(The AAR issued the following on January 18.)
WASHINGTON — Iowa Interstate Railroad (IAIS) has become the newest full member of the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
IAIS (www.iasrrr.com) was previously an associate member, which entitled it to participate in a number of AAR events and concentration areas. As a full member, IAIS will have access to all AAR services and will be eligible to serve on AAR committees.
“We are delighted to welcome IAIS as a full member,” said AAR President and CEO Edward R. Hamberger. “Its decision to join AAR broadens our membership and strengthens our ability to represent our industry effectively before various public agencies and with the media.”
“The pace of change in the railroad industry has increased exponentially in recent years. The AAR has served as the focus behind many of these changes and IAIS is showing its continued support by becoming a full member,” said Dennis H. Miller President and CEO of IAIS.
IAIS is headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and operates over 600 miles between Omaha, Nebraska and Chicago, Illinois on the former Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific mainline, with a branch line from Bureau to Peoria in Illinois. It received the Gold Harriman Award in 2004 for its safety performance.
IAIS was created on October 10, 1984, and is one of the “oldest” regional railroads in existence with connections to all major Class 1 carriers at various points on its line. As a result, its customers are able to ship their goods to or from anywhere in North America. Its traffic base includes grain, agricultural products, steel, scrap, appliances, intermodal containers and trailers, chemicals and forest products.
The Iowa Interstate is owned by Railroad Development Corp. of Pittsburgh (www.rrdc.com), which also owns and operates railroads in Central America, South America, Africa and Europe. Iowa Interstate’s subsidiary, Rail Traffic Control, develops and implements track warrant control systems currently in use on low-density railways worldwide.
The AAR is the world’s leading railroad policy, research and technology organization focusing on the safety and productivity of rail carriers. Its members include the largest freight railroads in the United States, Canada and Mexico. In addition, Amtrak and some commuter rail systems are AAR members. In all, AAR full members operate 77 percent of U.S. rail freight route miles, employ 92 percent of the industry’s workers and are responsible for 94 percent of the industry’s freight revenues.
In addition to its full members, the AAR also has three associate member categories whose members include railway supply companies, logistics providers, engineering firms and numerous other shortline and regional railroads.