Saving Our Service

  • Economical
  • Communities
  • Efficient
  • Companies
  • Development
  • Costs

01 Opportunites

Keeping short line railroad customers connected to the national railroad network with adequate and safe rail service.

02 Growth

Short line and regional railroad infrastructure is an underutilized asset that offers opportunities for future growth.

03 Quality

Reduction in highway traffic lowers pavement damage costs by an estimated $1.2 billion.

Join SOS Today

We believe that 1,000 shippers can’t be wrong and we are working hard to convince Congress to agree.

Learn More

Saving Our Service (SOS) was originally founded in 2007 to successfully advocate for the extension of the federal Section 45G short line railroad tax credit. In 2017 SOS continues this fight by supporting the Building Rail Access for Customers and the Economy Act (“BRACE Act”). SOS calls on Congress to pass H.R. 721 and S. 407, and urges our Representatives to cosponsor these bills.

Short line freight railroads are the first and last mile that connects over 10,000 railroad customers employing over 1 million Americans. Section 45G creates over $300 million in private sector investment in freight rail infrastructure each year.

Section 45G allows our companies to access domestic and international markets through safe, reliable, and cost effective freight rail transportation. Without rail connections our businesses and employees would not be competitive, and our companies would be forced to rely solely on publicly funded and maintained highways.

Since Congress enacted Section 45G in 2004, small business freight railroad investment has increased, track conditions have improved, and rail service has improved. Our companies have facilities located on rail lines that large Class I freight railroads cannot or will not maintain. It is for this reason that we have joined together with SOS to call for permanency and certainty for the 45G tax credit.

If you are a short line freight railroad customer, please add your voice to this effort today.

GET THE FACTS

Railroads represent the most economical, energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly mode of freight transportation. Small railroads bring efficient nationwide rail service to thousands of communities, making them a vital link in North America’s rail transportation infrastructure.

Approximately 600 short line railroads exist in North America

More than 11 Million Rail Cars Transported Each Year

Short Lines generate 8% of all freight revenue

Operates nearly 40 percent of the national railroad network

Testimonials

JOIN US

Dear Member of Congress:

In 2004 the Congress took action to help the short line railroad industry secure a rehabilitation tax credit. The one thousand members of Saving Our Service (S.O.S.) are railroad customers that utilize America ’s short line railroads to move our products and obtain our necessary raw materials. We ask you to co-sponsor H.R. 721 or S. 407, which would make the existing section 45G short line railroad rehabilitation tax credit permanent. The 45G credit will expire without Congressional action this year, resulting in decreased service to thousands of railroad customers.

Short line railroads are very important to our businesses. They serve areas that are no longer served by the large Class I freight railroads and operate over track that received little or no investment from the previous Class I owners. Without these lines our businesses would be disconnected from the national main line railroad network and leave us dependent on trucks. Truck transportation would significantly increase our costs and make it harder for us to sell products across the country and around the world. In many cases we could not even secure enough truck transportation to move the volumes we transport.

We have come together as a group to emphasize that we support the short line railroad tax credit. We believe that short line railroad service is absolutely critical to our businesses. And that the short line tax credit has been a valuable tool in improving that service. I urge you to review the information found at savingourservice.org, especially the testimonials that demonstrate the benefit of the Section 45G credit. We hope that our Representatives and Senators will support the broad cross-section of the American economy that are served by short line freight railroads by cosponsoring H.R. 721 or S. 407.

Our businesses depend on short lines; and the American economy depends on us.


