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Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and 

Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program

FY2021 SELECTIONS

Rural Awards: 21 projects requesting up to $183,961,374

Alabama – Safety, Transportation, Education, and Mobility Project (Up to $4,962,110) 

Alabama & Tennessee River Railway, LLC

The proposed project will make a series of improvements on the Alabama Tennessee River Railway (ATN) between 

Birmingham and Guntersville, AL. The project includes upgrading siding and wye tracks that can handle increased 

traffic, eliminating switching across SR-144, rehabilitating the SR-144 grade crossing surface, reactivation of 

rockslide warning signals to allow for 25 mph train speeds between Birmingham and Ragland, and elimination of 

bridge defects on nine bridge structures to ensure continued 286,000-pound capacity. The project is expected to 

increase capacity, speed, efficiency, and eliminate safety risks posed by rail switching operations across SR-144. 

The project qualifies for the statutorily required set-aside for rural investment. The Class III ATN will provide a 50 

percent match.

 

Alaska – ARRC MP 422.9 Bridge Replacement (Up to $3,144,277) 

Alaska Railroad Corporation 

This proposed project will replace an aging bridge on Alaska Railroad Corporation’s (ARRC) main rail route between 

Anchorage and Fairbanks, AK where it crosses Little Goldstream Creek in a rural area 45 miles southwest of 

Fairbanks and 10 miles north of Nenana. The project will allow ARRC to replace the aging 62-foot, single-span thru 

girder bridge with a new 75-foot, single-span deck plate girder bridge. The new structure will feature a foundation 

and bridge design that accounts for the changing arctic climate and allows unrestricted access for industrystandard 286,000-pound freight cars. The project qualifies for the statutorily required set-aside for rural 

investment. The Class II ARRC will provide a 50 percent match. 

Florida – Florida Panhandle Rural Capacity Expansion Project (Up to $8,300,000) 

Florida Gulf & Atlantic Railroad, LLC

The proposed project will replace approximately 70,000 ties, install approximately 14,300 new ties, rehabilitate 11 

sidings, and makes repairs to 60 grade crossings between Jacksonville and Pensacola, Florida. The project may also 

include the acquisition of certain eligible rail equipment. These project elements will improve the track structure 

which will increase the line capacity in order to serve growing demand. The project qualifies for the statutorily 

required set-aside for rural investment. Class III FGA will provide most of a 50 percent match, with contributions 

from three private sector sources. 

 

Georgia – Heart of Georgia Americus Sub Upgrade Project (Up to $6,190,137) 

Georgia Department of Transportation

The proposed project will replace approximately 18 miles of rail, 2,750 crossties, make associated surface and 

ballast improvements, and install an OWLS Diamond switch as well as 10 turnouts between Preston, GA and 

Cordele, GA. These improvements will accommodate for 286,000-pound loads and improve reliability efficiency, 

and safety by eliminating slow-orders along 51 miles of Heart of Georgia Railroad (HOG) lines that connect at the 

Cordele Inland Port. The project qualifies for the statutorily required set-aside for rural investment. The Class III 

HOG railroad is owned by Georgia Department of Transportation, which will provide a 50 percent match. 

 
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Georgia – Georgia Southwestern Railroad (Up to $2,950,000) 

Georgia Department of Transportation

The proposed project will replace approximately nine miles of 100-pound jointed rail with 115-pound rail, and 

upgrade railroad bridges along 65 miles of the Georgia Southwestern Railroad (GSWR) between Lynn, GA and 

Cuthbert, GA. These improvements will improve the reliability, efficiency, and safety of the system by maintaining 

a state of good repair in order to prevent closures and derailments, and continue supporting 286,000-pound loads 

and Class 2 track status (speeds up to 25 mph) in Southwestern Georgia. The project qualifies for the statutorily 

required set-aside for rural investment. The Class III GSWR railroad is owned by Georgia Department of 

Transportation, which will provide a 50 percent match. 

 

Illinois – Western Illinois Freight Rail Revitalization Project (Up to $1,769,767) 

Burlington Shortline Railroad, Inc.

The proposed project will replace two bridges on the Burlington Junction Railroad (BJRY) in Quincy, IL. The two 

bridges, Ghost Hollow Creek and Curtis Creek, are 100 years old and their replacement with steel and concrete 

structures would ensure 286,000-pound freight service can continue, thereby improving the safety and efficiency 

of operations on the Marblehead Spur line. The project qualifies for the statutorily required set-aside for rural 

investment. The Class III BJRY will provide a 51 percent match.

