The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) will present North Shore Railroad (NSHR) with the 2026 Veterans Engagement Award at its Annual Conference and Exhibition next month in Minneapolis, Minn.
The award honors member railroads that “go above and beyond to recruit, retain and support U.S. military service members,” ASLRRA reported in the March 12 edition of its Views & News email newsletter. “In addition to strong internal hiring and recognition programs, recipients must demonstrate meaningful, sustained engagement with veterans and military organizations in the communities they serve.”
NSHR, it said, stood out in every category, pairing “highly visible community engagement with an equally strong commitment to the veterans within its own workforce, showing appreciation through its actions.”
NSHR in 2024 unveiled two locomotives honoring military service and sacrifice. The Veterans Unit, LVRR 9052, recognizes service members and features the silhouettes of three soldiers saluting the American flag; it bears the phrase “All gave some.” The Memorial Unit, LVRR 9050, honors all service members who have lost their lives in the line of duty and includes the shadow of two soldiers paying their respects to a fallen comrade; written on this unit is the phrase “Some gave all.”
The locomotives are more than symbolic, ASLRRA said. NSHR in 2025 held a fundraiser train ride using its military units, raising $12,000 for two nonprofit organizations benefiting veterans, Central Pennsylvania Wreaths Across America and Heroes & Horses. In 2024, it donated all proceeds from the inaugural fundraising event to Expedition Orange and Lycoming County Hometown Heroes.
The railroad has raised a total of $32,000 for veterans organizations through ticket and merchandise sales, according to ASLRRA. To ensure these efforts continue to grow, it said, NSHR has set up an application process for qualifying veterans programs to request train ride fundraising with the military units.
When not used in special events, the military units are deployed in regular freight service. Their visibility along NSHR’s routes “turns everyday operations into a public reminder of the importance of recognizing the service of the nation’s military members,” ASLRRA noted.
The short line’s commitment to veterans is evident within the company as well, according to the association. “While NSHR does not operate a large-scale recruitment campaign due to its size, honorably discharged veterans who apply are automatically placed on a preferred candidate list,” ASLRRA reported. “Today, veterans make up 15% of the railroad’s workforce, a significant figure for a small organization.”
“Retention tells an even stronger story,” ASLRRA continued. “Veteran employees have tenures ranging from four to 23 years, with an average of 15 years of service. Seventy percent have earned at least one promotion, reflecting the company’s commitment to investing in growth and building from within.”
According to the association, recognition is part of NSHR’s culture. “Before officially unveiling the Veterans Unit, NSHR dedicated the locomotive to its military veteran employees,” ASLRRA reported. “Each person received a challenge coin and tactical jacket with custom patches, and they all signed an interior board of the locomotive that was sealed to remain on permanent display.”
Additionally, every year in honor of Veteran’s Day, NSHR President and CEO Jeb Stotter gives a gift card and note of thanks to each veteran employee. There is also a stop order on Nov. 11, with a minute of silence at 11 a.m. followed by one long horn blast.
“Altogether, NSHR is an organization making recognition and support of military veterans a daily practice,” ASLRRA said. “Through visible community engagement and a workplace culture that values veterans as leaders and teammates, the railroad shows a sustained commitment to servicemembers that embodies the spirit of ASLRRA’s Veterans Engagement Award. With its actions, NSHR sets a standard for how short lines can meaningfully support those who have served.”
HDR and Watco were ASLRRA’s 2025 and 2024 Veterans Engagement Award honorees, respectively.
NSHR earned Railway Age’s Short Line of the Year award in 2017; its sister railroad, Union County Industrial Railroad, earned the award this year. Both railroads are North Shore Railroad Company affiliates. UCIR will be presented with the Railway Age award at the ASLRRA Conference and Exhibition in Minneapolis.
