Corman Kentucky Line Receives Safety Award

A Kentucky short line railroad has received a President’s Award from the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association in recognition of its safety record.

R.J. Corman received the award at the annual Southern Region meeting Nov. 11-13 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Corman’s Central Kentucky Lines was recognized for most hours of injury-free operation and best safety rate, 50,000 to 150,000 man-hours.

Also recognized was the Florida East Coast Railway, the Corman Memphis Line and the Alabama Warrior Railway.

In a statement ASLRRA President Chuck Baker said recipients of the award are considered to be industry leaders that strive to value safety above all competing priorities each day.

Ohio Short Line Receives Safety Award

An Ohio short line railroad has been honored for its safety record in 2018.

The Columbus & Ohio River Railroad received one of five President’s Awards from the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association this week in recognition of an outstanding safety performance in 2018.

The CUOH which is owned by Genesee & Wyoming, was recognized for most hours of injury-free operation.

It operates 277 miles of track in Ohio and interchanges with CSX, Norfolk Southern, Wheeling & Lake Erie, Ohio Central and Ohio Railroad.

Other railroads recognized for the best safety rates in their respective categories included the Union Railroad, more than 500,000 man-hours; Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad (which also is owned by G&W), 250,000 to 500,000 man-hours; Winchester & Western, 50,000 to 150,000 man-hours; and Tradepoint Rail, less than 50,000 man-hours.

The awards were presented during ASLRRA’s annual Eastern Region meeting held in Columbus.

NS Manager Receives AAR Safety Award

A Norfolk Southern executive was the 2017 recipient of the Holden-Proefrock Award given by the Association of American Railroads.

Paul Williams was recognized for his 34 years of seeking to ensure the safe transport of hazardous materials by rail.

As NS Southeast regional manager of hazardous materials, Williams oversees emergency response, regulatory support, and managing derailments.

The Holden-Proefrock Award is named in honor of Roy Holden, a former AAR employee and innovator in tank car design and safety, and Art Proefrock, a former Hulcher Emergency Services employee who pioneered hazardous materials transportation emergency response.

The AAR also presented its 2016 NAR Grand Slam Awards on 21 companies that were recognized for being “exemplary” shippers of hazardous materials. An award winner must have been recognized by at least four Class I railroads and have had zero non accident releases involving their shipments during the previous calendar year.

Cleveland RTA Wins APTA Safety Award

Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority was among the safety winners recently honored by the American Public Transportation Association.

The awards for the annual Rail Safety & Security Excellence Awards were presented this week at a convention in Baltimore.

Cleveland RTA received a certificate of merit for safety in the heavy-rail category. RTA was honored for implementing an emergency pantograph-lowering system designed to keep the train operator out of unnecessary danger.

Other winners included the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Metro Transit in Minnesota, the Maryland Transit Administration, the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.

“These are the professionals who make us proud to be members of the public transportation family,” said APTA Chair Doran J. Barnes in a statement. “Keeping our riders, employees, and communities safe is the most important thing we do every day. Their accomplishments are what make a safe rail public transit industry even safer.”