Indiana – Connecting the Crossroads of America (Up to $8,383,761) 

Indiana Department of Transportation

The proposed project will make track improvements across the Chicago, Fort Wayne & Eastern Railroad (CFE) Main 

Line and Decatur Subdivision in Northern Indiana. Specifically, the project will replace ballast and ties along a 54-

mile segment of the Main Line, and install 115-pound rail, ties, ballast, and surfacing on a 14-mile segment of the 

Decatur Subdivision. Additionally, 43 at-grade crossing surfaces are to be replaced with rubber seal/asphalt design 

for handling heavier loads, longevity of construction, and improved efficiency of travel at crossings. These 

improvements address safety challenges and economic development, and the result of this work will be a rail line 

that allows for increased track speeds and safer operating conditions. The project qualifies for the statutorily 

required set-aside for rural investment. Class III CFE and Indiana DOT will provide a 51 percent match. 

Iowa – Installation of 27.3 Miles of Continuous Welded Rail on Iowa Northern Railway Company 

Manly & Cedar Rapids Subdivisions (Up to $7,173,452) 

Iowa Northern Railway Company 

The proposed project will install approximately 27.3 miles of continuous welded rail (CWR) across the Iowa 

Northern Railway Company’s (IANR) Manly Subdivision and the Cedar Rapids Subdivision in Northeastern Iowa. 

This project will replace 39-foot sections of 110-pound and 112-pounnd jointed rails with new 115-pound CWR 

delivered in 1,600-foot lengths and welded together into continuous strands. This project will enable the track to 

achieve an FRA Class 3 status allowing train speeds up to 40 MPH, and expedite the removal of all remaining 

jointed rail that has exceeded its reasonable life expectancy. The project qualifies for the statutorily required setaside for rural investment. The Class III IANR will provide a 50 percent match.

 

Kansas – KYLE Railroad Gateway Project (Up to $9,367,113) 

Kansas Department of Transportation

The proposed project will replace 23.5 track miles of 85-pound sectional rail with 115-pound continuous welded 

rail (CWR) on the Kyle Railroad Company’s (Kyle) Concordia Subdivision between Beloit and Yuma Junction, Kansas. 

In addition to CWR, the project would replace seven main line turnouts with 115-pound No. 10 turnouts; a new 

115-pound rail crossing in Beloit, complete ballast and surfacing, rebuild three public grade crossings with concrete 

surface (totaling of 168 track feet of crossing surface), and rebuild 46 public and private grade crossings with 

timber plank surface, including underlying crosstie replacement. This project will increase the operating speed 

from 10 mph to 25 mph and support 286,000-pound rail cars. The project qualifies for the statutorily required setaside for rural investment. Class III Kyle and Kansas DOT will provide a 52.5 percent match. 

 
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Kansas –Southwest Kansas Infrastructure Upgrade Project (Up to $10,991,971) 

Kansas Department of Transportation

The proposed project will make a series of improvements on the Cimarron Valley Railroad (CVR) in from Dodge City 

to Hugoton, Kansas. The project will replace approximately 51,618 crossties, perform approximately 3,577 flashbutt welds to rail, relay 3.7 miles of rail in curves, apply new ballast to 67 miles of track, and surface 85 miles of 

track. These improvements will enable the rail to support biodiesel transport operations as well as local 

agricultural products, raise the allowable speed from 10 mph to 25 mph, and increase the weight capacity. The 

project qualifies for the statutorily required set-aside for rural investment. The Class III CVR and Kansas DOT will 

provide a 27 percent match. 

 

Kentucky – The Bluegrass Multimodal Freight Improvement Project (Up to $7,380,600) 

R.J. Corman Railroad Company, LLC 

This project will fund three improvements to the Central Kentucky Lines railroad (RJCC) between Frankfurt and 

Lexington, Kentucky. Specifically, it will build a new freight rail-to-truck transload facility just outside of Frankfort, 

KY, rehabilitate track on the RJCC mainline between Frankfort and Lexington, KY, and make improvements to an 

existing main yard and transload facility in Lexington, KY, which includes switch replacements, rehabilitated grade 

crossings and track, expanded transload storage pads, and paving truck and traffic areas. The project qualifies for 

the statutorily required set-aside for rural investment. The Class III RJCC will provide a 40 percent match.

 

Michigan – Great Lakes Corridor Improvement (Up to $21,340,300) 

Michigan Department of Transportation 

The proposed project will rehabilitate track and rail assets operated by the Great Lakes Central Railroad (GLC) just 

north of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Specifically, the project includes installing 4.25 miles of new rail, eliminating joints 

on an additional 41.25 mainline track miles, replacing or rehabilitating 11 bridges and culverts, and installing 

approximately 30,000 ties on mainline and siding track. In total, it will eliminate 16 slow orders covering a critical 

45-mile section of the 260-mile mainline corridor and will result in fewer track defects, derailments, and other 

maintenance problems associated with rail joints. The project qualifies for the statutorily required set-aside for 

rural investment. Michigan DOT and the Class II GLC will provide a 50 percent match. 

