OUTBACK
railroad
association
Railroads and vendors joining together to promote safety and training in the rail industry...
The Outback Railroad Association was formed in 2014 by railroad employees and vendors to promote safety and training to shortline railroads in the United States. By the sharing of ideas and information, we will strive to make our railroads safe places to work!
The 2025 Safety and Training Conference and Tradeshow will be held at The Lodge at Deadwood, SD from May 13th through May 15th, 2025. We hope to see you there!
Latest Regulation Updates
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued a final rule, extending the amount of time freight rail equipment can be left off-air (meaning parked with its air brake system depressurized) before requiring a new brake inspection, which is expected to reduce the number of idling locomotives. The final rule incorporates longstanding waivers for brake inspections, tests and equipment, while clarifying existing regulations and removing outdated provisions. The final rule extends the period of time "off air" from 4 hours to 24 hours. You can read the final rule here
The Short Line Safety Institute's (SLSI) training program for short-line hazardous materials professionals has effectively provided crucial safety information that is "highly valued" by participants, according to SLSI analyses. Click here to read more!
8th Edition GCOR is now available to order!
The newest edition of General Code of Operating Rules is now available to order.
Gary Wolf with Wolf Railway Consulting has released a 435-page, full color handbook “The Complete Field Guide to Modern Derailment Investigation” to assist you in analyzing any type of derailment you may be faced with. The handbook is 4 1/2" x 8" so you can easily carry it with you to any derailment site. Click here to visit Wolf Railway Consulting's web site for more information.
2020 Emergency Response Guidebooks are now available from vendors such as Labelmaster, The Railway Educational Bureau and JJ Keller!