Twenty-four of the winning projects were submitted by American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) members. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation will provide a 50% match. (ASLRRA member), 6. 8. The Washington Department of Transportation and BNSF will provide a 50% match. The pilot mechanical training program will begin in 2022; the full training program of additional classes will be carried out from the end of 2022 to the end of third-quarter 2025. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Artificial Intelligence Aided Monitoring System for Railroad Trespassing Mitigation: Up to $582,859 will be used to develop and demonstrate an artificial intelligence-based (AI) method to detect and assess trespassing incidents. We are pleased to invest in projects like this because keeping our rail lines operating safely and efficiently is critical. (ASLRRA member), 21. (ASLRRA member), 12. Class III CFE and the Indiana Department of Transportation will provide a 51% match. The Michigan Department of Transportation and the Class II GLC will provide a 50% match. Class III GSWR railroad is owned by Georgia Department of Transportation, which will provide a 50% match. Connecticut Department of Transportation Enfield Station and Track Improvements: Up to $13,860,000 will be used to 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, Conn. 22. Massachusetts Department of Transportation was awarded up to $1.75 million for the Springfield Area Track Reconfiguration Project that will develop preliminary engineering and environmental clearance for track, signal and infrastructure improvements around Springfield Union Station in Springfield, Mass. ASLRRA member Lake State Railway hosted @SecretaryPete and Michigan's @RepDanKildee for the announcement of @USDOTFRA FY21 CRISI grant recipients. $16.4 million so that Boca Raton, Florida can build a Brightline station and attached parking garage. 11. 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. The Class III NCRC will provide a 41% match. The CCEETR programs objective is to conduct research, education and technology transfer activities to improve the rail networks safety and resilience against extreme events. The University of Delaware, a University Transportation Center, will provide a 20% match. Freight Rail Capacity Improvement Project: Up to $5,569,373 will be used to add 11,215 feet of track at two locationsthe Slackwater Harbor siding and North Marshaling Yard tracksas well as construct an engine maintenance facility at the Little Rock Arkansas Port Authority location. The project will be built concurrently with the California High-Speed Rail Project through the area. This $320.6 million federal investment will upgrade U.S. rail infrastructure and enhance rail safety in communities across America, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. The project qualifies for the statutorily required set-aside for projects eligible under 49 U.S.C. The Class III CVR and Kansas Department of Transportation will provide a 27% match. The Class III WMR and Michigan Department of Transportation will provide a 35% match. Class III ATN will provide a 50% match. The new track connection will enable the Union Pacific Harlingen Subdivision track to connect to the Union Pacific Brownsville Subdivision, as well as straighten two curves. 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, according to FRA. FRA said the selected projects will not only improve and expand passenger rail and fund conventional and high-speed rail, but also will increase supply chain resilience and fluidity, support short line railroads, and invest in in new technology and safety advancements, and benefit rail industry workforce development and training activitieshelping to create jobs and increase economic growth.. 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. Secretary Pete toured @LakeStateRail and snapped a pic with LSRC Pres/CEO John Rickoff (C) and Rep. Kildee (L). The project qualifies for the statutorily required set-aside for projects eligible under 49 U.S.C. The Elkhart Preservation and Improvement for the Community Project (EPIC): Up to $2,618,173 will be used to relocate interchange track, upgrade the nine-mile Elkhart Branch line to Class I railroad track safety standards, expand rail siding capacity, and replace three grade crossing surfaces on the EWR in Elkhart, Ind. City of San Jose, Calif. Southern San Jose Grade Separations (Monterey Rd. "Americans deserve a world-class rail system that allows people and goods to get where they need to go more quickly and affordably, while reducing traffic and pollution on our roads," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. (ASLRRA member), 1. Connecticut Department of Transportation was awarded up to $13.9 million for the Enfield Station and Track Improvements project that 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. 