 

Michigan – West Michigan Railroad Co. - Rail Replacement and Mainline Reconstruction 

(Up to $8,697,910) 

West Michigan Railroad Co. 

The proposed project will fund construction of and infrastructure improvements on approximately 10 miles of 

West Michigan Railroad (WMR) in Southwest Michigan. Specific improvements include rail and cross-tie

replacements, reconstructed roadbeds, bridge and turnout repairs, upgrade and replacement of two at-grade 

crossings, and rebuilding approximately 5.6 miles of track. The infrastructure improvements to existing track will 

upgrade portions of the line from 5 mph excepted track to at least FRA Class 2 speeds up to 25 mph and ensure the 

line can continue to operate 286,000-pound railcars. The project qualifies for the statutorily required set-aside for 

rural investment. The Class III WMR and Michigan DOT will provide a 35 percent match.

 

Minnesota – TC&W Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement (Up to $1,478,000) 

Twin Cities & Western Railroad 

The proposed project will make improvements to 12.2 miles of track on the Twin Cities and Western Railroad 

(TCW) between Glencoe and Plano, MN. The project addresses the deteriorating condition of the TCW by 

performing rail joint elimination via flash-butt welding to convert the existing infrastructure to continuous welded 

rail that is stronger, safer, reduces mainline derailments and decreases repairs and maintenance costs. These 

improvements will be made between MPs 460.8 and 473, which will build off previous work to enable a 

continuous segment of CWR from west of Glencoe all the way to the Twin Cities. The project qualifies for the 

statutorily required set-aside for rural investment. The Class III TCW will provide a 50 percent match. 

 
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North Carolina – Raleigh to Richmond Corridor Infrastructure Engineering & Safety Program 

(Up to $57,900,000) 

North Carolina Department of Transportation 

The proposed project will perform surveys and complete preliminary engineering (30% design) for Raleigh to 

Richmond (R2R) Corridor Program improvements between Raleigh, North Carolina, and Richmond, Virginia. 

Included in this project is the construction of a grade separation on the S-Line in Wake Forest, NC. The project will 

advance the next phase of the R2R corridor development, which will eventually result in new intercity passenger 

rail service on a state-owned route that will access currently underserved and minority rural communities with rail 

service, as well as improve travel times on the existing Amtrak Silver Meteor service. The project qualifies for the 

statutorily required set-aside for projects eligible under 49 U.S.C. § 22907(c)(2) that support the development of 

new intercity passenger rail service routes including alignments for existing routes. The project qualifies for the 

statutorily required set-aside for rural investment. North Carolina DOT, the Virginia DOT, and Amtrak will provide a 

39 percent match. 

 

North Dakota – Rural Economic Preservation Through Rail Replacement (Up to $6,704,544) 

North Dakota Department of Transportation 

The proposed project will replace approximately 14.5 miles of old jointed rail with continuous welded rail on the 

Red River Valley & Western Railroad (RRVW) between Independence and Oakes, North Dakota. The project will 

result in a more dependable rail system and maintain economic competitiveness for the impacted area with a 

heavy focus on an agricultural market in anticipation of future demand with climate change pushing the grain 

industry and growing conditions northward. The project qualifies for the statutorily required set-aside for rural 

investment. North Dakota DOT, the Class III RRVW, and two additional private sector entities will provide a 30 

percent match. 

 

Nebraska – Nebraska Central Railroad Company (NCRC) Rail Enhancements (Up to $6,317,982) 

Nebraska Central Railroad Company 

This project will complete the preliminary engineering, environmental clearance, final design, and construction of 

four rail sidings, including through 3 at-grade crossings, on the Nebraska Central Railroad Company’s (NCRC) line in 

eastern Nebraska. The rail sidings will be located specifically at Grand Island, Central City, Columbus, and Brainard, 

NE. These improvements will help to meet increased rail demand, alleviate congestion, increase the rail network's 

resiliency, and provide rail access to non-rail served industries. The project qualifies for the statutorily required setaside for rural investment. The Class III NCRC will provide a 41 percent match. 

