By Jeff Stagl, Managing Editor
It’s already been quite the year of milestones for Genesee & Wyoming Inc. (G&W), and there’s still nearly a quarter to go. More than a dozen notable anniversaries either have been reached or soon will be celebrated by the major short-holding company and its subsidiaries in 2024.
None was bigger than the one marked March 24, when G&W itself turned 125.
G&W now owns and operates more than 100 regionals and short lines both domestically and abroad, with the majority located in Canada and the United States.
Some of them commemorated noteworthy anniversaries earlier this year. Three G&W short lines turned 35: the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway (TPW) in January; Chattooga & Chickamauga Railway (CCKY) in February; and the Commonwealth Railway (CWRY) in June.
Acquired by G&W in 2012, TPW operates 273 miles of track in Illinois and Indiana, and interchanges with CN, CSX, Norfolk Southern Railway, Union Pacific Railroad and several short lines.
CCKY (a subsidiary since 2008) operates 54 miles of track in Georgia and Tennessee, and interchanges with NS, while CWRY (a subsidiary since 1996) operates 27 miles of track in Virginia and interchanges with CSX and NS.
G&W’s largest railroad, the Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern — which operates over a portion of the former Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad — turned 10 on June 1. Genesee & Wyoming Inc.Another subsidiary — G&W’s largest railroad — chalked up its 10th anniversary on June 1. The Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad (RCPE) was formed after G&W completed the purchase of the west end of the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad line, which runs 670 miles from western Minnesota across South Dakota and into northern Nebraska and western Wyoming.
The RCPE now operates 743 miles of track and interchanges with BNSF Railway Co., Canadian Pacific Kansas City and UP.
“When our crews started up operations in June 2014, they were facing a tremendous backlog of grain from the 2013 harvest and what looked to be a record-breaking wheat harvest for 2014 — one that exceeded the capacity of grain elevators across the entire state of South Dakota,” said RCPE General Manager Ryan Englebright in a press release. “But our employees rose to that initial test and set expectations — not only for South Dakota farmers but for a range of industries across the state — that RCPE could deliver safe and efficient freight-rail service.”
A couple more notable anniversaries were reached in July: Both the Central Oregon & Pacific (CORP) and Tazewell & Peoria (TZPR) railroads turned 30.
A G&W subsidiary since 2012, CORP operates 362 miles of track in California and Oregon, and interchanges with UP, Flat Iron Rail and the Rogue Valley Terminal Railroad.
Owned since 2004, TZPR operates 81 miles of track in Illinois and interchanges with BNSF, CN, NS, UP, three other short lines and Iowa Interstate Railroad LLC.
On June 28, the Commonwealth Railway marked its 35th anniversary. The short line operates 27 miles of track in Virginia and interchanges with CSX and NS. Genesee & Wyoming Inc.Some celebratory mile markers were just passed in August, too. The Columbus and Greenville Railway (CAGY) marked its 50th anniversary on Aug. 23. A G&W subsidiary since 2008, CAGY operates 151 miles of track in Mississippi and interchanges with BNSF, CN, CPKC, NS and three other short lines.
In addition, the New England Central Railroad (NECR) turned 30 on Aug. 4 and Riceboro Southern Railway (RSOR) turned 20 on Aug. 18.
Acquired in 2012, NECR operates 384 miles of track in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont, and interchanges with CN, CPKC, CSX, NS and four other railroads. And the 22-mile RSOR — acquired in 2005 — operates near Savannah, Georgia, and interchanges with CSX.
September will bring several causes for celebration, as well. There will be four notable anniversaries this month: the San Diego & Imperial Valley Railroad’s (SDIY) 40th; Georgia Southwestern Railroad’s (GSWR) 30th; and Indiana Southern’s (ISRR) and North Carolina & Virginia’s (NCVA) 15th.
A subsidiary since 2008, GSWR operates 213 miles of track in Alabama and Georgia, and interchanges with NS, the Heart of Georgia Railroad (HOG) and Hilton & Albany Railroad.
Acquired in 2012, SDIY operates 10 miles of track in California and interchanges with BNSF and Baja California Rail Road.
Also purchased in 2012 were ISRR, which operates 186 miles of track in Indiana and interchanges with CSX, NS and the Indiana Rail Road Co.; and NCVA, which operates 56 miles of track in North Carolina and Virginia and interchanges with CSX.
The New England Central Railroad, which turned 30 in August, operates 384 miles of track in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. Genesee & Wyoming Inc.Rounding out all the hoopla in 2024 will be two silver anniversaries late in the year: the York Railway’s (YRC) in November and HOG’s in December.
A G&W subsidiary since 2002, YRC operates 48 miles of track in Pennsylvania and interchanges with CSX, NS and East Penn Railroad.
A newer subsidiary — acquired in 2017 — HOG operates 233 miles of track in Alabama and Georgia, and interchanges with CSX, NS and three other short lines.
All the railroad anniversaries in 2024 underscore G&W’s longstanding history of critical short-line transportation across North America, said G&W’s CEO-North America Michael Miller in an email.
“We’re proud of their — and all our railroads’ — commitment to safety, service, sustainability and community,” he said.
