ASLRRA to honor McKechnie with Distinguished Service Award

The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) has selected Edwin “Ed” McKechnie as the 2025 Thomas L. Schlosser Distinguished Service Award winner, honoring his decades of service to the short-line industry and the association.

Named for former ASLRRA Chair Thomas Schlosser, the Distinguished Service Award is the highest individual honor bestowed by the ASLRRA, recognizing long-term, significant service to the association and short-line industry. Schlosser — who had served stints as president and CEO of the Fort Worth & Western Railroad, president and COO of Park Sierra Rail Group, and CEO of Global Rail Systems — died in 2011.  

McKechnie will be honored on April 7 at the ASLRRA Annual Conference and Exhibition in Denver.

"Ed’s impact on the short-line industry is legendary. His legislative and business career has been focused on driving transformational change in every organization he has been involved with,” said ASLRRA President Chuck Baker in a press release.

While representing Watco as a member of ASLRRA, McKechnie played a significant role in moving two short line industry-critical ideas forward: the federal short-line rehabilitation tax credit known as 45G and the Short Line Safety Institute. Both initiatives would have far-reaching effects on the industry, ASLRRA officials said.

Before he was active in the short-line industry, McKechnie spent years in public service, first in the Kansas governor’s office, as a congressional staff member in Washington D.C., and then as a member of the Kansas Legislature. In 2000, he joined short-line company Watco to lead commercial and business development, focusing on growing the business and finding new opportunities in the transportation industry.

Representing ASLRRA member Watco in association work, McKechnie brought his talents back to Washington to influence Congress. He was a member of ASLRRA’s Railroad Industry Working Group and Finance and Administration Committee and served on the Executive Committee in various capacities. In 2011, McKechnie was elected chair of ASLRRA’s board.

For more on McKechnie's contributions to the industry, click here.