Saving Our Service Members

4N Corporation
7 D Wholesale
84 Lumber Company
A&R Logistics
Abilene Ag Service & Supply Inc
ACWR Shops, LLC
Advanced Logistics
Advanced Waste Services, Inc
AEROPRES Corporation
AgMark
Agri-Afc
AgroLiquid
AGrowStar, LLC
AgVentures NW
Ainsworth Pet Nutrition
Akzo Nobel, Inc.
Alliance Shippers Inc.
Allied Energy and Allied Agronomy
Allied Frozen Storage Inc
Allied Universal Corp.
Allnex
Allweather Wood LLC
Almira Farmers Warehouse Comany
Alpinos Logistics and Distribution
America Chung Nam
American Alloy Steel
American Dry Ice Corporation
American Motive Power, Inc.
American Plant Food Corporation
American Protiens, Inc
American Refining Group, Inc.
American Steel and Aluminum LLC
Ampro Products Inc
Anchor Drilling Fluids
Anchorglass Container
Anthony Timberlands, Inc.
AO Smith / American Water Heater
Archer Daniels Midland Company
Ardent Mills, LLC
Aries Chemical Inc.
Arizona Chemical
Ash Grove Cement
Ashland
Atlas Oil
Bailes Mill inc.
Baker Iron & Metal Company
Baldwin Transfer
Barilla Americas
Barnhart Crane and Rigging
Barrett Industries
Batesville Cold Storage
Bayside Best Beans
BB&S Treated Lumber of New England
Beam Suntory
Behr Iron & Steel Inc.
Bentonite Performance Minerals
Berg Steel Pipe Corp
Berry Plastic, Inc.
Bestway Enterprises, Inc.
BHS Marketing LLC
Birdsong Peanuts
BlueLinx Corporation
Bohan Express LLC
BP
Braaten Farms
Branson Scenic Railway
Briarwood Farms
Bri-Chem Supply Corporation
Brick Selections
Brojack Lumber
Buckeye Partners LLC
Builders Firstsource
Burkhart Enterprises, Inc.
Burroughs Materials-Wallace Quarry
C&C Transload, LLC
C. C. Lounsbury
C.H. Robinson
Calumet Penreco
Can-Am Trading & Logistics, LLC
CARBO
Cargill Feed and Nutrition
Carmeuse Lime and Stone
Carolina Leasing
Carris Reels Inc.
Cascade Warehouse Company
Cascades Auburn Fiber
Cedar Creek LLC
Cemex USA
Central Plains Co-op
Central Washington Grain Growers, Inc
Cersosimo Industries, Inc.
Certified DEF
CFC Recycling Inc.
CGB Enterprises
Champion Brands, LLC
Chapa Quiroga LLC
Chapin
Charter NEX Films, Inc.
Chism Hardy Investments, LLC
Choice Grain, LLC
CHS Border States
CHS Grainland
CHS Inc.
Ci Logistics LLC
Cincinnati Bulk Terminals LLC
Clay Ingels Co. LLC
Clearwater Paper Corp
Coatex Inc
Cobalt Transport Services
Coffee Farmers Coop
Coffeyville Resources Terminal,LLC
Columbia River Carbonates
Columbian Chemicals
Combined Containerboard
Concannon Lumber Co.
Cone Ag
Constellation Brands-Beer Division
Coop Country Farmers Elevator
Cooperative Elevator Co.
Cornerstone Systems
Cottonseed Co-Op Corporation
Country Home Products Inc
Couture Trucking Inc.
Cox Industries, Inc
CPG International LLC
Creola Industrial Park LLC
Crestwood
CRMS Rail
Crop Production Svc
cru trading co
Cushman Lumber Co Inc.
Custer City Farmers Coop Exchange
CWPM, LLC
D&D Ingredient Distributors, Inc.
Dakota Mill & Grain
Dakota Warehouse
Dallas Transfer and Terminal Warehouse Company
Daniel B. Hastings Inc.
Darling Ingredients Inc.
Dead River Company
Deflecto
Delaware Express
Dennison Lubricants Inc
Derby City Rail Services
DIamond Hurwitz Scrap LLC
Direct Grain
Dix Shipping Co., Inc.
DMG Equipment Company, LTD.
Dolese Bros. Co.
Domtar
Dover Chemical Corporation
DSB Inc.
DuBrook, Inc.
Duke Energy
Eagle Logistics Group LLC
East Coast Terminal Company
ECN Capital Corp
Edgeley Bean Receiving, LLC
EDH International Inc.
Edward Arnold Scrap Processor/Easco Brokerage
Emerson Tool Co.
Empire Transload LLC
Entergy Services, Inc.
Essroc Cement Corp
Exelon-ComEd
Express Grain Terminals, LLC
