advertisement

---

The "Railroad Day on the Hill" will be held as scheduled Feb. 11 despite the recent ricin incident in the Senate, American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) officials said in a Feb. 5 email sent to association members and event participants.

"The unfortunate ricin scare has not closed the House of Representatives, and authorities have stopped all mail delivery to the House and Senate to prevent further incidents," ASLRRA officials said. "The Senate office buildings will be open in time for Railroad Day."

During the one-day event, hundreds of representatives from railroads, rail-labor unions, and rail industry suppliers and associations plan to descend on Capitol Hill to conduct a series of meetings with congressmen.

Officials from ASLRRA, the Association of American Railroads, Railway Supply Institute and other organizations expect to lobby for reauthorization of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) — which is scheduled to expire Feb. 29 — and passage of The Local Railroad Rehabilitation and Investment Act of 2003 (H.R. 876/S. 1703), and other rail-related legislation.