Cathcart Rail rebrands as Guardian Rail
Angelina and Neches River Railroad celebrates 125 years of service
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 government affairs team has not stopped advocating for short line railroads despite the government shutdown, and their efforts to garner support for the 45G short line infrastructure tax credit modernization bill continue to bear fruit.
In the past week alone, five members of the House of Representatives have signed on to cosponsor H.R. 516. Representatives James Baird (R-Ind.), Josh Harder (D-Calif.), Cory Mills (R-Fla.), Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) and Delegate Eleanor Norton Holmes (D-D.C.) bring the total number of cosponsors to 120. Of those, 77 are Republicans and 43 are Democrats, demonstrating bipartisan support for this bill.
There is similar bipartisan support for the Senate version of the 45G modernization bill, S. 1532. Of the 25 cosponsors, 17 are Republican and eight are Democrats. The most recent senator to sign on in support of the bill is Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.).
Modernizing the tax credit would increase the credit cap to $6,100 per track mile, index the cap to inflation going forward, and make all short-line-owned track eligible for the credit. Short lines have invested over $8 billion in infrastructure improvements since the tax credit’s inception in 2005.
Along with ASLRRA staff, the Association’s Legislative Policy Committee (LPC) and other members have been hard at work raising awareness of the 45G tax credit and its importance to short line railroads. ASLRRA has organized several targeted fly-ins throughout 2025 to urge support for 45G modernization, and the bill was a point of discussion for the larger Railroad Day on Capitol Hill advocacy event in May.
Railroads and other stakeholders can assist with outreach efforts both in-person and remotely. Individuals can make plans to participate in Railroad Day on Capitol Hill 2026, which will take place on March 4. Railroad Day on Capitol Hill brings hundreds of freight rail representatives from across the country to Washington, D.C. to discuss industry priorities and encourage support for policies that enable freight rail to best serve their communities.
In addition, ASLRRA members can continue to invite elected officials to tour their facilities and learn about how infrastructure investment bolsters operational safety and efficiency. And anyone can contact their congressional delegation by email or phone to talk about 45G modernization and the importance of the short line industry.
ASLRRA offers information about 45G online, which can be used in discussions with lawmakers. The Association’s government affairs team is also eager to support members’ advocacy efforts. Find their contact information here.
Two press releases from the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) detail changes railroad retirees can expect in 2026, including an earnings limit increase and cost-of-living adjustment that will increase benefits.
Starting in January, railroad retirement annuitants who are subject to earnings restrictions will have those limits increased, since they are indexed to average annual wage increases. Those under full retirement age throughout 2026 will have an exempt earnings amount of $24,480, up from $23,400, while the amount for beneficiaries attaining full retirement age in 2026 increases from $62,160 to $65,160. Earnings deductions are $1 for every $2 over the earnings limit for those under full retirement age and $1 out of $3 for those who attain full retirement age in 2026.
Also in January most railroad retirement annuities will increase based on a rise in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The tier I portion will increase by 2.8 percent, while the tier II portion will increase by 0.9 percent. That means the average regular railroad retirement employee annuity will increase $80 a month, combined employee and spouse annuities will increase $112 a month and widow(er)s eligible for an increase will receive an additional $50 a month.
The Senate is in session this week while the House continues to be in recess. The federal government is nearing its fifth week of a shutdown, without a resolution in sight. Republicans and Democrats in Congress continue to blame each other while the shutdown is yielding new impacts throughout the country. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers missed a paycheck last week.
On Nov. 1, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are slated to run out of funding and enrollment for Affordable Care Act health insurance coverage will open. President Donald Trump mandated that military service members be paid on Oct. 15, but the status of future paychecks is unclear. While airports deal with staffing shortages, air traffic controllers will also miss a paycheck this week. The Senate may vote on narrow funding bills soon, but whether these bills will garner the 60 votes needed for passage remains to be seen.
It is not too late to attend ASLRRA’s Central and Pacific Region Meeting, which takes place Nov. 3 to 5 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Click here to register.
Those who have already registered should look for a Know Before You Go email, which will be sent later this week. The email will include important information for all event attendees.
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 has sent emails to members seeking nominations for individuals to fill open positions in the Eastern, Pacific and Southern Regions for the Association’s Board of Directors.
In the Eastern Region, the director position is open following the resignation of Nathan Fenno of New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway. The next director will complete Fenno’s term, which expires at the end of December, and will afterwards be eligible for two additional three-year terms. Nominations can be submitted here and are due Oct. 31.
In the Pacific Region, nominations are sought for two director positions. Individuals will succeed Tracy Alves of Modesto & Empire Traction Company and Clark Hopp of the Alaska Railroad. Those who are elected will be eligible to serve two three-year terms. Nominations can be submitted here and are due today, Oct. 29 by midnight.
