Legislation introduced to enhance railroad rehabilitation credit
Shortline Shorts
Legislation introduced to enhance railroad rehabilitation credit
Legislation has now been introduced in the U . S . Senate comparable to H . R . 721 , the U . S . House bill that was introduced on Feb . 14 to extend and enhance the Section 45G shortline railroad rehabilitation tax credit . The Senate bill , S . 411 , was introduced Feb . 28 by Sen . Jay Rockefeller ( D- W . V .).
The text of the Senate bill and its related information is available on the Library of Congress ’ s federal legislative website . From the home page , search for bill number S . 411 .
As with the House bill , the Senate bill proposes extending the tax credit through Dec . 31 , 2016 . It also proposes allowing new shortline railroads created after Jan . 1 , 2005 and before Jan . 1 , 2013 to be eligible to claim the tax credit .
The bill continues the credit cap at $ 3,500 per mile .
RJ Corman enters signal design business
Railroad industry convenes on Capitol Hill
R . J . Corman Railroad Group is entering the railroad signal system design , wiring , construction , maintenance and related business through its new company , R . J . Corman Signaling LLC . The company says that it is working on a new facility for the signal business in Nicholasville , Ky ., and has identified a location for a second facility near Jacksonville , Fla .
Work in Kentucky is nearing completion . The second facility will help accelerate the company ’ s early-stage growth in engineering and construction , said Vice President Mike Wilson , who is leading the new company . “ Our short -term plans include hiring more than 100 new employees to support engineering and the signal shop , although construction and maintenance demands will drive that number much higher .”
R . J . Corman President Craig King said that Wilson ’ s background starting new ventures at United Railway Signal Group and 10 East Corp . made him the easy choice to lead the new company .
“ Mike joined our company earlier this year to help develop the business plan and strategy of this new segment of our business ,” King said . “ His success with other business startups in the signaling discipline made him a good fit for building this new business in R . J . Corman fashion .”
OmniTRAX announces management changes
OmniTRAX recently announced several management changes .
Darcy Brede was appointed president and chief executive officer ; Scott Bell was appointed interim chief financial officer ; Peter Touesnard was appointed chief commercial officer ; and Brad Marsh was appointed vice president of human resources of the Broe Group , an OmniTRAX affilliate .
In April , the company also announced that Jeff Lederer joined OmniTRAX as north divisional general manager . Before joining OmniTRAX , Lederer spent his entire career at BNSF Railway .
Hundreds of Class I , II and III railroaders , suppliers and customers were on hand March 14 in Washington , D . C ., for Railroad Day on Capitol Hill .
According to Jeff Van Schaick of the American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association ’ s allied firm , Chambers , Conlon & Hartwell , participants made 352 congressional appointments , which resulted in a total of 2,547 “ handshakes .”
The day began at the Renaissance Washington , D . C ., Downtown Hotel , with an early-morning briefing by Adam Nordstrom of Chambers , Conlon & Hartwell and Laurie Knight of the Association of American Railroads ( AAR ). Notable this year was a skit performed by ( among others ) Jeff Van Schaick of Chambers , Conlon & Hartwell and Kim Smith of Genesee & Wyoming that simulated a congressional visit and what makes such visits a success .
Attendees later had appointments in the U . S . Senate and U . S . House office buildings . The day concluded with a gala reception and dinner . U . S . Deputy Transportation Secretary John Porcari made remarks , as well as AAR President Ed Hamberger , ASLRRA Legislative Policy Committee Chair Ed McKechnie of Watco Companies , and ASLRRA President Rich Timmons .
Ken Koff was promoted to senior vice president – corporate development and Steve Ward was promoted to vice president – engineering , assuming the role previously held by Koff .
GWA Australian unit under new leadership
Greg Pauline has assumed leadership of Australian business as managing director of Genesee & Wyoming Australia Pty . Ltd . ( GWA ). GWA operates nearly 5,000 kilometers of railroad in south Australia and the Northern Territory , including the 2,200-kilometer Tarcoola-to-Darwin line that links the Port of Darwin to the interstate rail network in south Australia .
Pauline has worked in senior roles with three major Australian corporations in the past 24 years . He was most recently executive director of development and corporate affairs for Lend Lease Group ’ s Infrastructure Services business .
Pauline succeeds Bert Easthope , who served as GWA ’ s managing director for the past eight years .
Shortline Shorts is compiled from website reports , press releases and other external communications and does not represent the views of BNSF Railway .
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