2. (ASLRRA member), 17. FRA reported that the aim is 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. This round of CRISI grantsone of the largest everis a major step forward for the Biden-Harris Administrations efforts to revitalize and rebuild the countrys infrastructure, FRA Administrator Amit Bose said. Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC) ARRC MP 422.9 Bridge Replacement: Up to $3,144,277 will be used to replace an aging 62-foot, single-span thru girder bridge on the ARRC main rail route between Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska, with a new 75-foot, single-span deck plate girder bridge. The applicant will provide a 25% match. Pioneer Lines is dedicated to bolstering safety and customer service across our railroads, said Alex Yeros, CEO and President of Pioneer Lines. (Reducing fatalities by reducing trespassing has been a top priority of AARs government relations work for the last couple of years, and it shows in the pattern of federal grants.). The Class III IANR will provide a 50% match. Amtrak was awarded up to $8 million for the Mechanical Craft Workforce Development Apprenticeship Training Program. (ASLRRA member), 13. All rights reserved. A full list of CRISI grant recipients, as well as project descriptions is available on FRA's website., https://www.linkedin.com/company/masstransit. The new program would be modeled after the University of Delawares railroad engineering program, with the goal of an active undergraduate and graduate railroad concentration under the Transportation Engineering degree program underway within the grants anticipated four-year period of performance. The applicant will provide a 65% match. The project will replace approximately 51,618 crossties, perform approximately 3,577 flash-butt 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. (ASLRRA member), 2. 9. Eligible projects included those that reduce congestion; address highway-rail grade crossings; upgrade short line and regional railroad infrastructure; relocate rail lines; improve intercity passenger rail capital assets; target trespassing; enhance multi-modal connections; and facilitate service integration between rail and other modes, such as at ports or intermodal facilities. City of Commerce City, Colo. 120th Avenue Grade Separated Crossing with US 85 and Union Pacific: Up to $9,589,000 will be used to advance preliminary engineering and right-of-way acquisition to create a new grade-separated interchange with US 85 and 120th Avenue and a grade-separation with 120th Avenue and the Union Pacific line in Commerce City, Colo. Commerce City and state partners will provide a 40% match, and the project also includes additional federal funds in TIP/FHWA funding. 22907(c)(2) that support the development of new intercity passenger rail service routes including alignments for existing routes. Brightline will advance preliminary engineering activities to support Phase 3 of the Brightline system that will construct a 67-mile extension from Orlando to Tampa. Brightline Trains Florida, LLC was awarded up to $15.875 million for the Tampa to Orlando High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Project. The grant awards include 11 passenger rail projects that will benefit from more than $130 million in funding. The Class III EWR (a Pioneer Lines subsidiary), Indiana Department of Transportation, the city of Elkhart, and the St. Joseph County Redevelopment Commission will provide a 50% match. 24. Indiana Department of Transportation Connecting the Crossroads of America: Up to $8,383,761 will be used to make track improvements across the Chicago, Fort Wayne & Eastern Railroad (CFE) main line (a 54-mile segment) and Decatur Subdivision (a 14-mile segment) in Northern Indiana. The program awarded more than $368 million in grants to 46 total projects including nine passenger rail related projects. SANDAG and North County Transit District will provide a 42% match. 22907(c)(2) that support the development of new intercity passenger rail service routes including alignments for existing routes. The North Carolina Department of Transportation, the Virginia Department of Transportation and Amtrak will provide a 39% match. Class III HOG is owned by Georgia Department of Transportation, which will provide a 50% match. Rutgers, a University Transportation Center, and Amtrak will provide a 42% match. The funds will support a three-year Mechanical Craft Workforce Development Apprenticeship Training Program that the railroad says will provide professional development opportunities for current and future employees. On September 23, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced the selectees for grants from the fiscal 2020 appropriation for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program. $15.6 million to the Michigan DOT to eliminate trespassing hotspots between Dearborn and Kalamazoo. Rankin County will provide a 50% match. 