New Jersey – Artificial Intelligence Aided Monitoring System for Railroad Trespassing Mitigation 

(Up to $582,859) 

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey 

The proposed project will develop and demonstrate an artificial intelligence-based (AI) method to detect and 

assess trespassing incidents. Rutgers University, with the support Amtrak, Louisiana DOT, and Dover and Rockaway 

River Railroad, will demonstrate this technology on five at-grade crossing areas in Connecticut, Massachusetts, 

New Jersey, and Louisiana. This AI prototype was previously developed by Rutgers in partnership with the FRA, and 

the project will deploy an enhanced version to review trespassing trends, understand the effectiveness of applied 

solutions and bolster future trespass prevention initiatives. The project qualifies for the statutorily required setaside for capital projects and engineering solutions targeting trespassing. The project qualifies for the statutorily 

required set-aside for rural investment. Rutgers, a University Transportation Center, and Amtrak will provide a 42 

percent match.

 
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Ohio – Wheeling & Lake Erie Spencer Connection Project (Up to $6,868,768) 

Ohio Rail Development Commission

This proposed project will construct a new connecting track and extension of yard tracks in the Wheeling Lake Erie 

Railway (WLE) Spencer Yard to eliminate switching movements and allow trains to directly access the yard from 

two railway subdivisions in Spencer, Ohio. The project includes two main subcomponents: construction of a third 

connecting track between the Brewster and Akron subdivision lines, and construction of eastward extensions of 

the existing Transfer and Pass tracks. These two subcomponents in turn include a number of new turnouts and 

track relocations, as well as new ballast and drainage. The revised layout will eliminate a number of reversing 

movements for trains and expand overall capacity. The project qualifies for the statutorily required set-aside for 

rural investment. The Ohio Rail Development Commission and WLE will provide a 30 percent match. 

 

Pennsylvania – Gettysburg State and Private Investments Driving Economic Recovery Project 

(Up to $1,840,000) 

Gettysburg & Northern Railroad Co. 

The proposed project will rehabilitate approximately 24 miles of the Gettysburg & Northern Railway (GET) mainline 

in Adams and Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. The project will improve the track to Class 2 safety standards and 

operating speeds, construct a new runaround track adjacent to existing track, upgrade 16 crossings warning 

devices to LED signals, replace wigwag warning circuitry at two at-grade crossings, and repair seven failed or failing 

culverts. The project qualifies for the statutorily required set-aside for rural investment. The Class III GET and 

Pennsylvania DOT will provide a 55 percent match. 

 

West Virginia – Appalachian and Ohio Railroad, Inc.’s Rural Railroad Safety Improvement Project 

(Up to $1,617,824) 

Appalachian and Ohio Railroad, Inc.

The proposed project will make safety improvements along an approximately 42-mile railroad corridor on the 

Appalachian and Ohio Railroad (A&O) from Grafton to Buckhannon, West Virginia. The project will replace the 

antiquated Traffic Control System and install a new and modern Broken Rail Detection System on the entire 

signaled section of the AO rail line. This new system will replace an aging, obsolete Traffic Control System that has 

reached the end of its useful service life. The project qualifies for the statutorily required set-aside for rural 

investment. The Class III AO will provide a 39 percent match. 

Remaining Projects: 25 projects requesting up to $184,615,694 

Arkansas – Freight Rail Capacity Improvement Project (Up to $5,569,373) 

Little Rock Port Authority 

The proposed project will add 11,215 feet of track at two locations, the Slackwater Harbor siding and North 

Marshaling Yard tracks, as well as construct an engine maintenance facility at the Little Rock Arkansas Port 

Authority location. Specific improvements include the construction of an engine maintenance facility that will 

allow the storage and service of two locomotives with room for two additional locomotives in the future, which 

will include an inspection pit, as well as support offices for the facility. This project will result in increased capacity 

at the Port Authority that will improve the efficiency of the multimodal port facility with both river and rail 

operations. The applicant will provide a 25 percent match. 

 

Arizona – The Phoenix, Arizona Urban Safety Rail Crossing Project (Up to $7,084,656) 

City of Phoenix 

The proposed project will make improvements to two complex, heavily trafficked at-grade crossings in Phoenix, 

Arizona. The two crossings, 43rd and Camelback and 19th and McDowell, are currently not protected by gate arms, 

only by cantilevered signals. This project will upgrade the two crossings by installing gate arms, signalization, 

increasing the sidewalk width for Americans with Disability Act compliance, and would make minor road upgrades 

including realignment of traffic signalization and some road widening. The City of Phoenix will provide a 30 percent 

match. 
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California – Southern San José Grade Separations (Monterey Rd) (Up to $7,500,000) 

City of San Jose

This proposed project will fund preliminary engineering and environmental reviews necessary for grade 

separations at three existing at-grade crossings at Skyway Drive, Branham Lane, and Chynoweth Avenue in the City 

of San Jose, California. All three crossings, on Union Pacific track, are adjacent to intersections with Monterey 

Road, a high-fatality corridor, with over 33,000 vehicles daily, and have a recent history of fatality and injury 

crashes. This project will develop preliminary engineering and environmental clearance for a grade separation 

structure separating the three at-grade crossings, so that grade separation is ready to be built concurrently with 

the California High-Speed Rail Project through the project area. The project qualifies for the statutorily required 

set-aside for projects eligible under 49 U.S.C. § 22907(c)(2) that support the development of new intercity 

passenger rail service routes including alignments for existing routes. The City of San Jose will provide a 25 percent 

match. 

