Short Line Railroads

American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association represents the interests of the 603 small railroads that connect America with the world.

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

We're grateful to @RepEmiliaSykes for taking the time to speak with us yesterday about 45G modernization!

The 45G tax credit boosts critical private investment in short line infrastructure, helping make shipping by rail even safer and more efficient. Modernizing the credit to adjust for inflation helps short lines do more to rehab the rocks and rail that are the foundation of their operations. We are committed to educating everyone about the importance of 45G!

You can learn more at our website!
https://t.co/DlJnbRhEZc

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

Welcome to new member Lyle Signs!

Lyle Signs, LLC provides a comprehensive range of railroad regulatory, operational, and safety signage, including crossing signage (crossbucks), FRA-compliant markers, yard warnings and facility and terminal safety signs. Lyle also produces fully custom signs to meet unique railroad and site requirements. Over the years, Lyle has supplied major North American operators, including BNSF, Genesee & Wyoming Inc., Patriot Rail, Union Pacific and Watco.

https://t.co/2Yv8ispBYY

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

Happy ENS Sign Awareness Day!

It's a day for all of us to recognize because if you or someone you know encounters rail crossings, knowing what to do and who to contact if a vehicle gets stuck on the tracks will save lives. (Yes, there are crossings with blue and white signs in ALL 50 states.)

Remember, if you are stuck or you see something stuck on tracks, the phone number on the ENS sign connects you directly to a railroad dispatcher.

Follow these steps in an emergency:
1. Immediately GET OUT and GET AWAY from the tracks – even if no train is visible.
2. Safely locate the Blue and White ENS sign.
3. Call the number on the sign and provide the crossing ID number.
4. No sign? Call 911.

#FindTheSign #STOPTrackTragedies #ENSSignAwarenessDay @olinational

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

Tomorrow is the second-annual ENS Sign Awareness Day organized by @olinational! Please help all of us spread information about this VIS (Very Important Sign) -- because knowing where to find it and how to use it can save your life and the lives of others!

How can YOU participate?
👍 Boost information about the sign on social media! If you see any other organizations raising awareness of the ENS sign, like and share those posts too!
🤳 Use OLI's resources, like their videos and graphics, in your own posts! Check out all they have to offer on their ENS Sign Awareness Day webpage: https://t.co/yIaNsDLWlm
🗣️ Participate in any in-person awareness events in your area! Find out where they are by contacting your Operation Lifesaver State Coordinator: https://t.co/PMqYBN3a21
📢 Tell your family and friends about the blue and white ENS sign! Make sure everyone around you knows what it is and how to use it in an emergency.

Remember, you can #STOPTrackTragedies by helping people #FindTheSign. #ENSSignAwarenessDay

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

America's 250th anniversary reminds us of the fact that our communities have long been built around neighbor helping neighbor.

Short line railroads embrace that spirit. They are not just businesses. They're local partners you'll find supporting organizations and people in need, not because it's required or because it's good PR, but because it's just the right thing to do.

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

Where in the U.S. is ASLRRA?

Last year we played this game and our savvy audience identified the location down to the actual park where the photo was taken! Can you do it again?

It's not a short line, but one of our staff members caught this BNSF train running through the picturesque mountains in this western state. They love their outdoor activities here -- and we'd say railfanning (from a safe distance and off railroad property, obviously!) totally counts.

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

We tend to talk a lot in our posts, but this time, we'll let the picture tell it all.

Short line history 🤝 American history

Short Lines Celebrate #America250

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

Welcome to new member Tiger Transfer!

Tiger Transfer, LLC is a BNSF designated Certified Site and Premier Transload Facility located in Upton, Wyoming on the double-mainline BNSF Black Hills Subdivision. The facility includes approximately 50,000 feet of rail built to mainline power specifications and nearly 400 acres of shovel-ready property available for expansion.

https://t.co/Dpe0HMBFfe

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

The location's right next to the rail line. Should be easy to connect them and set up service, right?

Actually, no.

The "straightforward plans" are not always as they seem in the freight rail world. But short lines can figure out how to make it work. That's what ASLRRA member Kanawha River Railroad did when it worked with customer @AMR_Alpha_Met to establish service to a new coal mine in Pax, West Virginia.

The project required new rail infrastructure, new locomotives and a plan to navigate physically challenging terrain with only one place for trains to pass each other.

The result? AlphaMet was able to build a new mine and bring the community new jobs and valuable economic growth -- without relying on the estimated 30,000 trucks it would have taken to move 1.2 million tons of coal. This new business will increase Kanawha River Railroad's annual carloads by 50% and revenue by 40%, and the railroad plans to hire up to 10 new team members to support this effort.

Want to read the full story? Check out our ASLRRA Member Spotlight in this week's issue of our e-newsletter Views & News: https://t.co/WnazA7KENB

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

Welcome to new member North Louisiana & Arkansas Railroad!