In the Southern Region, nominations are sought for one director position. The elected individual, who succeeds Hunter Sims of Pickens Railway Company, will be eligible to serve two three-year terms. Nominations can be submitted here and are due Oct. 31.
Individuals nominated for any position must be affiliated with an ASLRRA member railroad that operates in the region they would represent. Self-nominations are encouraged.
ASLRRA is grateful to Fenno, Alves, Hopp and Sims for their years of dedication and service to the Association.
Wi-Tronix offers digital onboard solutions to Association members as a Preferred Provider in ASLRRA’s Member Discount Program.
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 to login. To join ASLRRA’s Member Discount Program, contact ASLRRA’s Senior Vice President, Education and Business Services Sabrina Waiss.
Developed by ASLRRA in partnership with the Iowa Northern Railway Company (IANR), the Short Line Training Center provides essential regulatory, compliance, and safety training programs and materials to short line railroads throughout the U.S. The training center includes instructor-led training (ILT) seminars and hands-on locomotive simulator training delivered in-person and on-site to railroad employees.
Railroads can schedule on-site, in-person training with the Mobile Technical Training Center, which is equipped with two FRA Type II locomotive simulators and classroom space for six students. The mobile training center can travel anywhere in the continental U.S. to deliver personalized, instructor-led training and locomotive simulator training to railroad employees, and training can be tailored to address a range of requirements from basic train handling to positive train control and distributed power operations.
To date, nearly 200 individuals from 20 railroads across 13 states have participated in locomotive simulator and mobile classroom training delivered via the mobile training center.
Training is also provided at Iowa Northern Railway’s Training Center in Waterloo, Iowa, where attendees have access to four FRA Type II locomotive simulators and full classroom facilities for up to 30 students.
Learn more about industry training and resources available via the Short Line Training Center by contacting ASLRRA Senior Vice President, Education and Business Services Sabrina Waiss.
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
Awardee: Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad (CSS)
Fiscal Year: 2018
CRISI Grant: $2,831,705
Local Match: $707,926 (20%)
Total Project Cost: $3,539,631
The project replaced 7.5 miles of 90-pound rail with 115-pound rail on Kingsbury Industrial Lead, improving safety associated with the heavier rail and increasing train speed on new section of track to improve car cycle times for customers. The project, which was completed over a span of six weeks, included tie replacement, rail replacement and installation, track surfacing and de-stressing and thermite welding.
Notable Quotes
“The CRISI project being done by CSS shows a commitment to safety and the growth of CSS customers located between Michigan City and Kingsbury. My company truly appreciates the project to help our company grow.”
David Gelwicks, President, Hickman Williams Co.
Last week, Chuck Baker participated in a webinar hosted by the Eno Center for Transportation. Baker joined a panel discussion focused on ways to improve resiliency and efficiency in the freight rail sector. This week, Baker traveled to Fort Worth, Texas for the 2025 BNSF Industrial Supply Chain Summit.
Fred Oelsner attended the October 2025 Association of American Railroads Northeast Corridor Positive Train Control (AAR NEC PTC) Committee meeting with the Federal Railroad Administration on Oct. 28 at Moynihan Train Hall in New York City. Discussions included updates to the committee on progress with ASLRRA’s Short Line PTC Performance Analytics & Security on the NEC Project, a recently obligated fiscal year 2022 CRISI grant project.
Sarah Yurasko participated in the National Association of Railroad Trial Counsel’s Fall Meeting in Charleston, South Carolina. The meeting included a field trip to CSX Transportation’s Bennett Yard and a tour of the Responder Incident Train (pictured).
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. It is scheduled for 75 minutes to allow ample time for attendees to ask questions after the presentation.
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.
ASLRRA extends its condolences to the family, friends and former colleagues of Charles “Charlie” Moore, a long-time railroader and former regional vice president of short line holding company RailAmerica, Inc. Moore passed away on Oct. 17. He was 81.
Moore got his start in railroading with Norfolk & Western, joining the company after graduating from college. Over his half-century-long career Moore would serve in a number of leadership positions. In addition to being a RailAmerica regional vice president, Moore had also been vice president of business development at RailComm and president of AllEarth Rail.
After moving around the Midwest with the railroad for many years, Moore and his family settled in St. Albans, Vermont in 2000. There Moore became involved in the local and state railroad community. He was a founding member of the Vermont Rail Action Network and a member of the Vermont Rail Council.
Moore was also active in his community, serving as a board member of the Preservation Trust of Vermont and a volunteer for the St. Albans Museum.
Moore is survived by his wife of 60 years, Sheri, as well as two children and seven grandchildren. A funeral service will be held on Nov. 1 at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Swanton, Vermont. In lieu of flowers, Moore’s family requests donations be made in Moore’s name to the St. Albans Museum. Messages of condolence can also be left online for Moore’s family here.
Views & News is published by American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association.
Please contact Mariel Takamura, associate editor, with questions or comments.