F. Korbel & Bros., Inc,
F.W. Cobs Company Inc
FairmountSantrol
Farmers Co-op Grain Co
Farmers Co-operative Elevator Co.
Ferza Truck and R ail
First Flare and Repair, LLC
Fishbelt Feeds, Inc.
Flagler Cooperative
Flagler Global Logistics
Fleenor Company
Florida Public Utilities
FLW Wood Products, Inc. and FLW International, Inc.
Ford Motor Company
Freeport McMoRan
Frontier Ag, Inc
Frontier Forest Products, Inc.
FSTI Chemical and Logistics
G & E Group Inc. / G 3 Lumber
G.R.Mitchell,inc
GAC Chemical Corporation
Galvotec Alloys
Garcia Grain Trading Co.
GCC
General Cable
Genessee Reserve Supply, Inc.
Georgetown Rail Equipment Co.
Gerdau
Gernatt Asphalt Products, Inc.
Gillies & Prittie, Inc.
Gilman Building Products, LLC
Glacial Plains Cooperative
Gladstone Development
Global Commodities LLC
Global Partners, LP
GlobeSource Consumer Products
Gold Star Feed and Grain, LLC
Goodro Lumber Co Inc.
Gordon Recycling Services
Graber Post Buildings, Inc.
Grain Processing Corporation
Grain Services Inc
Gralnek-Dunitz Co., Inc
Grange Co-op
Great Northern Lumber
Green Bay Packaging
Griffin River Terminal
Growmark
Growmark FS LLC
Hafco Services Inc
Halliburton
Hambug Sud
Hampel Oil-Sayre OK
Hampton Lumber Sales
Hansen Mueller Co
Harbor Point Mineral Products, Inc.
Harrold Terminal
Harvestland Cooperative
Hawkins Inc.
Headwaters Resources
Heartland Corn Products
Helena Chemical Company
Heritage Cooperative
Heritage Environmental Services, LLC
Heritage Freight Warehousing & Logistics. LLC
Heritage Plastics, Inc
Hexion
Hi Crush Proppants, LLC
HIghLine Grain, LLC
HLI Rail & Rigging
Hollon Oil Company
Hoosier Energy REC Inc.
Hoosier Magnetics, Inc
Huber Engineered Woods, LLC
Hughes Lumber
Huhtamaki Inc. New Vienna
Hydrite Chemical Co
ICAD Group
Imerys
IMEX Converting, LLC
Independence Tube, Inc
Independent Dispatch
Indianapolis Power & Light Co.
Indi-Bel, Inc.
Inerstate Commodities, Inc.
Ingomar Packing Company
Ingredion Inc.
Inland Rivers, Ports and Terminals
Innovative AG Sevice
Interdom LLC
Intermodal Services Inc
International Auto Processing, INC
International Feed
International Paper
Ittner Bean & Grain
J H Rose Logistics, LLC
J. Bury Services
J.B. Hunt Transport, Inc.
Jadcore, LLC
James Austin Company
James E. Strates Shows
James Valley Grain
Janesville Sand & Gravel Co.
Jiff Peanut Butter
JKM Ventures inc
Jones Logistics
Jostens
Junction City Reload
K & K industries, Inc
Kapstone
Kasberg Grain Company
Keane Frac, LP
Kent Grain
Kentucky-Tennessee Clay Co.
Key Cooperative
Keynes Bros.,Inc.
Keystone Propane
Keystone Rail Recovery, LLC
Knife River – Northwest
Kodiak resources Inc.
Land O’Lakes
Langevin Forest Products, Inc.
Lansing Trade Group
Larson Grain Company
lavalley Building supply
Lee Iron & Metal Co., Inc.
Lehigh Cement Company
Lincolnland Agri-Energy LLC
Linde Corporation
Lineage Logistics dba Flint River Services, LLC
Livestock Nutrition Center
Locust Lumber Co Inc
Logistec USA
Logistica Integral en Transportacion
Lone Star Railcar Storage Company
Lozier Corporation
M A Patout & Son Limited, LLC
M.C. Dixon Lumber Co.
MacMillan-Piper
Malarkey Roofing
Manley Bros
Manning Rail, Inc.
Maple River Grain and Agronomy, LLC
Mapleleaf Distribution Services, Inc.
Marion Ag Service, Inc.
Marlite
Matco Industries, Inc.
Material Translogistics Inc
Matson Logistics Inc
Matthews and Fields Lumber Co.
Maxam US LLC
Maxem Consulting
MaxYield Cooperative
MB Bark
McAllen Foreign Trade Zone Inc.
McLeod Law Firm
Meadowland Farmers Coop
Meals & Grains, Inc.
Mercer Landmark, Inc.
Merchandise Warehouse
Merchants Distribution Service
