Short Line Railroads

Caught you looking! 👀 We were doing our usual comms metrics check and saw that people are going to our career opportunities page and following links to our members' employment sites. You know that feeling when you make something for someone and then they actually like it and use it? So. Awesome. So we just wanted to remind anyone who hasn't seen it that we have an industry career opportunities page that 🚂 Tells what it's like to work in the short line industry 🔗 Features links to railroad member employment pages 🔗 Features links to rail education providers 🔗 Features links to supplier member pages (including tourist, excursion and transit railroads) aslrra.org/about-us/caree… Thanks to our HR Committee for being this project's driving force! And remember, we update the page as needed whenever a member reaches out. So your organization can join the fun any time!

Welcome to new member Tunnel Vision Pipeline Services! Tunnel Vision Pipeline Services provides engineered, custom trenchless culvert and drainage rehabilitation solutions to rail clients across North America. Tunnel Vision’s low-impact, rapid solutions can save millions while keeping lines active. tvpipeservices.com

Welcome to new member Chesapeake Cooling Solutions! Chesapeake Cooling Solutions LLC is a diesel engine heat exchanger and emissions specialty shop. Their team specializes in oil coolers, radiators, charge air coolers, after-coolers, condensers, DPF filters, DOC filters, SCR filters, EGR filters and fuel tanks for all engines and manufacturers. chesapeakecoolingsolutions.com

NGL, they're both right.

Many, many congratulations to ASLRRA's SVP-Law and General Counsel Sarah Yurasko for being named a winner of the 2026 Rail Mentor Awards!! Anyone who's worked with Sarah knows she's a sharer, not a keeper, of information and she wants to help everyone grow and succeed. We're so happy to honor her! progressiverailroading.com/people/news/Pr…

ANOTHER record-breaking year! A record 👉418👈 ASLRRA member railroads earned a Jake Award for a lower-than-industry-average injury frequency rate, based on @USDOTFRA data. Of those awards, another record 👉371👈 earned a Jake Award with Distinction for ZERO reportable injuries in 2025. And what makes this award even harder to achieve is the fact that the industry-average injury rate DROPPED in 2025 to 2.24 per 200,000 person-hours worked. That rate's dropped 3% each of the past two years, yet in both those years our members set records for the number of Jake Award and Jake Award with Distinction winners. Is the rail industry safe and getting safer? YES! And it's all thanks to the short line railroaders who make safety a priority every day. CONGRATULATIONS to all of them!

Welcome to new member MERMEC! MERMEC delivers flexible, state-of-the-art measurement solutions for track and rolling stock that enhance safety, reduce costs, and increase asset availability. Their diverse portfolio ranges from Turn-Key Railroad Inspection Vehicles as selected by BART to cost-efficient "Measurement as a Service" projects. These tailor-made solutions provide railroads with the accurate data and "Knowledge on Demand" necessary to optimize both infrastructure and transport operations. mermecgroup.com

Railroading demands serious technical expertise, and staying sharp on the rules and regs is non-negotiable. That's why we bring in-person training to small railroad employees who need it most. This week, railroaders gathered in Indianapolis for our GCOR Training Seminar with industry experts Mark Vaughn and JR Gelnar. If you're looking to level-up your knowledge, consider attending one of our events! Besides learning a whole lot, you can connect with other industry professionals who do what you do. It's a fantastic opportunity! aslrra.org/education/trai…

Welcome to new member Mokena Illinois Railroad Company! The Mokena Illinois Railroad Company (MIRR), a quarter-mile short line established in 1994, anchors Ozinga Bros., Inc.’s primary Illinois ready-mix hub while supporting a consistent flow of inbound aggregates for more than three decades. Positioned for growth, MIRR is served by Iowa Interstate Railroad and strategically located along the I-80 corridor—minutes from four major interstate interchanges—offering over 20 acres of prime, rail-served land for transloading, storage, and future industrial development. ozinga.com

Thank you Matt! & Welcome Justin! At our Annual Conference we welcomed our new Board Chair Justin Broyles (right) with the ceremonial passing of the spike maul! We are grateful to outgoing chair Matt Walsh for his leadership and guidance, and we look forward to this next chapter. See our press release: aslrra.org/aslrra/documen…

Welcome new member Quintess AI! Quintess AI builds AI agents for engineering and mechanical maintenance operations. Track inspectors, field crews, and mechanics report work, log defects, look up parts, and get repair guidance by phone or mobile app - the AI handles structured data entry and system updates behind the scenes. This reduces administrative burdens and provides maintenance leaders with the real-time visibility needed to prioritize tasks and make smarter investment decisions. quintess.ai

Welcome to new member Azelis Agricultural and Environmental Solutions! Azelis Agricultural and Environmental Solutions — formerly Red River Specialties — supports members with industry leading vegetation management solutions. Their experts deliver tailored herbicide strategies — from premium individual products to custom full acre blends — helping railroad rights of way stay clear, safe, and operational year round. azelis.com/en/markets/lif…

The @USDOTFRA has officially dropped the NOFO for the CRISI grant program and there is OVER $2 BILLION on the table! This funding could be transformational for your railroad. ✅ Short line railroads are DIRECTLY ELIGIBLE ✅ Applications due June 22 ⏰ The clock is ticking. Don't let this opportunity pass you by. Start your application NOW! railroads.dot.gov/elibrary/fy-20…

An event like our #ASLRRA2026 Annual Conference doesn't just happen. It's built, piece by piece, by people who care about the short line freight rail industry and who show up for each other. To our staff, sponsors, members, exhibitors, attendees and everyone who was involved in some way with this event, thank you. Thank you for everything you contributed to making this year's conference and exhibition something to be proud of. The Association may be the vehicle, but you are the engine, the fuel and everything that moves it forward. We are ever grateful.

The lights have gone out in the Exhibit Hall, and everyone has packed up and gone home, but we wanted to share one last Spike Mic video from a couple of our supplier members. Hear from Miranda at Cummins and Jim with Dynamic Sales Co. Our suppliers help bring our conference to life and we appreciate all they do! P.S., Happy 60th Anniversary Dynamic Sales!

At yesterday and today's general session, we were honored to recognize the 2026 Hall of Fame class: Larry McCaffrey, Michael V. Smith and Rick Corman (posthumous). This year's honorees 🔵 wrote the actual book on how to start a short line railroad 🔵 revived a 118-mile "dirt railroad" 🔵 built a national railroad holding company starting with only a backhoe and dump truck Not only are their stories amazing, they are amazing people. Congratulations to them all.

Better late than never! It's always great to get a selfie with Andy Fletcher, even if it's the last day of the Exhibit Hall. So glad to have had him and all our wonderful exhibitors at the #ASLRRA2026 Annual Conference!

It's easy to see photos of people chatting in our Exhibit Hall and think our #ASLRRA2026 Annual Conference is all fun and games, but the conference offers so much more than networking. Our education sessions and committee meetings are an important way for railroaders and suppliers to keep up with vital industry information -- especially regarding safety!

Yesterday we walked through our Exhibit Hall to talk to some attendees. One question we asked: Why do short lines come to ASLRRA's Annual Conference? Diana of North Shore Railroad let us know her thoughts.