Railway Age magazine has named Palmetto Railways the 2015 Short Line Railroad of the Year, and Reading & Northern Railroad its 2015 Regional Railroad of the Year. The awards will be presented at the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association's (ASLRRA) annual meeting in Orlando, Fla., Sunday, March 29, 2015.
"Short line and regional railroads are not just benefitting from the quickening economic recovery; they're helping to drive that recovery, " says Railway Age Publisher Jonathan Chalon. "The business opportunities and obstacles, be they in terms of reach or of geography or product movement, may differ. But the entrepreneurial spirit of the two winners affects and assists customers large or small, making efficient business, and business growth, possible with the most efficient surface transport mode: rail."
Headquartered in and serving the Port of Charleston, S.C., Palmetto Railways has unified three port-area railroads into a cohesive unit in just two years, as it prepares—in partnership with other port-area interests—for a surge in international intermodal ship-to-rail activity.
"Charleston has historically been a key U.S. port city, and today is the 8th largest by cargo volume, "says Railway Age Managing Editor Douglas John Bowen. "Both public and private interests recognize rail as a major factor in the port's future, and Palmetto Railways is poised to meet both current and future demand."
For Port Clinton, Pa.-based Reading & Northern Railroad, it's the third Railway Age Regional Railroad Award bestowed, being so honored in 2002 and 2011. A diverse customer base, and a diverse environmental ("green") approach in pursuing profitable business, are two key ingredients in what's become a perennial regional rail success story.
"Adaptability and flexibility have served Reading & Northern well through three decades, as 'The Road of Anthracite' not only adjusts to new markets and traffic flows but anticipates them, indeed seeking out those shifts and changes," says Railway Age Editor-in-Chief William C. Vantuono.
Both Palmetto Railways, the 2015 Short Line Railroad of the Year, and the Reading & Northern Railroad, the 2015 Regional Railroad of the Year, are featured in Railway Age's March 2015 issue.
Railway Age is the transportation industry's oldest trade magazine, and celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2006. The monthly magazine is circulated at the management levels of North American freight and passenger railroads. Emphasis is placed on technology, operations, strategic planning, marketing, and other issues such as legislative and labor/management developments of interest to railway management, railway suppliers, and consultants.