 

California – Alameda County Rail Safety Enhancement Program - Phase A (Up to $25,000,000) 

Alameda County Transportation Commission

The proposed project will make safety improvements to 28 at-grade crossings and two trespassing sites along 

Union Pacific track in Alameda County, California. The improvements include signage, striping, lighting, fencing, 

anti-trespassing measures, crossing signals, vehicle and pedestrian gates, swing gates, tactile strips, sidewalk, road 

and driveway modifications. The FRA ranked Alameda County fourth on the list of most pedestrian fatalities in the 

United States in 2019. The proposed project will improve safety for all users along the project corridor, especially 

for pedestrian and cyclist. The installation of sidewalks, pedestrian gates, and channelizing railing will reduce 

incidents and fatalities and create a protected crossing. The project qualifies for the statutorily required set-aside 

for capital projects and engineering solutions targeting trespassing. Alameda County will provide a 63 percent 

match. 

 

California – Southern San José Grade Separations (Bascom Ave) (Up to $1,220,000) 

City of San Jose

The project will construct a queue cutter traffic signal at the Bascom Avenue Highway-Rail Crossing on the Vasona 

rail corridor in San Jose, CA. Queue cutter traffic signal indications will cycle to red when preempted by a train 

approaching or when sensors downstream of the tracks detect vehicle queues propagating towards the tracks. This 

will reduce risk of collisions between vehicle traffic and trains that cross Bascom Avenue every day. This project is 

intended to alleviate potential safety risks of some of the improvements under the Complete Streets Initiative, as a 

traffic modeling study demonstrated an unintended consequence of extending vehicle queues onto Bascom 

Avenue. The City of San Jose will provide a 50 percent match. 

 

California – Climate Change and Extreme Events Training and Research Program (Up to $4,666,011) 

San Jose State University Research Foundation 

The proposed project will establish a Climate Change and Extreme Events Training and Research (CCEETR) program 

at San Jose State University. The program objective is to conduct research, education, and technology transfer 

activities to improve the rail network's safety and resilience against extreme events, including climate change. The 

applicant will focus on five projects directed at educating the railroad community and evaluating and 

demonstrating technologies and approaches that show promise for mitigating the consequences of extreme 

events on railroad operations: Application of emerging technologies to create evaluation and simulation scenarios 

for railroad personnel training; Creation and delivery of training programs that can be used by freight and 

passenger railroads to enhance their ability to develop response programs to enhance resiliency; Development of 

predictive assessment tools to support detection, alert, and warning systems planning, operations, response, and 

recovery from emergencies and disruptive events; Enhance technology transfer, career pathways, economic and 

workforce development for minority, small businesses, and underserved communities; and Evaluation and 

demonstration of sensors on mobile and fixed platforms to identify risks for the North American rail network. The 

San Jose State University, a University Transportation Center, and consortium partners will provide a 20 percent 

match. 
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California – Pacific Surfliner Bridge 257.2 Replacement Project (Up to $8,042,730) 

San Diego Association of Governments 

The proposed project will replace the Pacific Surfliner Bridge 257.2 in San Diego County, California. The timber 

bridge, constructed in 1917, is located along a double-track segment of the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo 

(LOSSAN) rail corridor. This project will replace the existing structure with a new concrete bridge constructed 

above the flood zone to ensure safe and efficient operations will continue without service interruptions from 

structural degradation or natural events. The project is expected to maintain safe conditions along the frequentlyused railway and continue its economic vitality, as this corridor sees significant daily train traffic for intercity, 

freight, and commuter services. SANDAG and North County Transit District will provide a 42 percent match. 

 

Colorado – South Downtown Railroad Underpass Reconstruction Project (Up to $2,500,000) 

Colorado Springs City Government 

The proposed project will advance preliminary engineering and environmental review of three Union Pacific 

bridges at South Nevada Avenue, South Tejon Street, and Shooks Run, and realign a 1.5-mile segment of mainline 

track in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The project would significantly reduce the need for ongoing and increasingly 

significant repairs on aging bridges; prevent future unplanned outages, improve travel times, track safety, and 

reliability; and reduce trespassing incidents. The track segment is on a shared corridor with BNSF, and the existing 

bridges constrain planned expansions of the roadways and the development of bus rapid transit service. The City 

of Colorado Springs will provide a 34 percent match. 

