R.J. Corman Railroad Group facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 1973 |
| Founder | Richard J. Corman |
| Headquarters |
Nicholasville, Kentucky, U.S.
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Area served
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United States |
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Key people
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Ed Quinn (President) |
| Services |
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| Revenue |  US$ 300 million (FY 2011) |
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Number of employees
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Approx. 1600 |
The R. J. Corman Railroad Group, LLC is a company that helps keep railroads running smoothly. It is a private company, meaning it is not traded on the stock market. Their main office is in Nicholasville, Kentucky. They also have locations in 22 different states across the United States.
Richard J. Corman started this company in 1973. He led the company until he passed away in 2013. The company owns and operates nineteen "short line" railroads. These are smaller railroads that connect to bigger ones. These lines are found in states like Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
R. J. Corman works with all the major railroad companies in the U.S. They also help many smaller railroads and businesses that use trains. Their services include building and fixing tracks, running short line railroads, and helping with train emergencies. They also manage materials for tracks and operate special dinner trains.
Contents
Company History
Starting in the 1970s and 1980s
Richard J. Corman founded R. J. Corman Railroad Construction in 1973. This was the beginning of the company. In 1983, they started R. J. Corman Derailment Services. This new part of the company helped clean up after train accidents. Their first office for this service opened in Columbus, Ohio.
The company's main office, called Jay Station, was built in Nicholasville, Kentucky. It was named after Rick Corman's father, Jay Corman.
Growing in the 1990s
R. J. Corman began running its own short line railroads in 1987. They bought the Bardstown Line and the Memphis Line. Throughout the 1990s, they continued to buy and fix many more rail lines. They even reopened lines that had been closed for a long time.
The Bardstown Line became home to the My Old Kentucky Dinner Train. This special train started its first trips in 1989. It offers a unique dining experience while traveling on the tracks. In 1990, R. J. Corman opened its first Distribution Center. This center helps manage and move materials for railroads.
In 1994, R. J. Corman Material Sales began. They started supplying track and rail materials to other large railroad companies.
Into the 2000s and beyond
In 2001, R. J. Corman started its Railroad Switching company. This service helps move train cars around in rail yards. From 2003 to 2004, the company built its own runway, Lucas Field, in Nicholasville. This led to the creation of R. J. Corman Aircraft Maintenance.
In 2009, R. J. Corman Railroad Group bought parts of Railpower Technologies Corp. This company made special hybrid locomotives. On April 1, 2013, R. J. Corman Signaling was created. This new division focuses on designing and building railroad signals.
Sadly, Rick Corman passed away on August 23, 2013. He had been battling a serious illness for many years.
Railroad Lines Operated
R. J. Corman operates many different short line railroads. These lines help connect businesses and towns to the larger railroad network. Here are some of the lines they operate:
- R. J. Corman Railroad/Allentown Lines (Pennsylvania)
- R. J. Corman Railroad/Bardstown Line (Kentucky)
- R. J. Corman Railroad/Central Kentucky Lines (Kentucky)
- R. J. Corman Railroad/Carolina Lines (North and South Carolina)
- R. J. Corman Railroad/Cleveland Line (Ohio)
- R. J. Corman Railroad/Memphis Line (Kentucky and Tennessee)
- R. J. Corman Railroad/Pennsylvania Lines (Pennsylvania)
- R. J. Corman Railroad/Raleigh & Fayetteville Railroad (North Carolina)
- R. J. Corman Railroad/Tennessee Terminal (Mississippi and Tennessee)
- R .J. Corman Railroad/Texas Line (Texas)
- R. J. Corman Railroad/Western Ohio Line (Indiana and Ohio)
- R. J. Corman Railroad/West Virginia Line (West Virginia)
- Nashville and Eastern Railroad, Nashville & Western Railroad and Transit Solution Group; these operations were acquired in January 2019.
- Owego and Harford Railway, Lehigh Railway and Luzerne and Susquehanna Railway; the agreement to acquire these was announced in August 2020.
- Knoxville & Cumberland Gap Railroad
Services Provided
R. J. Corman offers many important services for the railroad industry. These services help keep trains moving safely and efficiently.
- Railroad Construction: They build new tracks and repair old ones.
- Short Line Railroad Operations: They run their own smaller railroad lines.
- Industrial Switching Services: They move train cars around for businesses.
- Emergency Response: They help quickly clean up and fix things after train accidents.
- Track Material Logistics: They manage and deliver materials needed for tracks.
- Distribution Centers: These centers store and move railroad materials.
- Signal Design and Construction: They create and install railroad signals.
- Excursion Dinner Train: They operate My Old Kentucky Dinner Train, which offers scenic train rides with meals.
