continuous welded rail and included tie and turnout renewal and crossing rehabilitation. This project allowed for elimination of 23.8 miles of excepted track which resulted in increased speed from 10 to 25 mph and the upgrade of six miles from 25 to 40 mph. These improvements allowed for the full use of the heavier 286-pound railcars required by LSRC customers and Class I railroad interchange partners. The elimination of the aging and lighter 85-pound rail enhanced safety along the entire segment.
Notable Quotes
“Lake State Railway’s service to our facility has allowed our operation to be cost competitive despite our remote location in relation to the majority of our customers and suppliers. The CRISI grant has allowed us to increase the railcar load capacity associated with the heavier 286-pound railcars, reducing our cost and helping ensure our long-term success.”
Jim Spens, Plant Manager Panel Processing, Inc.
Last Friday, Chuck Baker spoke at the Advancing Transportation Conference 2025, held in Washington, D.C. He participated in a panel discussion titled “Shortline Railroads in a Changing Environment.”
Richard Sherman was a speaker and panel moderator at the Railway Tie Association’s (RTA) 107th Annual RTA Conference in San Antonio, Texas. He provided an update on ASLRRA's federal affairs activities and moderated a panel discussion on materials procurement activities and project and investment outlooks with three short line executives.
Nicole Brewin and Crystal Gitchell traveled to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where they represented ASLRRA at the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Council on Rail Transportation (CORT) Annual Meeting which held sessions on both freight and passenger rail policy issues facing states. Gitchell participated in the Freight States Meeting to offer the ASLRRA perspective on current freight rail issues.
Left: Nicole Brewin (left) took a photo with AASHTO's Shayne Gill and Patriot Rail's Katie Roller during the AASHTO CORT reception.
Right: Crystal Gitchell (right) participated in a Freight States panel discussion with Genesee & Wyoming's Joe Arbona (left).
Presenters will share striking statistics about the increased dangers railroad operating personnel encounter when working within the confines of plant railroads, and discuss available solutions that can significantly enhance safety, lower equipment damage costs, and improve operating efficiencies for the servicing railroads and the industries they serve.
Speakers: Charles “Chuck” Leonard, Founder, Rail Safe Training; Andrew Johnstone, Rail Training Specialist, Rail Safe Training; JR Gelnar, VP Safety & Compliance, ASLRRA
Sponsored by:
This webinar will discuss UP and NS’s announcement of their intent for UP to acquire and control NS, the process that the parties must follow before the Surface Transportation Board, and considerations for short line railroads.
Speakers: Rob Wimbish, Attorney, Fletcher & Sippel; Justin Marks, Attorney at Law, Clark Hill PLC; Chuck Baker, President, ASLRRA; Sarah Yurasko, SVP, Law and General Counsel, ASLRRA
Note: This webinar is available exclusively to ASLRRA railroad members at no cost.
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. Webinars are free for ASLRRA members and $15 for non-members. Follow each link below for more information or to register.
Railway Age magazine announced this year’s Women in Rail Award winners. The 25 honorees and five honorable mention recipients were chosen for the impact they have had in their organizations and on their communities.
Winners were recognized at the Women in Rail conference held Oct. 6 and 7 in Schaumburg, Illinois. They will also be featured in the November 2025 issue of Railway Age.
Of the 25 honorees, 12 are employees at ASLRRA member companies, as are three of the five honorable mention recipients. ASLRRA congratulates all of this year’s Women in Rail, in particular recognizing:
Honorable Mention:
Views & News is published by American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association.
Please contact Mariel Takamura, associate editor, with questions or comments.
