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Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Legislators propose upgraded tax credit for short line rail maintenance
A federal tax credit that's helped attract billions in private investment in short line railroads could be getting an upgrade. Legislation introduced in the Senate seeks to modernize the Short Line Railroad Maintenance Tax Credit, known as 45G, that has been responsible for driving more than $8 billion in private spending for short line rail infrastructure since it was introduced in 2005. The bill, co-sponsored by Republican Mike Crapo of Idaho, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon and ranking member of the committee, follows similar House legislation introduced in January. The credit covers 40 cents of every dollar of qualified railroad track maintenance expenditures such as roadbed, ties, rail, and bridge work capped at $3,500 per mile, excluding track converted to short line mileage after 2015. The new legislation would raise the credit to $6,100 per mile, include all short line track, and index the measure to inflation going forward. The short line group said today's costs for rail maintenance exceed $15,000 per mile. 'This 45G tax credit is widely considered an effective and successful public policy,' said said Chuck Baker, president of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association. 'It has been responsible for significant private investment in infrastructure, but outdated caps and limitations are threatening to erode its potency. Today, Senators Crapo and Wyden have acted, enabling updates to the credit that will serve the rail industry, shippers, and the economies of small towns across the country for years to come. 'We are immensely grateful for the bipartisan and bicameral leadership of Senators Crapo and Wyden and Representatives Kelly and Thompson [in the House] in supporting the continued growth and success of the short line industry and more importantly the thousands of agricultural, energy, manufacturing, and industrial shippers we serve.' More than 600 short lines operate one-third of the nation's rail system, according to ASLRRA, and are the origin or destination point of one in five cars moving throughout the system. The Senate bill comes just days before members of the ASLRRA gather in Washington on May 7 for a one-day lobbying blitz of Congress. 'Short line railroads are critical infrastructure that connect Idaho's farmers, ranchers and manufacturers to national and global markets, supporting local jobs and driving economic growth in rural Idaho,' said Crapo, in a joint release. 'Modernizing the Short Line Railroad Tax Credit will provide railroads with necessary certainty and resources to invest in safety, efficiency and longterm infrastructure improvements in our regional areas.' 'Short line and regional railroads are not just a mode of transportation, but they are also a vital economic tool that connects local businesses with Oregonians and other people all across the nation,' Wyden said in the release. 'For years, Sen. Crapo and I worked together to make railroad tax credits permanent, and the next step is to make these tax credits better for our operators. Our bipartisan bill will provide railroads with much needed resources to make vital upgrades that will bring our rural, suburban and urban communities and their local economies together. Subscribe to FreightWaves' Rail e-newsletter and get the latest insights on rail freight right in your inbox. Find more articles by Stuart Chirls Cement deal fires Maine rail line revivalNew railroad heralds Indiana multimodal development BNSF and UP say possible container glut doesn't scare them BNSF, UP battle over California mountain pass trackage rights The post Legislators propose upgraded tax credit for short line rail maintenance appeared first on FreightWaves. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tax credits, truck limits top small railroads' DC agenda
DENVER – Federal funding that serves as the lifeline of small U.S. railroads will continue to flow from Washington, experts say, but exactly when and how much is unclear at present. That funding to-do list is led by the 45G tax credit and Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grants – critical issues during a legislative educational session at the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) conference here on Monday. A bipartisan House bill to update the vital 45G tax credit, which underpins capital spending at many shortline and regional railroads, was introduced in January by Reps. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., and Mike Thompson, D-Calif., the latter of whom is the chair and ranking member of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Tax. Technically known as a railroad maintenance credit that is part of the IRS Code of 1986, 45G was created in 2005 and made permanent in 2021. It offers a tax credit of 40 cents per mile of track up to a maximum $3,500 – a figure that hasn't changed in 25 years. The new bill updates 45G to $6,100 per mile to account for inflation, and also indexes the credit to inflation. In addition, it allows expenditures for Class II and III track miles as of 2024, from the current cutoff date of 2015. A Senate version of the bill is also expected to be introduced. The trade group is optimistic about passage of 45G, even with a 40% turnover in