 

Colorado – 120th Avenue Grade Separated Crossing with US 85 and UPRR (Up to $9,589,000) 

City of Commerce City 

The proposed project will advance preliminary engineering and right-of-way acquisition to create a new gradeseparated interchange with US 85 and 120th Avenue and a grade-separation with 120th Avenue and the Union 

Pacific Railroad line in Commerce City, Colorado. The project will eliminate vehicular-rail conflicts by grade 

separating the 120th Avenue at-grade crossing and closing the 124th Avenue at-grade crossing. These infrastructure 

changes will eliminate vehicular traffic bottlenecks and vehicle-rail collision locations, and improve vehicular access 

while reducing road congestion. Commerce City and state partners will provide a 40 percent match, and the 

project also includes additional Federal funds in TIP/FHWA funding.

 

Connecticut – Enfield Station and Track Improvements (Up to $13,860,000) 

Connecticut Department of Transportation

The proposed project will conduct environmental review, preliminary engineering, final design, and construction of 

a new station to accommodate increased service as part of the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Rail Program and 

improve under bridge clearance in Enfield, Connecticut. Specific improvements will include a 500-ft level boarding 

platform, a utility building with waiting area, and station parking. Track and signal work are needed to support the 

platform, and the clearance will be improved by raising the bridge and lowering the road. Connecticut DOT will 

provide a 50 percent match, and the project also includes additional Federal funds from FTA. 

 

District of Columbia – Mechanical Craft Workforce Development Apprenticeship Training Program 

(Up to $8,000,000) 

National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) 

The proposed project is a three-year Mechanical Craft Workforce Development Apprenticeship Training Program 

that will provide significant professional development opportunities for current and future Amtrak employees. The 

pilot mechanical training program will begin in 2022 and the full training program of additional classes will be 

carried out from the end of 2022 to the end of Q3 2025. These trainings are to take place in six major Amtrak hubs: 

Los Angeles, CA Chicago, IL, Beech Grove, IN, New York, NY, Wilmington, DE, and Washington DC. Amtrak is 

working in cooperation with its labor organizations to nurture a skilled mechanical workforce to maintain its fleet 

of equipment. This new program will help address Amtrak’s attrition problem, and this program will preserve work 

experience by training new employees and retaining existing employees through re-training. Amtrak will provide a 

20 percent non-Federal match. 

 
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Delaware – Development and Implementation of HBCU Based Railroad Engineering Program for 

Underrepresented Communities (Up to $4,592,637) 

University of Delaware

The proposed project will develop and implement a railroad engineering program at Morgan State University 

(MSU), a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Baltimore, MD. The new program would be modeled 

after the University of Delaware’s railroad engineering program, with the goal of an active undergraduate and 

graduate railroad concentration under the Transportation Engineering degree program underway within the 

grant’s anticipated four-year period of performance. The program will also look to engage high school students in 

the study of railroad engineering with MSU’s current internship program, and seeks to expand similar programs at 

other HBCUs nationwide through the development of procedures and a program template. The University of 

Delaware, a University Transportation Center, will provide a 20 percent match. 

Florida – Tampa to Orlando High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Project (Up to $15,875,000) 

Brightline Trains Florida, LLC

The proposed project will advance preliminary engineering activities to support Phase III of the Brightline system, a 

67-mile extension from Orlando to Tampa mostly within the right-of-way of I-4 in in Central Florida. Brightline 

currently operates from Miami to West Palm Beach (Phase I) and the West Palm Beach to Orlando segment (Phase 

II) is currently under construction. The full build out of the Phase III extension would provide an alternative for 

travelers on an overburdened state highway system and is projected to reduce the number of vehicle miles 

traveled along I-4. The project qualifies for the statutorily required set-aside for projects eligible under 49 U.S.C. § 

22907(c)(2) that support the development of new intercity passenger rail service routes including alignments for 

existing routes. Brightline, a privately-owned intercity passenger service provider, will provide a 50 percent match. 

