Rail agenda steams up as short lines blitz Congress

WASHINGTON — Short line railroads had a longer than usual wishlist when they converged in Washington D.C. for the annual Railroad Day on Capitol Hill lobby blitz organized by the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association.

There’s a new administration in office to educate and inform, along with many new members of Congress and their staffs. But there’s much more on the agenda:

• A federal appropriations bill, including Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grants
• Reauthorization of the Surface Transportation Board, which includes $300 billion over five years for federal highway, rail, transit and safety programs
• Modal equity, specifically regarding truck size and weight
• Expansion of 45G short line tax credit, which returns a portion of spending on track maintenance 

The consensus among attendees May 7 was that the message was well-received as they sought to put a face on the issues, and that senators and representatives, and their staffs, were better informed of rail issues than has been the case in prior years.

Whether that translates to legislative wins for the industry remains to be seen. But railroads’ critical role in the supply chain — and the American economy — is a positive story most everyone can agree on.

“We seem to be well-positioned between both parties,” said Alan Matheson, superintendent and chief operating officer of Tacoma Rail in Tacoma, Washington. “It’s not political.”

Founded in 1925, Tacoma Rail serves 43 customers in Pierce County south of the Port of Tacoma, and is one of the oldest short lines in America.

“CRISI grants and 45G for track maintenance and capital outays are two sides of the same coin,” Matheson said. “What’s new with the new administration is an accelerated permitting process. The people we met with are aware of what the issues are, and we spent time with new members getting them up to speed.”

Washington is one of the most-trade dependent states, and Matheson said he was “cautiously optimistic” following much discussion of tariffs and their impact. 

“There were a lot of good questions from young [congressional] staff,” said Kevin Keller, vice president at freight rail engineering specialist HDR. “If we can just educate them…railroads are a “safe”, non-partisan industry.

“Why would you not support it?”

Former STB Chairman Roger Nober said that there is a willingness on the part of the Trump administration to look at deregulation, but wondered if that would last beyond the current term. 

“[Businesses] need long-term certainty to make investment decisions,” said Nober, who now directs the Regulatory Studies Center at George Washington University.

Nober said he supports repeal of the federal rule requiring two-person train crews, “from a legal and operating standpoint. I think this administration will be open to new technology.”

Kevin Donahue, state and local affairs manager for CN (NYSE: CNI) in Illinois who was there to support the Canadian carrier’s short line partners, said that his lobby visits “went really good. People were prepared and on top of issues.”

“This event is extremely important, because it shows the value of constituents,” said Robert Primus, member and immediate former chairman of the STB. “Short line railroads are central to local economies and business growth.”

“Growth is a top issue for railroads,” said Primus, who in 2024 convened a rare public hearing to question railroads on their growth strategies. “The strength of the economy means new businesses joining the rail network. We have to build confidence in the network to promote a reliability that attract people.”

Short lines are the drivers of that growth, he said. “The Class I railroads should give short lines more of an opportunity to build the business rather than just a smaller share.” 

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Find more articles by Stuart Chirls here.

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