Railway Age has named CSX President and Chief Executive Officer Joe Hinrichs its 2025 Railroader of the Year.
“Joe Hinrichs joined the railroad industry in September 2022, and in only two years has made significant immediate and long-term positive impacts,” said Railway Age Editor-in-Chief William C. Vantuono. “His collaborative approach to labor relations—for example, CSX was the first Class I to offer paid sick leave and forge preliminary agreements with its unions prior to the start of national bargaining—has gone a long way toward transforming the dynamic between management and rail labor from adversarial distrust to engaged problem-solving. Joe firmly believes that for CSX to fully realize its growth potential, labor and management must function as one team, with mutual respect and trust. He knows that change is difficult, but he also knows it’s necessary. And as a long-time railroad customer in his prior role as President of Ford Motor Company, he knows the critical importance of providing good service. CSX’s overall excellent performance is a testament to that.”
“Being named Railroader of the Year is a profound honor, one that truly belongs to the entire ONE CSX team,” said Hinrichs. “I am incredibly proud to stand alongside such dedicated employees who have transformed CSX into a preferred partner for our customers. Since joining the company two years ago, we have witnessed remarkable progress. Our railroaders have embraced the responsibility to consistently deliver fast, safe, reliable and high-quality service, and to do so as a unified team. There is still so much more we can do as we continue to work effectively together to ensure the success of our customers, employees, communities, and our company.”
Joe Hinrichs—only the third CSX executive to be named Railroader of the Year (he was preceded by Michael Ward in 2009 and Hays Watkins in 1984)—will be profiled in Railway Age’s January 2025 issue. He will be presented with the award at the traditional dinner hosted by the Western Railway Club at the Union League Club of Chicago on March 11, 2025.
Railway Age’s Railroader of the Year Award
The Railroader of the Year Award was started by Modern Railroads magazine in 1964 as the “Man of the Year” award. Railway Age acquired Modern Railroads in 1991 and has presented the award annually since 1992.
Recipients under Modern Railroads
- 1964: D. W. Brosnan, Southern Railway System
- 1965: Stuart T. Saunders, Pennsylvania Railroad Co.
- 1966: Stuart T. Saunders, Pennsylvania Railroad Co.
- 1967: Louis W. Menk, Northern Pacific Railway
- 1968: William B. Johnson, Illinois Central Railroad
- 1969: John W. Barriger, Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad
- 1970: John S. Reed, Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway
- 1971: Jervis Langdon, Jr., Penn Central Transportation Co.
- 1972: Charles Luna, United Transportation Union
- 1973: James B. Germany, Southern Pacific Transportation Co.
- 1974: L. Stanley Crane, Southern Railway System
- 1975: Frank E. Barnett, Union Pacific Railroad
- 1976: Dr. William J. Harris, Jr., Association of American Railroads
- 1977: Edward G. Jordan, Conrail
- 1978: Robert M. Brown, Union Pacific Railroad
- 1979: Theodore C. Lutz, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
- 1980: John G. German, Missouri Pacific Railroad Co.
- 1981: Lawrence Cena, Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway
- 1982: A. Paul Funkhouser, Family Lines Rail System
- 1983: L. Stanley Crane, Conrail
- 1984: Hays T. Watkins, CSX Corp.
- 1985: John L. Cann, Canadian National
- 1986: Raymond C. Burton, Jr., Trailer Train Co.
- 1987: Willis B. Kyle, Kyle Railways
- 1988: Darius W. Gaskins, Jr., Burlington Northern
- 1989: W. Graham Claytor, Jr., Amtrak
- 1990: Arnold B. McKinnon, Norfolk Southern Corp.
- 1991: Mike Walsh, Union Pacific Railroad
Recipients under Railway Age
- 1992: William H. Dempsey, Association of American Railroads
- 1993: Raymond C. Burton, Jr., TTX Co.
- 1994: L. S. “Jake” Jacobson, Copper Basin Railway
- 1995: Edwin Moyers, Southern Pacific Transportation Co.
- 1996: Robert D. Krebs, AT&SF, and Gerald Grinstein, Burlington Northern
- 1997: Paul M. Tellier, Canadian National
- 1998: David R. Goode, Norfolk Southern
- 1999: Edward A. Burkhardt, Wisconsin Central Transportation Co.
- 2000: The Railroad Worker (“Railroader of the Century”)
- 2001: Michael R. Haverty, Kansas City Southern Railway
- 2002: E. Hunter Harrison, CN/Illinois Central
- 2003: Richard K. Davidson, Union Pacific Railroad
- 2004: Robert J. Ritchie, Canadian Pacific Railway
- 2005: David R. Goode, Norfolk Southern
- 2006: Richard F. Timmons, American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association
- 2007: William E. Wimmer, Union Pacific Railroad
- 2008: Stephen C. Tobias, Norfolk Southern
- 2009: Michael J. Ward, CSX
- 2010: Matthew K. Rose, BNSF
- 2011: Wick Moorman, Norfolk Southern
- 2012: David L. Starling, Kansas City Southern
- 2013: James R. Young, Union Pacific
- 2014: Joseph H. Boardman, Amtrak
- 2015: E. Hunter Harrison, Canadian Pacific
- 2016: Carl R. Ice, BNSF Railway
- 2017: Thomas F. Prendergast, New York MTA
- 2018: John C. Hellmann, Genesee & Wyoming
- 2019: Jean-Jacques Ruest, CN
- 2020: Patrick J.Ottensmeyer, Kansas City Southern
- 2021: Keith Creel, Canadian Pacific
- 2022: Keith Creel, Canadian Pacific; Patrick J.Ottensmeyer, Kansas City Southern
- 2023: Katie Farmer, BNSF Railway
- 2024: Tracy Robinson, CN
- 2025: Joe Hinrichs, CSX
