Only a few booths remain for the 2023 NRC Conference & NRC-REMSA Exhibition!

The 2023 NRC-REMSA Exhibition will take place January 4-5, 2023 at the Boca Raton Resort in Boca Raton, FL, in conjunction with the 2023 NRC Conference, which will run January 4-7, 2023.

Don't miss out: only a few booths are left; reserve yours today! For more details, please visit the NRC-REMSA Exhibition page. For questions regarding the NRC-REMSA Exhibition and reserving your booth, contact Heidi Baker at baker@remsa.org or (202)844-6126.



Conference registration is also open. For questions regarding the NRC Conference, including registration, hotel, sponsorship, etc. visit the  NRC Conference page or contact Mike McGonagle at mmcgonagle@nrcma.org or (202)975-0365.

REMSA Student at InnoTrans Award

In 2020, Eric Malarkey, a student at Old Dominion University in Virginia and an intern at Plasser America, was awarded the InnoTrans Career Award through REMSA. The purpose of the award is to encourage interest for the next generation in rail and promote career opportunities within the rail industry. Eric was able to attend InnoTrans 2022 in Berlin this September and provided an update on his trip:

"I had a great experience. I had an itinerary set by InnoTrans that really broadened the experience for me. I got to meet with the other award winners from around the world. We attended the opening ceremony and got to hear multiple industry leaders answer good questions about the future of mobility in Europe. I have nothing to compare to the scale of this convention: it was large. It had thousands of vendors with new and experimental technology. I can’t list a favorite thing but there was no shortage of cool stuff. We had access to guided tours and VIP tickets that not only acted as a train ticket for all of Berlin but also granted us access to the business lounges and guided tours. I got to experience almost everything.  

I recommend to any future students trying to get in the industry: do it now, we want people who are interested."

On Tuesday, November 8 the 2022 Midterm Elections were held. Democrats scored an important victory in Pennsylvania, an open seat contest between Lt. Governor John Fetterman (D) and Dr. Mehmet Oz (R). The race was a pick-up opportunity for Democrats, as the seat is currently held by retiring incumbent Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA). In terms of a pick-up opportunity for Republicans, JD Vance (R) was able to win the Ohio open seat contest over Rep. Tim Ryan (D). Additionally, in what were considered competitive races, Democratic incumbent Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) prevailed over her opponent John Bolduc (R-NH) in New Hampshire and Rep. Tedd Budd (R-NC) prevailed over Cheri Beasley (D-NC) in North Carolina Both states represented holds for the incumbent parties. Georgia, for the second election in a row, is now headed to a December run-off, that will pit Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Herschel Walker (R-GA). The Democrats have maintained control of the Senate, and in the case of a 50-50 vote have VP Kamala Harris as a tie-breaking vote.

Republicans are still on track to retake control of the U.S. House of Representatives, but there were surprises in favor of the Democrats including victories in two open seats in Ohio and North Carolina, respectively, that were rated as Leaning Republican. Despite these Democratic surprises, Republicans had a historic night in Florida, running up the score at the top-of-the-ticket and boosting their candidates in several House seats, including in seats that went for President Biden by 10+ points in some cases. Candidate quality and popularity proved to be an important early factor in localized results, with Democrats House candidates showing well in states with a “high-quality” candidate at the top-of-the-ticket (Ohio, North Carolina), and poorly in states with unpopular incumbents (New York). With mail-in votes still be counted, particularly in Western states, full results may not be known for several more days and, in the case of the Senate, several weeks.

In regards to an update on the rail labor agreement status, the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division announced Wednesday, November 9 that it will extend its so-called cooling-off period until December to sync with other labor organizations in hopes of staving off congressional intervention. BMWED, the industry's third-largest union, voted against ratifying its tentative agreement with freight carriers on Oct. 10. If the industry's two largest unions (SMART Transportation Division and Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen) vote to ratify their tentative agreements, BMWED will shift its cooling-off deadline back to December 4. That would match the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, which rejected a proposed contract in October. If the two largest unions vote not to ratify, BMWED will push to Dec. 9 to match them.