12. R.J. Corman Railroad Company, LLC (Ky.) The Bluegrass Multimodal Freight Improvement Project: Up to $7,380,600 will fund three improvements to the Central Kentucky Lines railroad (RJCC) between Frankfurt and Lexington, Ky. FRA, which published the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the grant program last summer. 18. Little Rock Port Authority (Ark.) Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority (Wash.) Pierce County Rail Capacity and Reliability Improvement Project: Up to $10,000,000 will be used to 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, Wash. Class III FGA will provide most of a 50% match, with contributions from three private-sector sources. 4. City of Cincinnati, Ohio River Road Highway/Rail Grade Crossing Safety Improvements: Up to $6,067,200 will be used to make safety improvements to four crossings on CSX and Central Railroad of Indiana (CIND) in Cincinnati, Ohio. The passenger rail projects to see grants include: FRA notes $87.6 million in grants awarded in this round will go to projects that support the development of new intercity passenger rail service and $25.7 million will go to capital projects or engineering solutions targeting trespassing, exceeding the required statutory minimums. 7. Kansas Department of Transportation Southwest Kansas Infrastructure Upgrade Project: Up to $10,991,971 will be used for a series of improvements on the Cimarron Valley Railroad (CVR) from Dodge City to Hugoton, Kans. A NOFO for the FY 2022 CRISI grant program is expected in August 2022. Funding provided for this project will do just that by improving grade crossing safety and track conditions on the Gettysburg and Northern Railway. The GET has tremendous growth potential and is ideally situated to serve Pennsylvanias agriculture and manufacturing sectors. The Class III NYS&W and New York State Department of Transportation will provide a 50% match. West Michigan Railroad Co. (WMR) WMR Rail Replacement and Mainline Reconstruction: Up to $8,697,910 will fund construction of and infrastructure improvements to approximately 10 miles of WMR in southwest Michigan. These awards will allow FRA to support rail projects that lay the groundwork for future economic growth. (Scroll down for the complete list, plus downloadable details.). Specifically, the project includes installing 4.25 miles of new rail, eliminating joints on an additional 41.25 main line track miles, replacing or rehabilitating 11 bridges and culverts, and installing approximately 30,000 ties on main line and siding track. The applicant will focus on five projects: 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 Infrastructure Improvement and Jobs Act (IIJA)also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), which was signed on Nov. 15, 2021nearly tripled funding for the program to $1 billion per year for the next five years. University of Delaware Development and Implementation of HBCU Based Railroad Engineering Program for Underrepresented Communities: Up to $4,592,637 will be used to develop and implement a railroad engineering program at Morgan State University (MSU), a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Baltimore, Md. Class II ARRC will provide a 50% match. 10. 15. We look forward to working with our state and local officials to grow business and economic activity throughout the region. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary for Multimodal Transportation Jennie Louwerse added: Pennsylvania has the most operating railroads in the country, and we are committed to keeping goods moving through our economy. Amtrak, District of Columbia Mechanical Craft Workforce Development Apprenticeship Training Program: Up to $8,000,000 will be used for a three-year Mechanical Craft Workforce Development Apprenticeship Training Program that will provide professional development opportunities for current and future Amtrak employees. 16. Iowa Northern Railway Company (IANR) Installation of 27.3 Miles of Continuous Welded Rail on IANR Manly & Cedar Rapids Subdivisions: Up to $7,173,452 will be used to install approximately 27.3 miles of continuous welded rail across the Manly Subdivision and the Cedar Rapids Subdivision in Northeastern Iowa. The Connecticut Department of Transportation will provide a 50% match, and the project also includes additional federal funds from FTA. Alameda County will provide a 63% match. (ASLRRA member), 3. North Dakota Department of Transportation Rural Economic Preservation Through Rail Replacement: Up to $6,704,544 will be used to replace approximately 14.5 miles of jointed rail with continuous welded rail on the Red River Valley & Western Railroad (RRVW) between Independence and Oakes, N.D. 23. 