ROCHESTER, Ind. — It was spring 2023 when Eric Thurlow received an unexpecting phone call asking him if he’d want to become part owner in an Indiana short line. At the time, Thurlow was assistant vice president of sales and marketing at Genesee & Wyoming. On the other end of the phone was Corey Tumpane, a former colleague of Thurlow’s, and a seasoned general manager at Chicago Transit Authority. Tumpane also called James Reiner, a financial professional who left railroading a few years ago.
Tumpane was reaching out because of a meeting he had with Jason Grube, owner of the Fulton County Railroad and president of Rochester Iron & Metal, one of two customers on the short line. Grube has overseen the growth of the scrapyard from a local yard into a facility with a regional footprint. Rail is an important part of that growth, but Grube needed a new operator to help make repairs and keep carloads moving. Grube needed railroaders to bring a fresh perspective and handle day-to-day operations.
Tumpane’s efforts didn’t take much convincing. Thurlow, Reiner, and Tumpane — all former Norfolk Southern railroaders — quit their established jobs and became partners with Grube. They submitted their paperwork to the Surface Transportation Board and established the Rochester & Erie Railway in April 2023. They rented an apartment near the railroad and set up shop.
Today, they are each partners in the Rochester & Erie — operators of 13 miles of former Nickel Plate and Erie lines between Rochester and Argos, where it interchanges with NS. It was formerly known as Patriot Rail’s Elkhart & Western Railroad. It serves Grube’s scrapyard and Prairie Mills Products, providing Monday through Friday service as needed.
Grube serves as president and Tumpane, Reiner, and Thurlow wear many hats. Tumpane is chief engineer, conductor, and track inspector. Reiner is chief operating officer, engineer, and track inspector. And Thurlow is chief commercial officer, road foreman, and conductor. The three work well together, spending virtually all of their time together both on the right-of-way and the apartment. At the end of each week, they go home to their families. Tumpane lives in Chicago, Reiner is in Fulton, Mo., and Thurlow lives in Toledo, Ohio.
The unconventional decision to leave their established jobs and embark on an entirely new experience has paid dividends both for the railroaders and the line’s two customers.
Carload business increased 127% from 302 carloads in 2022 to 687 carloads in 2023. As of October, they have already moved 715 carloads, breaking last year’s record with three months remaining. Their customers are grateful for the communication, teamwork, and willingness to do what it takes to service their businesses.
“Rochester & Erie has become an integral piece of the Rochester & Iron logistics strategy. Through car management and timely service they have assisted [Rochester] in improving shipping efficiencies, says Kelly Eaton, vice president of sales at Rochester Iron & Metal.
In between spotting and pulling freight, the three men spend time repairing track. The railroad purchased a tie crane, scarifier, and ballast regulator, and rented a tamper. The three immediately went to work installing more than 100 crossties, tamping tracks, and changing broken joint bars to address immediate safety concerns in the railroad’s early days.
They submitted grant applications to the Indiana Department of Transportation for widespread crosstie replacement and were awarded two grants. The first phase replaced 5,000 crossties across 6 miles of track in the railroad’s first nine months. Another grant will replace 2,500 crossties across 4 miles.
Thurlow — who may be the industry’s only chief commercial officer and road foreman of engines — says the railroad is looking to add a transload customer in the months ahead and is actively promoting the railroad online and through word of mouth. The railroad also works closely with the city and county economic groups to promote the railroad’s economic offerings.
The close-knit team is modest, attributing its success to the customers it serves and NS’s same-day service between its yard at Fort Wayne, Ind., and the Argos interchange.