Congress since 2020, said Nicole Brewin, vice president, congressional affairs, for Washington-based ASLRRA. CRISI funding this fiscal year is a mixed outcome. The grant program has been appropriated through September but cut almost in half, to $100 million from $199 million in FY 2024. That is in addition to $1 billion from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) passed under the Biden administration. Looking ahead to fiscal 2026, the ASLRRA has sent a letter to the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development committees in both the House and Senate outlining appropriations requests for CRISI grants, the Short Line Safety Institute and the grade crossing safety program Operation Life Saver, among other programs. The IIJA expires in September 2026, and ASLRRA President Chuck Baker in January testified before a House subcommittee on rail as to priorities for reauthorization. They include guarantees for CRISI funding including support for advanced appropriations, and reject efforts to permit longer, heavier trucks on the nation's roads. On Thursday, the ASLRRA along with members Genesee & Wyoming and Watco will participate in a closed-door stakeholder listening session on surface transportation reauthorization priorities. The ASLRRA has scheduled its annual Railroad Day on Capitol Hill lobbying blitz May 7, when the messaging agenda will include modal equity involving the Highway Trust Fund and federal truck size and weight (TSW) limitations; tax policy; permitting reform; and rail grants. Find more articles by Stuart Chirls here.4 SONAR charts to watch for tariff impacts Fuchs: Efficient Surface Transportation Board will foster rail competition, growth Union Pacific Railroad CEO 'very comfortable' working through tariffs BNSF's trade-related intermodal projects move ahead despite tariffs The post Tax credits, truck limits top small railroads' DC agenda appeared first on FreightWaves. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ASLRRA honors Lane, Crosson for rail safety
The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) has selected Matthew Lane, general manager, Pioneer Valley Railroad (PVRR), as the 2025 Safety Person of the Year, and Herman Crosson, chief safety and compliance officer, Anacostia Rail Holdings Co., as the 2025 Safety Professional of the Year. The awards recognize individuals who have demonstrated consistent and committed leadership in safety on their railroad, 'Operating safely, being your brother's keeper, is a cornerstone of the short line railroad ethos,' said Chuck Baker, president of ASLRRA, in a release. 'Making sure everyone gets home safely every night takes a concerted effort by railroad professionals to build a work culture that puts safe practices at the forefront of operations. Safety Person of the Year Matt Lane and Safety Professional of the Year Herman Crosson have consistently demonstrated this commitment. They are collaborative leaders who work with their teams to improve safety, emphasizing feedback, transparency and trust.' In April, Lane and Crosson will be honored at the ASLRRA's annual conference in Denver. 'Matt is a pro-active leader, always looking around the bend to identify issues before they arise,' said Ryan Ratledge, CEO of Pioneer Valley parent Pinsly Railroad Co. 'Matt's leadership style and focus on safety creates a top-tiered safety culture at PVRR.' Lane holds monthly safety meetings with PVRR employees, focusing on the status of unsafe-condition reports, conducting root-cause analysis of issues and discussing industrywide safety alerts and safety preparedness. He recognizes employees for prioritizing safety and regularly seeks their input on safety-related topics. Lane also helped organize emergency responder training across all Pinsly railroads that involved local fire and police departments and railroad customers and contractors. After that training, Lane worked to provide guidance and templates to benefit the entire organization. As the chief safety officer at Anacostia Rail Holdings, Crosson is responsible for day-to-day safe operations, working directly with individuals on policies and processes, seeking continuous improvement in safety performance and safety culture across all of Anacostia's properties. As a veteran and career railroader who got his start as a freight conductor and moved up as engineer and later road foreman, Crosson holds periodic safety forums with Anacostia team members to discuss safety and safety success. To further encourage safe practices, Crosson has started the Safety Recognition Program to honor those who have demonstrated safety leadership at their locations. 'Herman is an excellent leader and communicator, traits that were honed during his many years of service in the military,' said David Hankins, senior director of human resources, Anacostia Rail Holdings. 'This character trait drives positive relationships which enhances his ability to produce positive safety results for Anacostia and the industry as a whole.' Crosson also received the Safety Professional of the Year Award in 2021. Find more articles by Stuart Chirls credit would upgrade, expand US rail freight car fleet Short line eyes Cali market, buys hydrogen locomotive builder Ceremony marks CPKC opening of second US-Mexico rail bridge Weekly US rail traffic back ahead of 2024 levels The post ASLRRA honors Lane, Crosson for rail safety appeared first on FreightWaves.