18. Elkhart & Western Railroad (EWR; Ind.) The Class III GET (a Pioneer Lines subsidiary) and Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will provide a 55% match. North Carolina Department of Transportation, Sound Transit Board confirms preferred alternative for West Seattle Link Extension, requests further study of Ballard alternatives, MTA marks graduation day for new cohort of New York City Transit train conductors, Metro St. Louis estimates flood damage between $18-$20 million, WMATA improving weekday service on Blue, Orange and Silver lines starting Aug. 1, SEPTA, WaWa announce station naming rights agreement, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). Sign up to receive news, events, publications, and course notifications. Amtrak, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Dover and Rockaway River Railroad will support the work to demonstrate this technology at five at-grade crossings in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Louisiana. 10 turnouts; a new 115-pound rail crossing in Beloit; rebuilding three public grade crossings with concrete surfacing; and rebuilding 46 public and private grade crossings with timber plank surfacing. The San Jose State University, a University Transportation Center, and consortium partners will provide a 20% match. 15. The CRISI Grant program nearly tripled in funding with the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and is authorized to award up to $1 billion per year through Fiscal Year 2026. We will continue to work with our member railroads and our state and local partners to make our case in future CRISI funding rounds as to why investing in short line freight rail projects is such an effective method to build resilience across Americas supply chain., What an honor! 17. 6. 14. The programs aim is to improve the rail networks safety and resilience against extreme events, including climate change. Harlingen Rail Improvements Project: Up to $5,570,566 will be used to relocate and realign approximately 1.7 miles of track and construct one new crossing to eliminate seven existing at-grade crossings in Harlingen, Tex. pic.twitter.com/EYMZ2aWBM3, 1. Of the total $320.6 million appropriation ($2.6 million of which is unused carryover funding from fiscal year 2018), 77 percent ($245.4 million) goes to projects in rural areas, far exceeding the 25 percent rural minimum in the CRISI authorizing statute. 3. $16.9 million to Pan Am (seriously a Class II in New England bought the old airlines name and logo) to upgrade the track and bridges between Waterville and Mattawamkeag (in Maine) so that speeds and car weights can be increased. Colorado Springs City Government (Colo.) South Downtown Railroad Underpass Reconstruction Project: Up to $2,500,000 will be used to advance preliminary engineering and environmental review of three Union Pacific bridges, and realign a 1.5-mile segment of mainline track in Colorado Springs, Colo. The funding will allow the authority to complete preliminary engineering and environmental review for track and signal improvements to increase passenger and freight rail capacity in the Pacific Northwest High Speed Rail Corridor between Tacoma, Lakewood and DuPont, Wash. Washington State Department of Transportation was awarded up to $3.8 million for the Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor Reliability Landslide Mitigation Phase IV Project that proposes to reduce landslide blocking events with the installation of catchment walls at three locations between Seattle and Everett, Wash., on track owned by Class 1 railroad BNSF. 22907(c)(2) that support the development of new intercity passenger rail service routes including alignments for existing routes. American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA). The Ohio Rail Development Commission and WLE will provide a 30% match. (ASLRRA member), 11. Class III Kyle Railroad Company and the Kansas Department of Transportation will provide a 52.5% match. The North Dakota Department of Transportation, Class III RRVW, and two additional private-sector entities will provide a 30% match. 16. (ASLRRA member). More than $368 million in Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grants have been awarded to 46 rail projects by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). City of San Jose, Calif. Southern San Jose Grade Separations (Bascom Ave.): Up to $1,220,000 will be used to construct a queue cutter traffic signal at the Bascom Avenue Highway-Rail Crossing on the Vasona rail corridor in San Jose, Calif. San Jose will provide a 50% match. 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 Redevelopment Authority of the County of Berks, Pa. Colebrookdale Railroad Infrastructure, Safety & Capacity Upgrade: Up to $14,681,397 will be used to rehabilitate approximately 8.6 miles of track with 130-pound continuous welded rail; rehabilitate or replace 14 bridges; and construct two rail-served transload yards and six sidings. The project will install a new Broken Rail Detection System on the entire signaled section of A&O rail line. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation will provide a 50% match. ): Up to $7,500,000 will be used to fund preliminary engineering and environmental reviews necessary for grade separations at three existing at-grade crossings on Union Pacific track; they are adjacent to intersections with Monterey Road, a high-fatality corridor, with more than 33,000 vehicles daily, and have a recent history of fatality and injury crashes. (ASLRRA member), 5. 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. Rutgers University was awarded up to $582,859 to develop and demonstrate an artificial intelligence-based method to detect and assess trespassing incidents. Rail Group News offers news and analysis from Railway Age, IRJ and RT&S by email. They were evaluated on how they foster safety and equitable economic strength; improve core assets and ensure racial equity and economic inclusion; address climate change and resilience; and modernize the nations transportation infrastructure. The city of San Jose, Calif., was awarded up to $7.5 million for the Southern San Jose Grade Separations (Monterey Road) to fund preliminary engineering and environmental reviews needed for grade separations at three existing at-grade crossings at Skyway Drive, Branham Land and Chynoweth Avenue in San Jose, Calif. San Jose State University Research Foundation was awarded up to $4.67 million for the Climate Change and Extreme Events Training and Research (CCEETR) Program. Ohio Rail Development Commission Wheeling & Lake Erie (WLE) Spencer Connection Project: Up to $6,868,768 will be used to construct a new connecting track and an extension of yard tracks in the WLE Spencer Yard to eliminate switching movements and allow trains to directly access the yard from two railway subdivisions in Spencer, Ohio. 25. Amtrak will provide a 20% non-federal match. This round of CRISI grants one of the largest ever is a major step forward for the Biden-Harris Administrations efforts to revitalize and rebuild the countrys infrastructure, said FRA Administrator Amit Bose. Kansas Department of Transportation KYLE Railroad Gateway Project: Up to $9,367,113 will be used to replace 23.5 track miles of 85-pound sectional rail with 115-pound continuous welded rail on the Kyle Railroad Companys Concordia Subdivision between Beloit and Yuma Junction, Kans. Virginia Passenger Rail Authority was awarded up to $6.36 million for the Ettrick Station Improvements that will construct an ADA-compliant platform and other improvements to the existing station in Ettrick, Va. Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority (Sound Transit) was awarded up to $10 million for the Pierce County Rail Capacity and Reliability Improvement Project. North Carolina Department of Transportation Raleigh to Richmond Corridor Infrastructure Engineering & Safety Program:Up to $57,900,000 will be used to perform surveys and complete preliminary engineering (30% design) for Raleigh to Richmond (R2R) Corridor Program improvements between Raleigh, N.C., and Richmond, Va. Massachusetts Department of Transportation Springfield Area Track Reconfiguration Project: Up to $1,750,000 will be used to develop preliminary engineering and environmental clearance for track, signal and infrastructure improvements around Springfield Union Station in Springfield, Mass. These improvements, FRA reported, 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% match. (ASLRRA member), 19. (ASLRRA member). The EWR plays a key role in the manufacturing economy of Elkhart, and this funding will allow the EWR to accommodate customer growth while improving safety and reducing blocked crossings in the community, Pioneer Lines CEO and President Alex Yeros said following the CRISI grant program award announcement. That $47.6 million project for new service to purchase right-of-way from CSX along its S-line corridor between Ridgeway, North Carolina and Petersburg, Virginia, towards the eventual completion of a new direct, state-supported Richmond-to-Raleigh passenger rail line. The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority will provide a 40% match. FRA says the projects this round of CRISI grants fund will improve and expand passenger rail, invest in new technology, increase supply chain resilience and fluidity and help create jobs through the support of workforce development and training activities. Mississippi Highway -18/ Kansas City Southern Grade Separation: Up to $1,500,000 will be used to fund preliminary engineering and environmental review to eliminate the at-grade 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, Miss. Wisconsin Department of Transportation Trespassing Safety Study: Up to $125,000 will be used to fund a study on the development of safety solutions for trespassing and grade crossing incidents in two rail corridors in southeastern Wisconsin. We thank Congress for making these vital resources available, and we applaud the FRA for putting them to use in such a smart, efficient way, ASLRRA President Chuck Baker said.