On October 28, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced the Biden-Harris administration had awarded $703 million through the Maritime Administration’s Port Infrastructure Development Program. The funding, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and additional Congressional appropriations, will benefit coastal seaports, Great Lakes ports, and inland river ports, helping improve supply chain reliability through increased port capacity and resilience, more efficient operations, reduced port emissions, and new workforce opportunities. The Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) supports efforts by ports and industry stakeholders to improve port and related freight infrastructure to meet the nation’s freight transportation needs and ensure our port infrastructure can meet anticipated growth in freight volumes. The program provides planning, capital funding, and project management assistance to improve ports’ capacity and efficiency. The PIDP provides funding to ports in both urban and rural areas for planning and capital projects. It also includes a statutory set-aside for small ports to continue to improve and expand their capacity to move freight reliably and efficiently, and support local and regional economies. To view a full list of the FY 2022 Port Infrastructure Development Grant Awards, please click here. 

How did you get started in the rail industry?

I initially learned about the rail industry during a career fair at CSU-Pueblo where I met Will Baker (now Vice President of Sales, Rail Products at EVRAZ Rocky Mountain Steel). Months later, I interviewed with Will, Steve Didyk, and Rob King for a position in sales with EVRAZ. I remember listening slightly more than I spoke, as my interviewees explained the intricacies of the rail industries, the relatively small audience of potential buyers, and the opportunity for advancement. I was intrigued, and grateful to be offered the position with EVRAZ. 

What do you love most about your job/the rail industry?

I love a challenge and I love to compete. At A&K, I have the opportunity to experience this almost daily as we work with railroads, transit agencies, industries, and ports to provide a supply chain solution for their track material needs. 

What do you find yourself doing most in your downtime? Hobbies outside of work?

I enjoy traveling with my wife Lacy, chasing my three boys around, skiing and mountain biking.

How do you define the “future” of rail? Where do you think the industry is headed?

I believe our industry is positioned well for a renaissance of the first and last mile carriers (aka America’s short line railroads). There are many short line railroad projects underway and in concept phases that will make this nation’s infrastructure safer, more efficient, and sustainable.  

What do you enjoy most about being part of REMSA?

I appreciate the advocacy that REMSA provides. REMSA representatives challenge us to engage with local policy makers to educate on the needs of the industry. These activities are productive and well-coordinated by REMSA staff. 

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Interested in being featured in an upcoming Mainline and on REMSA's social media? REMSA is looking for members to feature as the member of the month! Whether you are a seasoned railroader or new to the industry, REMSA will share your story and recognize your company across our digital channels. Email Heidi Baker at baker@remsa.org to apply.

REMSA President Urszula Soucie spoke on the Industry Viewpoints Panel at Rail Trends 2022 in New York, along with Mark Brazeau of the Railway Association of Canada, Patty Long, Railway Supply Institute, and Ashley Wieland, NRC.

REMSA's Grassroots Program connects our association's membership with members of Congress to host tours and site visits of company facilities and ongoing projects. It's a terrific way to showcase the positive impact that your company has in the local community, while also building strong personal relationships with your elected representatives. This program highlights REMSA members' products and services throughout the industry and to members of Congress, which helps to advance REMSA's legislative agenda in Washington.

If you are interested in hosting a grassroots event at your facility please reach out to Mike McGonagle at mcgonagle@remsa.org.

Enerpac is the leading brand of high force hydraulic tools & equipment for industrial and construction markets for maintenance and production applications to improve safety and productivity. Based in Milwaukee, WI, Enerpac manufactures industry-leading products for the rail industry: rail pullers, track jacks, diamond lift track jack kit, portable track loading tool, spring frog tester kit, wheeled rail car jacks (Pow'R-RISER), hydraulic pumps, hydraulic rams/cylinders, hydraulic torque wrenches, hydraulic presses, specialty tools and system accessories.

MECALAC is a global manufacturer of construction and railroad equipment. Driven by a philosophy of continuous innovation, the company provides a large range of excavators, wheel loaders, site dumpers, backhoe loaders and custom equipment. Inspired by a market in constant evolution, the company offers relevant solutions that simplify the life of users. MECALAC North America is located in the Boston, MA area and boasts a growing network of distributors in the US, Latin America and Canada.