Mercuria Energy Trading, Inc.
Metal Traders d/b/a Triad Metals International
Metalico Buffalo Shredding and Recovery
Metalico Rochester Inc.
MFA, Inc
M-I SWACO, A Schlumberger Company
Michels Materials
Michigan Agricultural Commodities
Michigan Potash Company
Michigan Sugar Company
Midway Coop
Millennium Packaging Service Inc.
Millennium Roads, LLC.
MillerCoors
Mineral Manufacturing Corporation
Minn-Kota Ag Products
Mission EDC
Mizkan America, Inc.
MOL (America) Inc
Momentum Transportation USA, Inc.
Monadnock Non Wovens LLC
Mont Eagle Mills, Inc.
Morgan Advance Material
Mount Franklin Foods
Murphy Company
National Cement Company
National Lime and Stone
NEPW Logistics
Nestle Purina PetCare Company
New York Bean LLC
Nicholas Enterprises Inc.
Nidera
Noble Oil Services, Inc.
Norac Additives
Noramco Transport Corp
North Pier Energy
Northeast Treaters, Inc.
Northstar Chemical Inc.
Norton Packaging, Inc.
Novelis Inc.
Novita Nutrition, LLC
Novolex
Nucor Steel South Carolina
Nugent Sand Company
Nyrstar Trade & Marketing AG
Oahe Grain Corp
Oakboro Oil Co., Inc.
Oil-Dri Corporation of America
Olam
Oleet Processing Ltd.
Omega Rail Management
Omnisphere Corporation
Omya Inc.
Orion Engineered Carbons, LLC.
Oroville Reman and Reload
Owens Corning Sales, LLC.
Owl’s Head Alloys
Oxbow Fertilizer LLC
Oxford Construction Company
Pacific Abrasives
Pacific Northwest Oil
Pacific Terminal Services, Inc.
Pacific Woodtech Corporation
Parkside Warehouse
Parman Energy Corporation
Parsec, Inc.
Patrick Enterprises dba Superior Soil Supplements
Pattison Sand Company, LLC
PCA
Pinnacle Foods Group, LLC
Pinnacle Sands LLC
Pioneer Matrix
Plains Midstream Canada
Planters Rice Mill
POET biorefining
Poinsett Rice and Grain Inc.
Polyflex
PolyOne Corp.
Potters Industries LLC
Premier Silica/Pioneer Natural Resources
Presto Products
Producers Rice MIll, Inc.
Protein Products Inc
PSC Metals, Inc
Purina Animal Nutrition
Quad Graphics
Quality Transportation services
Quality Warehouse, Inc.
Queen City Railroad Construction
Quick Build Homes & Lumber, Inc.
R. W. Griffin Industries, LLC
Rail Solutions of Florida LLC
Railroad Distribution Services
Rangeland Cooperatives, Inc.
Rawson Materials
Reagent Chemical & Research
Recon Construction Services Inc.
Red River Grain Co.
Red Technologies, LLC
Redland Brick
Regal Petroleum
Regional Logistics Group
Reliance Packaging
Renewable Fiber, Inc.
Republic Plastics
Reynolds Consumer Products
Richard Best Transfer, Inc.
Ringling Bros. and Barmun & Bailey
Ringneck Energy
RMT
ROCHE Farm And Garden
Rock Falls Grain Co
Rockpile Energy Services
Roquette America Inc
Rose Acre Farms
Rothsay Farmers Coop
Royal Chemical Co.
Royal Manufacturing Co. LP
Russo Brothers Inc.
RVJ INC
Safety-Kleen
Saltine Warrior, Inc
Santa Teresa Ag Transload
Sargent Transportation Lines Inc
Sasol Chemicals (USA) LLC
Savage Safe Handling
Savannah Marine Terminal
SAWYER & SAWYER INC
Sazerac CO – Mr Boston Brands DBA Boston Brands of Maine
Schmadeke Feed Mill Inc.
Schneider
Schnitzer Southeast LLC.
Schnitzer Steel
Schoenberg Salt Company
Seaboard International Forest Products, LLC
Seaboard Marine
SeaGate Handling, Inc.
SeaLand
Sealed Air Corporation
Seneca Sawmill
Separation Technologies
Shelburne Limestone Corporation
Sherwood Lumber
ShipXpress
Shuman Plastics
Siemens-Mobility Div-Rail Automation
Sierra Pacific Refrigerated Services
Silver-Line Plastics
Simona America
Skyway Cement
Slack Chemical Co., Inc.
Sonoco Products Company
SOS Crane & Trucking
South Central Grain and Energy
South Dakota Pulse Processors LLC
