U.S. Congressman Jerry McNerney Tours Stockton Terminal and Eastern Railroad, discusses the importance of short line railroads to local business and the rail contracting and supply community
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
by: Ashley Bosch
Section: 2015 NRC Grassroots Events
Congressman McNerney with Stockton Terminal and Eastern Railroad personnel and customers
Host your own NRC Grassroots Event
The NRC's grassroots program was created to invite United States Congressmen to visit NRC member facilities and construction project sites. These visits give the Members of Congress firsthand knowledge of the rail industry and demonstrate how rail contractors and suppliers are positively affecting the rail industry and the local and national economy.
If your company is interested in hosting your Congressman for a visit, please contact Ashley Bosch to begin the process.
Stockton, CA – On 4/8/15, U.S. Congressman Jerry McNerney joined representatives from the Stockton Terminal and Eastern Railroad (STE), OmniTRAX and the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) for a tour of the ST&E’s facility. The NRC organized the event.
Upon his arrival, Congressman McNerney participated in a meet-and-greet with ST&E and its customers, including Kinder Morgan/Watco Plant Manager Robb Johnson, Kinder Morgan/Watco Business Development Manager Steve Sheldon, Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers Operations Manager Armando Gutierrez, R & B Foods Plant Manager Ivo Shoguhn. Following the meet-and-greet, Congressman McNerney had the opportunity to take a locomotive ride and see the inner-workings to the locomotive cab and the businesses served by the ST&E.
Additional attendees included NRC VP of Grassroots Advocacy & Events Ashley Bosch and NRC Member A&K Railroad Materials Western Region Sales Manager Jeff Long.
ST&E provides freight rail service to the greater Stockton area, with their 25 miles of track connecting to the BNSF, Union Pacific, and the Central California Traction Company. ST&E supports the transportation needs of multiple industries that call Stockton home, including: agriculture, asphalt, cement, chemical transportation, food processing, lumber, steel, and many others. ST&E connects these industries to the national freight rail network and allows for local Stockton businesses to move their goods more safely, efficiently, and cost-effectively.
Shortly after seeing the benefits that the ST&E provides to the local community, Congressman McNerney joined 136 of his House colleagues as a co-sponsor of H.R. 721, the short line railroad tax credit bill, which helps incentivize short line railroads such as the ST&E to invest as much as possible into their infrastructure.