American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association

Watco’s Stefan Loeb Moving to Norfolk Southern, Matt Walsh Named ASLRRA Board Chairman

WASHINGTON –The American and Short Line Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) today announced the progression of Matt Walsh, Executive Vice President, Global Corporate Development, Genesee & Wyoming Railroad Services Inc., to fill the ASLRRA Board Chairman position vacated by Watco’s Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Stefan Loeb, who has accepted a position at Norfolk Southern Railway.  Walsh currently holds the position of Vice Chairman for the ASLRRA.

MxV Rail: Registration Now Open for 28th Annual AAR Research Review

MxV Rail announced March 20 that registration is now open for the 28th Annual Association of American Railroads (AAR) Research Review, which will take place in Pueblo, Colo., June 26-28, 2023, bringing together MxV Rail experts, leaders from Class I and short line railroads, university students, and suppliers from around the world.

Pennsylvania’s Joint Rail Authority to Invest $8.9M in Rail Projects

Central Pennsylvania’s SEDA-Council of Governments Joint Rail Authority recently announced it will invest $8.9 million this year to update more than 200 miles of track and infrastructure.

Alabama Railroad Spur Construction Complete, Service Begins for Facility

Alabama officials announced that construction of a local railroad spur has been completed.

Seminole Gulf Railway Identifies Track Issue as Cause of Derailment

After six cars completely derailed from a Seminole Gulf Railway train in Bradenton on Feb. 28, a derailed Seminole Gulf Railway train car carrying 30,000 gallons of liquid propane gas in Manatee County is back on the track.

CN is among the Rail Climate Change Adaptation Program award recipients, and will receive C$300,000 to develop a “Climate-Induced Ground Hazard Risk Assessment Tool.” (Photograph Courtesy of CN via Twitter)

Transport Canada Allocates C$5.4MM for Rail Resiliency

Transport Canada is distributing up to C$5.4 million to 20 infrastructure projects country-wide that it says will make railroads “more resilient to extreme weather risks.”

Kansas Gov. Kelly Allocates Nearly $5M for Shortline Projects

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced on Feb. 28 that the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Short Line Rail Improvement Fund program will award nearly $5 million to nine shortline rail maintenance and rehabilitation projects.

Possible Paths to New-Tech Safety Improvements

Crew Heimer joins Railway Age Contributing Editor Jim Blaze to look at what improvements can be done with respect to train derailments like that in East Palestine, Ohio. They suggest a better-quality

C3RS Issues ‘Blue-Signal Protection’ Memo

An alert-message memo describing safety concerns over close-call events involving blue-signal protection has been released by the Confidential Close Call Reporting System (C3RS), a partnership between the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), in conjunction with participating railroad carriers and labor organizations.

ENSCO Creates Brazilian Subsidiary

Railway inspection technology supplier ENSCO, Inc. announced Feb. 14 that it has created a new subsidiary, ENSCO Tecnologias do Brasil LTDA, that will serve Brazilian and South American railway customers.

ICC Approves Grade Crossing Projects in Logan, Randolph Counties

The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) on Feb. 6 reported signing off on stipulated agreements to improve safety at highway/rail grade crossings in Logan and Randolph counties.

Sisseton Milbank Railroad (SMRC) operates 37 miles of line between Milbank and Sisseton, South Dakota. SMRC serves the communities of Sisseton, Peever, Wilmot and Corona, SD.

South Dakota Rail Project Receives Governor’s Support

South Dakota’s Senate Transportation Committee on Feb. 8 unanimously voted to endorse legislation that would provide $6.25 million to the Sisseton Millbank Railroad Company (SMRC) from the state government’s general fund to rebuild a railroad in northeastern South Dakota, according to a SiouxlandProud.com report.

The Guadalupe River Bridge Replacement Project will replace the Northbound Bridge (MT-1), built in 1935, and extend the Southbound Bridge (MT-2) for passenger and freight rail service.

Caltrain Advances Guadalupe River Bridge Replacement Project

Caltrain on Jan. 31 will host a virtual community meeting on the $63.3 million Guadalupe River Bridge Replacement Project in San Jose, Calif., which will replace the northbound wooden trestle bridge built in 1935 and extend the southbound concrete bridge built in 1990.

Map of Heart of Georgia (HOG) Railroad, a Genesee & Wyoming subsidiary

GDOT Completes Upgrade Project for HOG

The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) in January wrapped up its first Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program grant project, which included upgrades along 138 miles of the 219-mile Heart of Georgia (HOG) Railroad.

Ohio Commission OK’s Grade Crossing Safety Projects

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) has approved safety upgrades at highway/rail grade crossings in Clinton, Fairfield and Jackson counties.

American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association

ASLRRA Working to Advocate for Railroads Experiencing Damage from Natural Disasters

Railway Track & Structures’ cover story for the November 2022 issue focused on the severe damage to the Seminole Gulf Railway in southwest Florida by Hurricane Ian. The storm not only impacted the railroad, but the service it provides to the community after a natural disaster occurs, especially moving building materials along its lines to support rebuilding efforts.

Watch: Iowa Interstate Acquires Iowa City Industrial Campus Parcel for New Rail-to-Truck Transload Center

Cedar Rapids, Iowa – The Iowa Interstate Railroad announced its recent purchase of approximately 30 acres at Iowa City’s Industrial Campus to develop a new rail-to-truck transloading facility. The site, located on the southeast side of Iowa City and including an existing rail spur, connects to the 573-mile IAIS network, providing shippers with direct access to all 7 Class-I railroads and numerous short line railroads. The site is located near I-80, US 6, and US 218.

MDOT Rail Enhancement Program Solicits Applications to Improve Freight Corridors

Applications are being accepted for the Michigan Rail Enhancement Program to upgrade freight rail facilities and corridors that enhance operational efficiency, accessibility, system capacity, and system condition.

ICC Approves Highway/Rail Grade Crossing Projects

The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) last month reported signing off on stipulated agreements to improve safety at highway/rail grade crossings in Fayette, Pike, Stephenson and McLean counties.

The Center for Railroad Photography and Art of Madison, Wis., and independent author Sandra Jackson-Opoku of Chicago have received research fellowships from the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society.

R&LHS Awards 2022 Research Grants

The Railway & Locomotive Historical Society (R&LHS) has selected the Center for Railroad Photography and Art of Madison, Wis., for the 2022 William D. Middleton Research Fellowship, and independent author Sandra Jackson-Opoku

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