Crossties

JUL-AUG 2015

Crossties is published for users and producers of treated wood crossties.

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roducts P agle Metal E Janes Co. Gross & Hurdle Machine Works K oppers Inc. R TA WEBSITE BECOME A MEMBER CONTACT MiTe Industr Industr MiTe %41556+'5ŖJULY/AUGUST 2015 6 manufacturers and others in the business of wood products utilized by the railroads," he said. "This common forum is critical to the development of reliable standards for these products, as well as for networking where each person's knowledge and expertise are shared." M cCown said next year's meeting will take place May 1-3 at the Condado Plaza Hilton in San Juan, Puerto Rico. For more information, log on to www.AWPA.com and go to the AWPA Meetings link. AAR Warns Regulators Against Freight Rail Revenue Caps WASHINGTON—Association of American Railroads (AAR) leaders and economic experts in July urged federal regulators to beware of upending numerous national economic goals if they choose to pursue re-instituting revenue caps on freight rail companies. Speaking before a Surface Transportation Board (STB) hearing on railroad revenue adequacy, AAR President and CEO Edward R. Hamberger told the board that misap- plying regulations would have far-reaching impacts on the freight rail industry's ability to sustain the billions of private funds spent by railroads each year to build, maintain and upgrade the nation's 140,000-mile rail network. "As you take up the issue of revenue adequacy, you are painting on a much, much larger canvas than just the inside of this room," Hamberger said. "What you are considering and may decide here in this hearing room, a stone's throw from the U.S. Capitol, will ripple across the economy and ultimately impact most every American." Hamberger, and others testifying before the Board, ran through many examples of how HDUQLQJVXI¿FLHQWUHYHQXHVKDVDOORZHGUDLO- roads to make massive private investments LQUDLOLQIUDVWUXFWXUH²QHDUO\ELOOLRQ LQDQGELOOLRQVLQFH7KLV is in contrast to other modes of transporta- tion, such as highways, which are funded by taxpayers. Regulation of railroads' overall revenue levels would run counter to Congress's goals in the Staggers Act of 1980 that partially deregulated the freight rail industry to allow UDLOURDGVWRHDUQVXI¿FLHQWUHYHQXHWRPHHW their long-term needs without having to rely on the federal government. Hamberger outlined the many national goals that would be at risk should the STB GHFLGHWRUHODSVHLQWRVHUDUHJXODWRU\ policies. Doing so, he noted would under- mine the industry's ability to continue to LPSURYHUDLOVDIHW\HI¿FLHQF\DQGUHOLDELOLW\ LQFUHDVH86H[SRUWVVXSSRUW86HQHUJ\ LQGHSHQGHQFHDQGHIIHFWLYHO\SURYLGH a healthy rail network relied upon by millions of daily Amtrak and commuter rail passengers. Koppers' Rich Ziobro Passes Away PITTSBURGH—A celebration of life ser- YLFHZDVKHOG-XQHLQ3HDFKWUHH&LW;\*D for Rich Ziobro, 61, vice president of research for Koppers Performance Chemicals. "Rich was a very dedicated individual who served our company as vice president of research while being involved and com- mitted to the wood preservation industry for over 35 years," said Paul A. Goydan, Koppers president. "He was a member of a number of national and international wood preservation associations, such as AWPA, IRG, RTA, the Forest Products Society and many others. Rich's friendly personality and integrity were well respected and admired not only within our company but also within the global wood science community. He will be greatly missed by his friends at Koppers." 4 5G UPDATE: Senate Finance Committee Debates Credit Legislation WASHINGTON—In July, the Senate Fi- nance Committee met to debate legislation put forward by Chairman Orrin Hatch (R- UT) to extend expiring tax credits, including the Section 45G railroad track maintenance credit. The 45G, or "Short Line Tax Rehabilita- tion" credit, has been publically endorsed by 6HQDWRUVZKRKDYHFRVSRQVRUHG6 a bill by Senator Crapo (R-ID) and Senator Wyden (D-OR) to extend the credit. "The 45G tax credit is absolutely critical to our industry allowing for continuous investment in the upgrading and maintenance of track, which is a private sector investment in America's future economic success. A safe, well-maintained rail infrastructure is the basis of a strong safety commitment. The 45G tax credit allows our members to invest their own capital at a pace that meets the needs of their customers, many of whom would otherwise be cut off from the national freight network, and allows short lines to be a competitive transportation solution," said Linda Darr, president of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA). Ten new senators have joined this effort in the past three weeks. Q INDUSTRY NEWS GREAT FIELD TRIP! 4HE24!&IELD4RIPWASGREAT4HANKYOUSOMUCHFORALLYOUREFFORTSANDHARD; WORKTOMAKEUSASHAPPYANDCOMFORTABLEASPOSSIBLE)CERTAINLYKNOWITIS NOTEASYANDEVERYTHINGTURNEDOUTWONDERFULLY 3INCERELY *ERRY&ARLEY;*("AXTER#O SHORTENED MY LEARNING CURVE *IM )WANTTOTHANKYOUFORYOUREFFORTSWITHTHESUCCESSFUL24!&IELD4RIPLAST; WEEK%VERYEVENTANDSTOPWASVERYHELPFULTOMEINLEARNINGTHERAILTIE INDUSTRY7HILE)HAVEEXTENSIVELUMBERMANUFACTURINGEXPERIENCEYOURTHREE DAYEVENTSHORTENEDMYLEARNINGCURVEINTHISSECTOROFFORESTPRODUCTS)KNOW ITTAKESALOTOFEFFORTANDCOORDINATIONTOPLANTHISEVENT9OURDEDICATIONIS MUCHAPPRECIATED )LOOKFORWARDTOFUTURE24!EVENTSANDLEARNINGFROMYOURYEARSOFEXPERIENCE 4HANKSAGAIN "ILL"EHAN'ROSS*ANES#O AWESOME TEAMWORK ON HARDWOOD CHECKOFF! ;2EGARDING24!SRESPONSETOTHE(ARDWOOD#HECKOFFPROGRAM='REATJOB 24!TEAM7ORKINGTOGETHERWORKSEVERYTIME 3INCERELY 'ENE$ODSON.ORTH!MERICAN4IE4IMBER,,# Letters to RTA Q Q Q

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