 | |
| Abbreviation | AAR |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1934[1] |
| Type | Trade Association |
| Legal status | Active |
| Purpose | Advocate, public voice, educator, research, testing, safety & efficiency of railroads |
| Headquarters | 425 Third Street SW Suite 1000 |
| Location | |
Region served | North America |
| Membership | Railroads and associates |
Official language | English |
President & Chief Executive Officer | Ian Jefferies |
| Subsidiaries | Railinc Corporation Transportation Technology Center, Inc. |
| Staff | 70 (DC office) |
| Website | www |
TheAssociation of American Railroads (AAR) is an industry trade group representing primarily the major freightrailroads ofNorth America (Canada,Mexico and theUnited States).[2]Amtrak and some regionalcommuter railroads are also members. Smaller freight railroads are typically represented by theAmerican Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA), although some smaller railroads and railroad holding companies are also members of the AAR. The AAR also has two associate programs, and most associates are suppliers to the railroad industry.
AAR was created October 12, 1934, by the merger of five industry-related groups:[1]
William George Besler was its first President.
The AAR is headquartered inWashington, D.C., near the U.S.Capitol.
Railinc, the Association of American Railroads’ IT subsidiary based in Cary, North Carolina, operates key systems such as Umler, the Interline Settlement System, and the Embargoes system, supporting North American rail operations. Handling about nine million daily EDI messages, it serves railroads, equipment owners, and suppliers, and maintains the industry’s official code tables. Originally an AAR department, it became a for-profit subsidiary in 1999.[citation needed]
Another subsidiary, theTransportation Technology Center, Inc. (TTCI), operates and maintains theTransportation Technology Center, a 52-square-mile (130 km2) facility 21 miles (34 km) northeast ofPueblo, Colorado, owned by theUnited States Department of Transportation. The facility is under a care, custody and control contract with theFederal Railroad Administration. TTCI has an array of specialized testing facilities and tracks. The site enables testing of freight and passengerrolling stock, vehicle andtrack components, and safety devices.[3]
Where appropriate, the AAR represents its members' interests to the public at large and toCongress and governmentregulators in particular. The AAR works to improve the efficiency, safety and service of the railroad industry, such as through its responsibility for the industry's interchange rules and equipment specifications, e.g. for locomotivemultiple unit control.[4]
One of the AAR's duties is to oversee the assignment ofreporting marks – two to four letter codes that uniquely identify the owner of any piece of railroadrolling stock orintermodal freight transport equipment (trailers,semi-trailers,containers, etc.) that can be carried on a railroad.
In November 2013 the AAR urged the U.S.Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to press for improved tank car safety by requiring all tank cars used to transport flammable liquids to be retrofitted or phased out, and new cars be built to more stringent standards."[5]
