American Railway Development Association - November 2016 Newsletter

THE ARDA NEWSLETTER

November 2016

Featured Article
Technology Initiatives in the Short Line Industry

By Jo Strang, Vice President, Safety and Regulatory Policy, American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA)

The ASLRRA represents our nation's 550 short lines, which operate 38% of the national freight rail network. These railroads are entrepreneurial, small businesses that are a vital part of our economy, providing cost-effective, environmentally-efficient access for thousands of industries. In a wide portion of rural America, short lines are the only access to market, keeping jobs and industry local. One in four carloads is served in origin or destination by a short line railroad.

Short Lines are subject to the same rules and regulations as Class Is, yet have a vastly different operating reality. Most employees wear more than one hat; on average a short line's length is 91 miles, many as short as 10 miles, as opposed to the 95,000 mile average of the Class I railroads; short lines are often family-owned and thus are more challenged in raising capital than Class Is.

Technology has certainly helped small railroads be more efficient, and safe. Technologies that are particularly helpful are those that enable the small workforce to do more, such as online training programs, or software for yard management and scheduling. Technologies such as remote inspections drive efficiencies while helping safety.

Continue Reading HERE!

2017 Executive Forum Registration is now Open!

The 2017 Executive Forum will take place from Noon on Tuesday, January 24 through the morning of Wednesday, January 25. at Norfolk Southern's Goode Building in Atlanta, GA. We are looking forward to a program featuring speakers on topics relating to our 2016-17 theme of "Get Connected." In addition to our educational program, attendees will have the opportunity to tour Norfolk Southern's Enterprise Command and Locomotive Control Centers.

Our program will feature speakers from all across the railroad industry discussing these topics:

Alternative Uses for Railroad Property
Avoiding Disconnections from Rising Tides
Connecting the Industry Through GIS
Helping the Public Get Connected to Rail
Push for Utility Crossing Legislation
Sources of Funding for Economic Development Projects

We have also secured discounted rooms for Executive Forum attendees as the nearby Atlanta Marriott Suites Midtown. Reservations can be made at a rate of $185 per night in the ARDA Block via this link or by phone at (866) 347-6689.

More details on our program, schedule, and nearby hotel options are available here . Registration for the Executive Forum is open on the ARDA website . If you are interested in attending the Forum we strongly advise you to register early. Due to space limitations we will be unable to accommodate more than 125 attendees.

If you have questions regarding the Annual Meeting please contact Fred Oelsner at staff@amraildev.com or by phone at 202-715-1259.

"Get Connected" with ARDA for 2016-17

If you have not yet renewed your ARDA membership for 2016-17, please visit our website at www.amraildev.com and log-in at the top right corner of the page.

Your renewed membership allows ARDA to continue fostering the industrial, real estate, natural resources, market development activities and environmental concerns of the North American railroads through the advancement of ideas and education of its members. Members also discounted registration rates at ARDA events, including a $200 discount on the Annual Meeting!

If you are not an ARDA member and would like to join, please visit our registration page.

ARDA Sponsorship Opportunities

ARDA offers companies the opportunity to sponsor the association on an annual basis, or by specific events at our Annual Meeting and Executive Forum. Multiple levels of Annual Sponsorship are available for your consideration. Corporate commitments greater than $1,000 also include complimentary individual memberships in ARDA.

To sponsor ARDA for 2016-17 please contact Fred Oelsner at staff@amraildev.com or 202-715-1259 .

Annual ARDA Sponsorships	Amount
Bronze Level	$500 - $1,999
Silver Level	$2,000 - $4,999
Gold Level	$5,000 - $7,499
Platinum Level	$7,500+

2015-16 ARDA Sponsors

Thank you to all of our 2015-16 sponsors! Your generous support allowed us to put together two great events in Miami and Las Vegas focused on "Going Global."

GOLD:

AECOM
Bartlett & West
BNSF
Cardno
CN
CSX
HDR
Kansas City Southern
Norfolk Southern Corp.

SILVER:

Clear Channel Outdoor

Florida East Coast Railway
GEI Consultants

Green Group Holdings
Herzog Contracting Corp.
IMGRail Consulting
JLL
TerraPact

BRONZE:

LJA Engineering, Inc.
NRCMA

2016-17 ARDA Board of Directors

President: Alan Sisk, Norfolk Southern Corporation
First Vice President: Gary Rozmus, GEI Consultants
Second Vice President: Mark Holder, CSX Transportation, Inc.
Treasurer: Doug Morrison, Bartlett & West, Inc.
Secretary: Mike Ray, BNSF Railway Company
Past President: Stephanie Johnson, Florida East Coast Railway

For more information, visit the ARDA website or contact:

ARDA staff at staff@amraildev.com

The American Railway Development Association (ARDA) is a not-for-profit educational trade association founded in 1906 to promote Economic Development, Real Estate Development, Technology, and Environmental Activities of the North American Railroads.

The objectives of the Association are to foster the industrial, real estate, natural resources, market development activities and environmental concerns of the North American railroads; and through the advancement of ideas and education of its members, further promote the effectiveness of railway development and related work .