South Dakota Soybean Processors, LLC
South Dakota Wheat Growers
Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative
Southern States Cooperative Inc.
Southwest Steel Coil, Inc
Sovena USA
SPR Packaging LLC
Springs Creative
SSA Gulf
Standlee Premium Western Forage
Star of the West Milling Company
Steel Dust Recycling
Steel Dynamics
Stella-Jones Corporation
Stimson Lumber Company
Stockman’s Milling, Inc.
Stockton Coil Center, Inc.
Stockton Railcar Repair
Stratton Equity Coop
Superior Ag Resources
Superior Oil Company
Superior Plastics Extrusion Company Inc
Swanson Group Mfg
Synergy Recycling LLC
T & J Marketing, Inc.
TAG Environmental Inc.
Tampa International Forest Products
Tank Lining of Paris, Inc.
Tanner Industries
Tarkett Alabama, Inc
T-Branch, LLC
Teevin Bros Land & Timber Co, LLC
Tempel Grain Elevators, LLP
Texana Tank Car & Mfg. Ltd
Texas Pacifico Transportation, LTD
Texas Star Warehouse
Texas Valley Grain
Texon LP
Tharaldson Ethanol Co.
Thayer-Carver
The Anastasio Group
The Andersons Inc.
The C. F. Sauer Company
The Great Bend Cooperative Association
The Knoxville Locomotive Works, Inc.
The Maine Wood Treaters, Inc
The Mallory Group
The Olen Corporation
The Ransom Quarry Co., Inc
The Scoular Company
The Western Sugar Cooperative
Titan Florida
Top Rail Solutions, Inc.
Total Grain Marketing
Town of Windham
Toys R Us
Transplace
Trevdan Building Supply
Tri-County Railroad Authority
Trinity Industries
TrinityRail Maintenance Services, Inc.
Triple M Metal
Troy Minerals
TTS, LLC
Tunnel Hill Partners
Tyson Foods, Inc.
UFP Schertz LLC
Underwood & Weld Company Inc.
Unilever
United Initiators
United States Gypsum
US Ecology, Inc.
US Foundry & MFh
US Minerals Inc
USAT Logistics – division of USA Truck, Inc.
USG Interiors Inc.
Valero Renewables Albion
Valier Coal Yard
Valley Coop oil mill
Valley Fresh Foods Inc.
Van Wert Terminal LLC
Venture Commodities, Inc.
Versatex Building Products, LLC
Verso paper
Vestas-American Wind Technology, Inc
Viper Rail Car Storage
Visalia Economic Development Corporation
Vulcraft South Carolina
W. Silver Recycling, Inc.
W. T. Young Storage Company
W.H. Rhinehart Inc.
Wagner Farms
Wardley Ind., Inc.
Watco Terminal and Port Services
Wayne Farms LLC
We Pack Logistics
We Stow, Inc.
Werner Logistics
West Plains LLC
Western Consolidated Cooperative
Western Producers Cooperative
Westmoreland Coal
WestRock
Weyerhaeuser
Wheeler Lumber
Wheelwright Lumber Company
White Co Farmers Co-op
White River Traffic Group, Inc.
White’s Hauling & Farm LLC
Wilco-Winfield LLC
Wilkinson Ray Iron & Metal, Inc
Wm. B. Morse Lumber Co.
Worthington Industries
WW Feed LLC
Yadkin Valley Railroad
Yang Ming (America) Corp.
Zarsky Lumber Co.

Membership Form

Please add your voice to those that already support SOS by filling out the following membership form. Membership in SOS is free of charge and helps advance the cause of making Section 45G permanent by enacting H.R. 4626 and S. 2595.

  • Please type the names or reporting marks of short line railroads that you do business with. Please use semi-colons (;) to separate multiple railroads.
  • Please indicate the city and state of your customer facilities that are impacted by short line railroads. Please use semi-colons (;) to separate multiple locations.
  • SOS would love to share your thoughts on why short line and regional freight railroad service is important to you. If you will help spread this story please provide a quote below that explains why safe and efficient short line rail service is important to your business.