Washington, D.C. — Freight rail advocates from across the country are coming together on Capitol Hill Wednesday, March 4 for Railroad Day 2020 — a day to talk rail with federal lawmakers and outline the policy priorities that will keep the freight rail network running on all cylinders in the years ahead.

If Railroad Day is new to you, here’s a quick video overview on what it is and why it’s important:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rndCIdR6hHc&feature=youtu.be

We know that direct, in-person input from constituents is one of the most effective ways to reach members of Congress on policy issues. This is what gives Railroad Day its impact — the size of the event, the geographical diversity of the participants, and the unified railroad industry message.

You, too, can join the chorus of voices calling for a strong freight rail network by amplifying their in-person message to policymakers via social media, especially Twitter. It’s as simple as sharing the #RailDay2020 hashtag with a pro-rail message and tagging your legislators (here’s a list of member of Congress Twitter handles).

To facilitate your Tweeting, find sample content and tips below.

Facts & Figures

Below are some facts and figures about the rail industry, simply hit “Click to Tweet” for a pre-made Twitter post. Pro-tip: tag your members of Congress! 

  • Hashtag: #RailDay2020
  • Class I railroads have spent an average of $68M DAILY on the nation’s 137,000-mile private rail network in recent years.
  • Short line railroads have invested $5+ billion since enactment of the 45G tax credit.
  • Freight railroads support about 1.1 million jobs across the country.
  • Recent years have been the safest ever for the rail industry, with the train accident rate down 10% since 2009.
  • Moving freight by rail instead of truck lowers greenhouse gas emissions by 75%.

Make Your Own Tweets

Below are example tweets where you can just fill in your member of Congress (MOC) and state. 

  • Thank you [tag MOC] for meeting w/ railroaders on #Railday2020 to discuss how freight railroads move America and [state] safely, efficiently and sustainably.
  • Railroads in [state] & across the U.S. are tech savvy — using Big Data, drones and ultrasound to enhance safety & efficiency. [tag MOC] #RailDay2020 http://bit.ly/2wOrrHh
  • Balanced rail regulations work: Shippers today can move 2x the amount of goods for about the same price they paid over 30 years ago. [tag MOC] #RailDay2020 http://bit.ly/3baF7vL
  • Freight railroads have privately spent an average of $68 million DAILY in recent years to maintain & modernize their 137,000-mile network, which creates a stronger [state] economy. [tag MOC] #RailDay2020
  • Moving freight by rail takes trucks off [state] roads, alleviating congestion and lessening the burden on our ailing infrastructure. [tag MOC] #RailDay2020 http://bit.ly/3baF7vL
  • #Infrastructure matters — #RailDay2020 focuses on how freight rail’s private spending supports safety, increased productivity, enhanced service & a stronger [state] economy. [tag MOC] #RailDay2020 http://bit.ly/3baF7vL
  • #RailDay2020 is a good time to highlight #economic importance of freight railroads, which support 1.1 million #jobs in [state] & across America. [tag MOC]
  • Interesting to learn more about freight rail’s #enviro cred during #RailDay2020. DYK freight railroads account for just 2% of transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions? [tag MOC] http://bit.ly/387UeV6

Retweet Us

You can also follow GoRail, the Association of American Railroads and the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association and retweet their #RailDay2020 posts.