Now there are three: NARBW, ACRW and LRIW offer networking opportunities for women (April 1999)
4/17/2023In an industry workforce predominantly comprising men, women are beginning to sign on with railroads in bigger numbers, and in a range of job types and titles.
And now, there now are three organizations women railroaders can join for networking opportunities.
The three non-profit groups — the National Association of Railway Business Women (NARBW), American Council of Railroad Women (ACRW) and the new League of Railway Industry Women (LRIW) — count about 1,750 women as members, many of them retired.
Doris Stemmer wonders if three is two too many.
"I'd like to see all three of the groups merge because it would help the membership," says Stemmer, NARBW's past president. "And since no one seems to know about all of us, maybe working together would do the trick."
Currently, each group — the 73-year-old NARBW, the 56-year-old ACRQ and LRIW, now in its second year — offers low membership fees and serves its own niche. NARBW donated $29,000 to charities last year. ACRW sponsors a "Woman of the Year" program. And LRIW emphasizes education and field trips, and offers corporate memberships to employers.
Historically, NARBW and ACRW catered strictly to women in railroad management positions. But both organizations recently opened membership to other rail-related companies in light of LRIW's strategy.
"It just seemed time to create an organization for any woman in the industry," says LRIW President Linda Ward, one of four females who run LT Marketing, a Houston firm that markets track, car and locomotive products.
LRIW's membership includes women working for railroads, suppliers and contractors. Member job titles range from engineers to sales managers to secretaries.
Membership diversity is important, Ward says, because non-management employees need educational opportunities, too. Last year, field trips to three suppliers' facilities was quite telling, Ward says.
"These were women who were buying materials and never even knew what they looked like, let alone where they went on the car," she says.
Source: The April 1999 issue of Progressive Railroading