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The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) is ready to break out the hardware to honor members’ safety efforts. The association recently announced it will present 2006 Jake Awards with Distinction to 203 regionals and short lines, and 2006 Jake Awards to 77 other member railroads.

Jake Awards with Distinction honor regionals and short lines that attained a Frequency/Severity Index (FSI) rate of zero, or no Federal Railroad Administration-reportable injuries or accidents; Jake Awards honor members that achieve a FSI greater than the industry average. Copper Basin Railway President and Chief Operating Officer L.S. “Jake” Jacobson created the awards in 1994 and the association changed the Jakes’ criteria — eliminating gold, silver, bronze and copper levels, and man-hour requirements — last year.

The ASLRRA also announced winners of the President’s Awards, which recognize member railroads that achieved the most consecutive years of attaining a zero FSI, and most man-hours logged while maintaining a zero FSI or a FSI below the industry average.

The association will bestow the awards to:
• the Delta Valley & Southern Railway Co., Hollis & Eastern Railroad Co., Louisville, New Albany & Corydon Railroad, and Omaha Lincoln & Beatrice Railway Co. for attaining a zero FSI for 32-straight years;
• the Birmingham Southern Railroad Co. (two awards) for logging the most man-hours while maintaining a zero FSI and achieving the lowest FSI in the 250,000-plus man-hours category; and
• Montana Rail Link (MRL) for logging the most man-hours while maintaining a FSI below the industry average.

Meanwhile, the Most Improved Award — which recognizes a railroad that’s achieved the greatest FSI improvement as measured by percentage, from one year to the next — will go to the Virginia Southern Railroad.

Finally, ASLRRA named MRL’s Dale Virts the 2007 Safety Person of the Year.

ASLRRA will present all the awards at its annual conference to be held April 22-24 in Baltimore. For a complete list of winners, click here.