Small-Road Briefs: RCPE, R.J. Corman Railroad Group (UPDATED)

From Left to Right: J.R. McFarland, Senior at Harrison County High School and Junior Achievement Participant; and April Colyer, R. J. Corman Railroad Group, Commercial Development Manager and Richard J. Corman's daughter. (R.J. Corman Railroad Group photo)

Genesee & Wyoming’s (G&W) Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad (RCPE) celebrates its 10th anniversary. Also, R.J. Corman Rail Group founder Richard J. Corman is posthumously inducted into the Junior Achievement of the Bluegrass Hall of Fame.

RCPE

G&W’s RCPE, which was selected as Railway Age‘s 2019 Regional Railroad of the Year, is commemorating 10 years since its startup on June 1, 2014.

Celebratory events for the railroad’s nearly 200 employees, 50 customers, and local and state government officials who have supported the railroad were held at rail yards in Rapid City, Pierre and Huron, S.Dak., throughout this week.

At more than 700 miles, RCPE stretches from Colony, Wyo., to Mankato, Minn., with branches from Rapid City, N.Dak., to Crawford, Neb., and from Wolsey to Aberdeen, S.Dak. The railroad offers customers access to the North American freight-rail network via interchanges with BNSF, Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) and Union Pacific (UP) railroads. Its commodity base includes agricultural products, aggregates and energy products.

“This has been probably one of the most rail-friendly states we’ve operated in; rail gets a very good focus from the department of transportation, as well as the governor’s office, even at the federal level, Senator Thune’s office, and our customers are very committed to using rail, just given the state and what products move into and out of the state, so it’s been a great 10 years for us,” said G&W CEO Michael Miller at the event, according to a KEVN news report.

“When our crews started up operations in June 2014, they were facing a tremendous backlog of grain from the 2013 harvest and what looked to be a record-breaking wheat harvest for 2014—one that exceeded the capacity of grain elevators across the entire state of South Dakota,” RCPE General Manager Ryan Englebright said. “But our employees rose to that initial test and set expectations – not only for South Dakota farmers but for a range of industries across the state—that RCPE could deliver safe and efficient freight-rail service.”

Among the accomplishments recognized during this week’s events:

• “The railroad has completed three of the past 10 years injury-free, a noteworthy accomplishment given RCPE’s annual volumes and the distances its crews travel.

• “In 2023, RCPE was awarded an 8.9 out of 10 for our customer service on its biennial customer-satisfaction survey. Customers have also invested billions of dollars to locate, expand or relocate along RCPE’s line – a testament to their confidence in the railroad’s ability to serve as a key transportation provider in their supply chain.

• “With support from the State of South Dakota and the U.S. Department of Transportation, RCPE has invested more than $100 million to upgrade infrastructure and equipment over the past decade. The railroad has replaced 100-year-old rail for the line east of Wall, South Dakota; has maintained or upgraded hundreds of bridges and trestles; and has doubled capacity by building three additional sidings across the line.”

In addition, nearly 70 employees were recognized for having been with RCPE since its first day of operation.

“We thank our employees, our customers, our partners at the state and federal level, and our community members for being a part of our story,” Englebright said. “With more investments for the long-term planned in the decade ahead, the future looks bright at RCPE.”

R.J. Corman Railroad Group

In a ceremony held on May 23 at Keeneland Racetrack, the founder of the R. J. Corman Railroad Group, Richard J. Corman, was posthumously inducted into the Junior Achievement of the Bluegrass Business Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame recognizes Kentucky’s most respected business leaders for their achievements, community service, and for inspiring the next generation. The ceremony was attended by April Colyer, R. J. Corman Railroad Group, Commercial Development Manager and Corman’s daughter, along with other R. J. Corman board members and company officials, including Ed Quinn, President and CEO of R. J. Corman Railroad Group and friends of Corman.

Richard J. Corman (1955-2013,) a native of Nicholasville, Ky., was a self-made entrepreneur who became a prominent figure in the state’s business landscape. Immediately after graduating high school in 1973, Corman began his career with a single backhoe, performing railroad construction jobs. “His company expanded through hard work and a reputation for fast, thorough service. He seized opportunities, taking on derailment work and eventually building the R. J. Corman Railroad Group into a leading railroad service and short line conglomerate,” according to the company.

Junior Achievement paid tribute to Corman’s “profound contributions” to the Bluegrass region. “His unwavering vision and relentless work not only propelled his own company to new heights but also significantly enhanced the quality of life for many in Kentucky, a testament to his enduring legacy,” R.J. Corman Railroad Group stated in a release.