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Yesterday, hundreds of rail industry stakeholders roamed the House and Senate chambers in Washington, D.C., to lobby for legislative interests during the annual “Railroad Day on Capitol Hill.”

Participants included representatives from the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA), Association of American Railroads (AAR), International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association Inc., Railway Engineering-Maintenance Suppliers Association, Railway Supply Institute (RSI), Railway Systems Suppliers Inc., Railway Tie Association, Transportation Communications International Union, Sheet Metal Workers' International Association, United Transportation Union and other rail industry groups.

The event’s goals: to build a foundation for preserving balanced regulation, forging a more balanced transportation infrastructure spending policy and extending the Section 45G short-line tax credit, according to the ASLRRA. The participants promoted policies that would enable the freight-rail industry to create jobs, continue record infrastructure investments, keep U.S. businesses globally competitive and aid the nation’s economy recovery, AAR officials said in a prepared statement.
 
“Americans whose livelihoods depend on a healthy rail industry want Congress to know that freight rail is working for our country and carrying the load so taxpayers don’t have to,” said AAR President and Chief Executive Officer Ed Hamberger. "At a time when many industries are cutting back and businesses aren’t hiring, freight rail is investing billions of its own capital and hiring American workers.”
 
America’s freight railroads generate $265 billion in total annual U.S. economic activity and move one-third of U.S. exports while offering the world’s lowest rates, he said. In addition, the freight-rail industry supports 175,000 railroad jobs and more than 150,000 manufacturing jobs in the railway supply industry, said RSI President Tom Simpson.

“We need a robust and vibrant freight- and passenger-rail network because it directly impacts the livelihood of our industry and the livelihood of our workers,” he said.
 
The rail industry advocates that lawmakers maintain the “reasonable regulatory structure” that has spurred a railroad renaissance and made the nation’s freight railroads the safest, most efficient, reliable and affordable in the world, event organizers said.

“Now more than ever, it’s imperative that sound transportation and tax policies be in place to encourage job creation and private-sector investment in our transportation future,” said ASLRRA President Richard Timmons.

For more information on Railroad Day on Capitol Hill, follow this link to read an article (“Congregating on Capitol Hill”) that was published in Progressive Railroading’s July issue.