Indiana – The Elkhart Preservation and Improvement for the Community Project (EPIC) 

(Up to $2,618,173) 

Elkhart & Western Railroad

The proposed project will relocate interchange track, upgrade the 9-mile Elkhart Branch line to Class 1 track safety 

standards, expand rail siding capacity, and replace three grade crossing surfaces on the Elkhart and Western 

Railroad (EWR) in Elkhart, IN. This project will relocate the interchange used by EWR and Norfolk Southern (NS) by 

moving it out of the city center and into an industrial area. Currently, EWR and NS track intersect two roadways, 

and when a train is more than nine railcars long, it blocks the roadway for approximately 15 minutes while trains 

interchange. The proposed track relocation would eliminate the blocked crossing and improve grade crossings with 

deteriorating conditions. The Class III EWR, Indiana DOT, the City of Elkhart, and the St. Joseph County 

Redevelopment Commission will provide a 50 percent match.

 

Massachusetts – Springfield Area Track Reconfiguration Project (Up to $1,750,000) 

Massachusetts Department of Transportation 

The proposed project will develop preliminary engineering and environmental clearance for track, signal, and 

infrastructure improvements around Springfield Union Station in Springfield, Massachusetts. These improvements 

would include additional platforms, additional crossover tracks, storage tracks, a new layover facility, and other 

work that will support the Amtrak Springfield Line, the CSX Boston Albany Line, and small segments of the former 

Armory Branch and Knowledge Corridor. The project will improve operational efficiency, reduce travel times, 

improve passenger accessibility for intercity passenger rail services, and reduce freight and passenger rail conflicts 

on corridors in the Springfield area. Massachusetts DOT will provide a 50 percent match.

 
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Maryland – Port of Baltimore Rail Capacity Modernization Project (Up to $15,680,000) 

Maryland Port Administration 

The proposed project will construct four new working tracks and two crane rail beams within the Port of 

Baltimore's Seagirt Marine Terminal in Baltimore, Maryland. The proposed improvements aim to meet future 

demand in intermodal volumes due to the ability to move double stack trains from the Seagirt Marine Terminal 

upon completion of the Howard Street Tunnel Project in 2025, as sufficient space will be provided under the crane 

hook to accommodate four future working tracks as volumes grow. The Seagirt Terminal supports multi-modal 

connections with rail, road, and water to both Norfolk Southern and CSX railroad, which support freight traffic to 

East Coast and Midwest markets. Ports America Chesapeake, the operator of the Seagirt Marine Terminal, will 

provide a 30 percent match. 

 

Mississippi – Mississippi Highway -18/ Kansas City Southern Grade Separation (Up to $1,500,000) 

Rankin County 

The proposed project will fund preliminary engineering and environmental review for the elimination of the atgrade crossing at Highway 18 and the Kansas City Southern rail line and replace it with a new grade separated 

bridge and additional travel lane in Brandon, Mississippi. The grade separation is expected to improve travel time 

for both commuters and KCS operations, eliminate accidents at the crossing, reduce idling emissions, and provide 

accommodation for expected future demand for rail and vehicular traffic. Rankin County will provide a 50 percent 

match. 

 

New York – NYS&W Railway Syracuse Main Installation of 6.9 miles of CWR, New Ties and 

Ballast/Surfacing ($2,931,122) 

The New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway Corp.

The proposed project will fund environmental review, final design, and installation of approximately 6.9 miles of 

continuous welded rail (CWR), new rail ties, ballast/surfacing, and four new switches on the New York, 

Susquehanna, and Western Railway (NYS&W) in Onondaga and Cortland Counties in New York. The 6.9 miles of 

track will be improved across three sections: within the Town of Fabius, between Fabius and Lafayette, and 

between Cortland and the Village of Homer. New CWR would remedy fatigue problems associated with the jointed 

rail, helping build an efficient and modern transportation infrastructure by increasing capacity, safety, and 

reliability for now and the future on a rail line that connects several counties rail shippers to interchanges with 

both CSX and Norfolk Southern. The Class III NYS&W and New York State DOT will provide a 50 percent match.

 

Ohio – River Road Highway/Rail Grade Crossing Safety Improvements (Up to $6,067,200) 

City of Cincinnati 

The proposed project will make safety improvements to four crossings on CSX and Central Railroad of Indiana 

(CIND) railroad in the City of Cincinnati, OH. The project includes new signal equipment that meets or exceeds 

current safety standards, as the upgraded signals will provide programmed signalization, preemptive warnings, 

gates, highway signalization, highway lighting and crossing approach signage. This will improve safety for all road 

users, especially for hazmat carrying trucks that queue up on the rail line due to traffic signal at a nearby 

intersection. The City of Cincinnati will provide a 20 percent match. 

