Press release

INDIANA — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration announced more than $2.4 billion in funding under the bipartisan Infrastructure Act for 122 rail improvement projects in 41 states and Washington, D.C., Indiana will share nearly $40 million between its various rail projects.

These projects will make rail transportation safer, more reliable and more resilient, getting goods and people where they need to be quickly, with less disruption, lower shipping costs and less pollution. Administered through FRA’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement Program, the announced grants will benefit all regions of the country, particularly rural communities.

Indiana projects include:

Chicago, Ft. Wayne & Eastern Railroad Supply Chain Equipment Project — Up to $21,485,750

• The proposed project was selected for construction and includes the acquisition of a 26-car continuous welded rail train and 75 ballast cars to support the Chicago, Fort Wayne and Eastern Railroad. The acquisition will directly address the industry’s growing shortage of CWR trains and ballast wagons, necessary for continued infrastructure investment. The project aligns with the selection criteria to improve safety by directly supporting the state of good repair of railway infrastructure, as a CWR train and ballast wagons are the primary equipment required to deliver safely and efficiently materials essential to track rehabilitation and upgrade projects. The Chicago, Ft. Wayne & Eastern Railroad and Indiana DOT will contribute the 35% non-federal contribution.

Madison Railroad Gateway to the National Rail System – North Muscatatuck River Bridge Replacement – ​​Up to $5,431,083

• The proposed project was selected for final design and construction and includes the replacement of the 130-year-old North Muscatatuck River Bridge over the Madison to Vernon Railroad. The project aligns with the selection criteria by strengthening security and improving system and service performance, as the project will address a critical vulnerability, increase bridge capacity, and remove the last permanent slow order on the way of iron. The Madison Railroad will contribute the 20 percent non-federal contribution. This project is eligible for the legal reserve for projects in rural areas.

St. Joseph County Capital Avenue Corridor Rail Expansion Project — Up to $772,800

• The proposed project was selected for project development and includes the extension of the existing Patriot Rail Elkhart and Western Railroad to connect to Canadian National’s Chicago-Toronto line. The project aligns with the selection criteria by advancing economic opportunities for shipping goods by rail, benefiting Elkhart and Western Railroad customers with two Class I connections. St. Joseph County and EWR will contribute the 20% non-federal contribution. The project is eligible for the legal reserve for projects in rural areas.

Louisville and Indiana Railroad Clagg Bridge Lift Span Project — Up to $6,492,000

• The proposed project was selected for project development, final design and construction and includes the improvement of the Clagg Lift Span of the Fourteenth Street Bridge, which connects Louisville, Kentucky and Clarksville. The project aligns with the selection criteria by improving safety because it will support efficient multimodal transportation of goods on the Ohio River. The Louisville and Indiana Railroad Company will make a 50 percent non-federal contribution.

Development and Testing of a Large-Scale Low-Force Friction Welding Machine for Continuously Welded Rails — Up to $4,620,559

• The proposed project was selected for research and development and includes the design and construction of a large-scale rail assembly machine to implement low-force friction welding on rails. The project aligns with the selection criteria by improving safety and resiliency, as a new rail welding process capable of welding complete sections on 136 lb rail would reduce installation costs for continuous welded rail. The University of Notre Dame and Manufacturing Technology, Inc. will contribute the 22 percent non-federal contribution.

Projects in this round of selections reflect the wide range of rail safety and service improvements eligible under this program, such as track upgrades, replacement or rehabilitation of aging bridges, expansion of connections railways in ports, the addition of modern locomotives to fleets and much more. The CRISI program is also the only federal grant program prioritizing small shortline railroads, critical to the U.S. economy and regional supply chains.

This announcement is part of a series of investments the Biden-Harris administration has made in nearly 300 rail projects and dozens of emerging passenger rail corridors across the country through FRA grant programs funded by the bipartisan infrastructure law. This is the largest investment in American rail in more than 50 years.

“Today’s investments in our rail systems reflect the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to building a stronger, safer and more resilient transportation network,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Through the bipartisan Infrastructure Act, we are funding rail infrastructure projects that create jobs and expand workforce development, reduce costs for consumers, and directly benefit communities across the country. Each project advances a future where our supply chains are stronger, passenger rail is more accessible, and goods are moved safer and more efficiently.

While the majority of CRISI grants directly improve rail infrastructure, CRISI investments also support the rail workforce and invest in American workers who will help maintain and operate the nation’s rail networks into the future.

Federal funding will create new apprenticeship programs, expand training opportunities, establish partnerships with universities and advance innovative research. For example, a grant awarded to the Brotherhood of Railway Signalmen will help develop an effective strategy to integrate trackside hot box detectors to improve safety and proactively address derailments caused by wheel failures and of bearings.

“Under the Biden-Harris Administration and through the bipartisan Infrastructure Act, FRA is investing more than ever in communities nationwide, ending a half-century of federal underinvestment in America’s rail network and delivering the world-class rail transportation our citizens deserve,” the FRA said. Director Amit Bose. “Today’s CRISI grants will improve rail safety, better connect cities and ports, introduce more environmentally friendly locomotives, support the current rail workforce and provide workforce development opportunities critical to the future of our industry and the national economy.