Short Line Stories

This article presents a profile of six regional and short line railroads which, despite the various challenges presented by the weak economy, are expecting to boost carloads and increase their revenues. The article relates how each of the six railroads has taken measures to attract more customers. The following railroads are presented: 1) Brownsville & Rio Grande and its increase of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)-related carloads; 2) the Carolina Coastal Railway and its successful marketing program after acquiring a Norfolk Southern Railway Line; 3) Finger Lakes Railway and the special rail-car cover it developed; 4) Pacific Harbor Line and its environmentally friendly locomotive fleet; 5) Sierra Northern Railway and its efforts at regaining inbound liquid petroleum gas business; and, 6) Tacoma Rail and its revenue-generating locomotive servicing program.