Railway Age Short Line and Regional Awards

2023 Small-Road Standouts

RAILWAY AGE, MARCH 2023 ISSUE: We are pleased to present our 2023 Short Line & Regional Railroads of the Year, which will be honored at the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association convention in New Orleans in April.

Railway Age’s 2022 Short Line of the Year is the Vermont Railway (VTR; left). Our Regional of the Year is the South Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad (SKOL).

VTR, SKOL Accept Railway Age Awards

The Vermont Railway (VTR) and South Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad (SKOL) accepted Railway Age’s 2022 Short Line & Regional Railroads of the Year Awards at the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) Annual Conference & Exhibition in St. Louis, Mo., on May 2.

RJCM, LSRC, BIPR, GRYR Accept Railway Age Awards

The R.J. Corman Railroad Company/Memphis Line (RJCM) and Lake State Railway (LSRC) accepted Railway Age’s 2021 Short Line & Regional Railroads of the Year Awards at the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) Annual Conference & Exhibition in Phoenix, Ariz., on Nov. 18; the Belpre Industrial Parkersburg Railroad (BIPR) and Grenada Railroad (GRYR) received Short Line Honorable Mentions.

Small-Road Honorable Mentions: GRYR, BIPR

Railway Age has not one but two Honorable Mentions for our 2021 Short Line and Regional Railroads of the Year awards: the Grenada Railroad (GRYR), nominated by President and CEO Barbara Wilson (one of our Women in Rail judges); and the Belpre Industrial Parkersburg Railroad (BIPR), nominated by several customers. Here are their stories, as submitted to Railway Age.

Regional of the Year: Lake State Railway

Railway Age’s 2021 Regional Railroad of the Year is the Lake State Railway (LSRC), which won the Railway Age 2018 Short Line of the year award. During the presentation of that award, CEO John Rickoff ended his remarks by saying, “Now we need to come back and win it again as a regional railroad.” Here’s how LSRC achieved this goal, as told by Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Mike Stickel.

Short Line of the Year: RJ Corman Memphis Line

Railway Age’s 2021 Short Line of the Year is the R. J. Corman Memphis Line (RJCM), the second short line acquired by the company’s late founder, Rick Corman. Here’s the railroad’s story, as told by Executive Vice President Commercial Affairs Justin Broyles.