ASLRRA announces 2025 Business Development Award recipients

The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) yesterday announced Belpre Industrial Parkersburg Railroad, South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad, and the Union County Industrial Railroad as the recipients of the association's 2025 Business Development Awards.

The award recognizes short lines that demonstrate leadership and innovation to benefit their shippers and communities, with advancements in service, operations and economic development, ASLRRA officials said in a press release. Awards will be presented April 8 in Denver at the ASLRRA annual conference and exhibition.

Belpre Industrial Parkersburg Railroad (BIP) was recognized for establishing new service for Coterra Energy, transporting nonhazardous wastewater from eastern Pennsylvania to southeastern Ohio. BIP identified a transloading location close to Coterra, coordinated connections between several railroads to move the carloads, and helped acquire permits for wastewater deliveries. BIP was recognized for its excellence in helping a new rail shipper become comfortable with the complexities of rail shipping. 

South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad (SKOL) has worked with Bartlett Grain for over 30 years, but the recent completion of a $375 million soybean processing plant with a 2-mile double loop track and five storage tracks brought increased traffic to the railroad, ASLRRA officials said. SKOL worked with Barlett during design and construction of the rail infrastructure and made improvements to its existing infrastructure. SKOL also coordinated with multiple Class Is to complete an interchange for Union Pacific Railroad. The new plant has resulted in an 85% increase to Barlett's traffic in fourth-quarter 2024 over the previous year. 

Union County Industrial Railroad (UCIR) worked with a potential shipper to identify a location for a new Country View Family Farms feed mill to service its hog production business. Employees of the short line made an agreement with the land owner to secure the parcel. The new mill is complete with an 8,250-foot loop track. UCIR established partnerships with Norfolk Southern Railway and helped secure business and agriculture grants to support the project.

To learn more about the ARLRRA Business Development Awards, click here.