North Louisiana & Arkansas Railroad (NLA) is owned by the Robbins family and has been operating since 2012. NLA primarily serves regional agricultural communities in Southeast Arkansas and Northeast Louisiana.

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

Help our industry get a new freight rail locomotive emoji!

Don't get us wrong, we love the old one -- 🚂. It's classic and timeless, 10/10 no notes. BUT, if you had a total glow-up would you want your work to keep using your old headshot? Probably not.

Today's freight locomotives are totally technology-forward. They're quiet. They're fast. They run cleaner than ever. It's time to have an emoji that captures these decades of modernization!

Our friends at @GoRail are leading the charge to have the Unicode Consortium add an updated emoji. Support this effort by signing their petition here: https://t.co/7Y2tXTNota

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

Welcome to new member Interactive Rail!

Interactive Rail delivers practical, hands-on training that bridges the gap between classroom learning and real-world railroad operations. Developed and taught by active railroad professionals, their solutions range from immersive 3D eLearning to in-the-field track inspections. By focusing on how the industry actually works, they provide high-quality field services and training that maximize the value of your workforce investment.

https://t.co/qCwyMAlsbF

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

Yesterday our SVP, Safety, Regulatory, and Environmental Policy Jo (second from right) took a quick trip to New York for a site visit at ASLRRA member New York & Atlantic Railway.

She, SLSI Executive Director Tom Murta (second from left) and a team from transportation technology company Newport Sensors were at NYA as part of a Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) research project. Always cool to see our staff working with our members on the front lines of safety.

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

Welcome to new member John Burns Construction Company!

Founded in 1906 and based in Westmont, Illinois, John Burns Construction Company is a self-performing general contractor specializing in complex infrastructure projects across the rail, transit, utility, and telecom sectors. Serving clients throughout Illinois, Texas, and the Midwest, the company combines a close-knit family culture and growth-minded leadership with large-scale capabilities to deliver safe, reliable execution in demanding environments.

https://t.co/r5p9jmquoc

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

Most scenic, most patriotic -- our members continue to hit it out of the park!

Congratulations to ASLRRA member holding companies R. J. Corman Railroad Group and Watco for being named two of America's Most Patriotic Companies in 2026!

They were chosen based on evaluations in multiple categories including support for military personnel and veterans and corporate social responsibility.

TBH we feel like proud parents. We're so honored for the opportunity to work on behalf of amazing organizations like these.

https://t.co/wTJwsWBulS

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

Good news? Bad news? We'll let you decide...

The deadline for the Federal Railroad Administration's CRISI grant program has been extended by three days, to June 25. You now have 72 extra hours to complete your application. See the updated NOFO here: https://t.co/lXluIZOwVV

Remember -- we've got multiple resources to help you cross the CRISI application finish line. These include:
👉 A CRISI grant application webpage: https://t.co/pOzYhW4auY
👉 Recorded webinars with FRA representatives: https://t.co/MY5VMJvu5m
👉 Member Discount Program Grant Writing Preferred Provider Colliers: https://t.co/v7Mch8riC7

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

Scenic train rides are THE BEST (in our humble opinion) and ASLRRA members offer some of the nation's top excursions according to USA Today's 2026 Readers' Choice Awards.

Congratulations to all our members (or member-operated railroads) named in the top 10 for Best Scenic Train Ride!

Adirondack Railroad
Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad @PotomacEagle
Skunk Train
Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad

Even if you don't live near one of these top 10 honorees, you probably have a tourist railroad in your area. This summer, consider a indulging in a picturesque train journey. They're amazing!

https://t.co/4GatvZX58M

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

Welcome to new member Ondas Networks!

@OndasNetworks develops proprietary, software-based wireless technology that helps short line and regional railroads modernize legacy communications infrastructure and extend reliable connectivity across their networks. Its multi-patented FullMAX™ platform, built on the IEEE 802.16 standard, enables applications such as real-time wayside monitoring, predictive maintenance, and improved operational visibility using spectrum railroads already own.

https://t.co/7mZhfeFA0X

[Short Line Railroads @ASLRRA]

Our staff doesn't just advocate for short line railroads and provide support services for short line railroads -- they also ride short line railroads!

Recently Sabrina, our SVP of education and business services, traveled with friends on the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway's bike train, operated by ASLRRA member Reading & Northern Railroad. On the excursion, everyone's bicycles are loaded into gondola cars and the group rides the train through Lehigh Gorge State Park to the town of White Haven then bikes back to Jim Thorpe.

Sabrina reports it was a beautiful trip! We have many freight rail members who also operate excursions, and we have associate members that only do excursions and scenic rides. We encourage you to check out one near you -- maybe you'll see an ASLRRA staffer there too!