Pennsylvania – Colebrookdale Railroad Infrastructure, Safety & Capacity Upgrade (Up to $14,681,397) 

The Redevelopment Authority of the County of Berks 

The proposed project will rehabilitate approximately 8.6 miles of track with 130-pound continuous welded rail 

(CWR) to ensure compliance with Class 2 track standards and the ability to able to handle 286,000-pound railcars 

between Boyertown and Pottstown, PA. The project will also rehabilitate or replace 14 bridges that are 

deteriorating, construct two rail-served transload yards, and six new sidings. By providing additional interchange 

capacity and eliminating load restrictions, this project provides operational capability to meet existing shipper 

demand and provides additional capacity to meet known unmet shipper demand and anticipated future growth. 

The project will also address the drainage issues on the corridor and prevent further accidents from occurring, as 

the railroad corridor acts a funnel and directs large quantities of water to nearby roadways. The applicant will 

provide a 65 percent match.

 
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Texas – Harlingen Rail Improvements Project (Up to $5,570,566) 

Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority

The proposed project will relocate and realign approximately 1.7 miles of track and construct one new crossing in 

order to eliminate seven existing at-grade crossings in Harlingen, Texas. The new track connection will enable the 

Union Pacific Harlingen Subdivision track to connect to the Union Pacific Brownsville Subdivision, as well as 

straighten out two curves. The extension of this track between Jefferson Avenue and Adams Avenue would allow 

for the closure of the older SP switchyard east of Commerce Street between Ona Street north to Orange Heights 

Street and the removal of the rail line between Commerce Street and Adams Avenue. This new connection would 

result in the retirement of approximately 1.7 miles of the Harlingen Subdivision between U.S. 77 Sunshine Strip 

and Jefferson Avenue and close seven crossings to improve railroad infrastructure, reduce congestion, and 

improve safety along active rail. The applicant will provide a 20 percent match. 

Virginia – Ettrick Station Improvements (Up to $6,355,829) 

Virginia Passenger Rail Authority

The proposed project will make improvements to the station located in the Village of Ettrick, within Chesterfield 

County, Virginia. The project will make improvements to the existing station building and infrastructure and 

construct a new Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant 850-foot long platform. These collective improvements 

were designed to accommodate the future installation of a third track to accommodate the extension of the 

Southeast Corridor from Richmond to Raleigh. The project qualifies for the statutorily required set-aside for 

projects eligible under 49 U.S.C. § 22907(c)(2) that support the development of new intercity passenger rail service 

routes including alignments for existing routes. The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority will provide a 40 percent 

match. 

 

Washington – Pierce County Rail Capacity and Reliability Improvement Project (Up to $10,000,000) 

Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority 

The proposed project will complete preliminary engineering and environmental review for track and signal 

improvements to increase passenger and freight rail capacity, including double-tracking and other track and signal 

improvements, in the Pacific Northwest High Speed Rail Corridor between Tacoma, Lakewood, and DuPont, 

Washington. The project is located along a 12-mile corridor in southern Puget Sound in Pierce County, Washington, 

and the three segments to be double-tracked are TR Junction to Portland Avenue, South 66th Street Bridge to Pine 

Street, and Lakewood to DuPont. These improvements are envisioned to accommodate planned additional daily 

Amtrak Cascades trains by 2040, a reduction in the average 30-minute delays on Sounder Commuter Rail, and 

increased service reliability and on-time performance for freight and passenger trains through additional capacity 

that will reduce conflict on congested track. The applicant will provide a 50 percent match. 

 

Washington- Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor Reliability - Landslide Mitigation Phase IV Project 

(up to $3,837,000) 

Washington State Department of Transportation 

The proposed project will reduce landslide blocking events by installing catchment walls along BNSF’s Scenic 

Subdivision at three locations between Seattle and Everett, Washington. In addition to constructing catchment 

walls to reduce the risk of slide debris reaching the tracks, the project also improves the existing slide fence alert 

system that notifies dispatchers and train crews of possible track intrusion and improves drainage along the track. 

The project addresses landslide hazards at these locations and builds on prior investments to enhance the safety, 

reliability, and predictability of passenger rail service on the Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor. Washington DOT and 

BNSF will provide a 50 percent match. 

 
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Wisconsin- Trespassing Safety Study (up to $125,000) 

Wisconsin Department of Transportation

The proposed project is a study to develop safety solutions for trespassing and grade crossing incidents in two rail 

corridors in Southeastern Wisconsin. The purpose of the study is to identify potential infrastructure improvements 

and/or strategies to effectively reduce the risk of trespassing and casualties throughout the study corridors. The 

identified study areas, Wauwatosa and Waukesha, have a history of incidents over the past 20 years. The project 

qualifies for the statutorily required set-aside for capital projects and engineering solutions targeting trespassing. 

Wisconsin DOT will provide a 50 percent match. 

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