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Federal Grants Fund Short Line Improvements from Coast-to-Coast

Biden administration announced over $368 million in grants to improve rail infrastructure earlier this year. In Kansas, politicians joined officials at the South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad to celebrate a $27 million track improvement grant. Photo Courtesy of Watco. 

Federal Grants Fund Short Line Improvements from Coast-to-Coast

By Railfan & Railroad Staff

CHERRYVALE, Kan. — Short line and regional railroads from coast to coast were among the big winners this year in scoring federal grants via the Federal Railroad Administration’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements program. Earlier this summer, the Biden administration announced that it would spend more than $368 million on 46 different projects in 32 states and the District of Columbia. It was one of the largest rounds of CRISI grants ever. 

The CRISI grant program aims to advance intercity passenger and freight rail projects across the country. Some of the big projects that were funded included a track improvement project on the Heart of Georgia Railroad; rail capacity expansion at the Port of Baltimore; and bridge rehabilitation on the Great Lakes Central Railroad. 

The South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad got $27 million for track improvements that will allow it to handle heavier cars. 

“We’ve been wanting to make the upgrades to track structure and substructure such as rail, ties, ballast, surface, turnouts and bridges for a long time, but they were very expensive upgrades to make happen. The funding will allow us to upgrade 239 miles of the 433-mile network,” said SKOL General Manager Jerry Waun. 

This article was posted on: July 21, 2022