U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy today announced the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is investing $5.3 billion into rail projects across the U.S. that will enhance safety, upgrade critical infrastructure, and purchase new trainsets for Amtrak as the Department ushers in the Golden Age of Rail.
Roughly $2 billion of this grant package is funding Secretary Duffy saved the American people by canceling Gavin Newsom’s disastrous high-speed train to nowhere. His California boondoggle has exploded in projected costs with estimates as high as $231 billion – nearly seven times higher than its initial cost.
In total, the $5.3 billion grant package will:
- Close over 30 grade crossings and upgrade over a thousand with new infrastructure and technology
- Purchase 43 Made-in-America trainsets to replace Amtrak’s aging fleet in high-demand corridors
- Overhaul 41 locomotives currently serving Amtrak’s Midwest and Pacific routes.
“It’s simple: Boondoggles are OUT and safety is IN,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “Instead of wasting billions of dollars on a train to nowhere, we are fixing thousands of grade crossings – saving lives and improving communities across America. We’re also making an unprecedented investment in Amtrak because President Trump and I are committed to making passenger rail in America great again. Gavin Newsom should take notes-this is how you properly invest hard-earned taxpayer dollars.”
A DATA-DRIVEN APPROACH
FRA placed a significant emphasis on targeting “high risk” crossings for closure and replacement, which are those with a documented accident history of 3 or more incidents and/or 2 or more fatal incidents during the last 5 years. Grade crossings-intersections where roads cross railroad tracks at-grade-is the second leading cause of rail-related deaths in the United States. Nationally, more than 2,000 incidents and 200 fatalities at grade crossings occur each year.
The Trump Administration is also investing billions into Amtrak in anticipation of its ongoing efforts to reorganize the company’s management structure into three distinct entities, one of which would be focused on improving Amtrak’s management of its fleet. This includes new investment to replace 40 to 50 year old equipment to enhance the travel experience for Amtrak customers. The new trainsets will also allow Amtrak to increase its seat availability – lowering ticket costs through the company’s dynamic pricing models.
THE INVESTMENTS
Across the country, forty-one projects received awards in 23 states including:
- $356 million for Florida DOT to perform good repair improvements at up to 910 highway-rail grade crossings across the State
- $2.5 million for the City of New Orleans in Louisiana to make critical repairs to 70-year-old platforms and canopies at the New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal
- $1.1 million for the City of Crete in Nebraska to examine eight existing at-grade crossings to determine what future infrastructure improvements might be needed
- $299 million for the North Carolina DOT to eliminate nine grade crossings, install double track segments, and engage in trespassing prevention efforts
- $40 million for the City of Fairfield in Ohio to close two at-grade rail crossings and create a new bridge over a section of the CSX Cincinnati Terminal Subdivision.
- $189 million for the Texas DOT to eliminate nine crossings within the cities of Fort Worth, Dallas, and Terrell Texas and an additional $39 million for Hays County, Texas to construct a grade-separated bridge.
Amtrak specific investments include $2.05 billion to acquire 43 Made-in-America trainsets to replace Amtrak’s aging fleet and $140 million to overhaul 41 locomotives currently serving Amtrak’s Midwest and Pacific routes.
The Amtrak lines receiving new trainsets include:
Adirondack, Blue Water, Carolinian, Cascades, D.C. to Newport News, D.C. to Norfolk, D.C. to Roanoke, Downeaster, Empire, Ethan Allen, Hartford Line, Hiawatha, Illini/Saluki, Illinois Zephyr, Keystone, Lincoln, Pennsylvanian, Pere Marquette, Piedmont, River Runner, and Wolverine routes.
“The projects we announced today will help make our nation’s rail network much safer because now state DOT’s across America will have the funds they need to eliminate dangerous grade crossings across the nation,” said FRA Administrator David Fink. “FRA also collaborated with Amtrak over a two year period to determine how best to distribute these funds so passenger trains can run on time and freight isn’t delayed.”
Additional Information:
Projects were funded through the National Railroad Partnership Program (NRPP) which provides a federal funding opportunity to improve American passenger rail assets by funding projects that enhance safety, including grade crossing safety, or that reduce the state-of-good-repair backlog or otherwise improve performance.
Eligible National Railroad Partnership Program applicants include:
- a State,
- a group of States,
- an Interstate Compact,
- a public agency or publicly chartered authority established by one or more States,
- a political subdivision of a State,
- Amtrak, acting on its own behalf or under a cooperative agreement with one or more States,
- a Federally recognized Indian Tribe, and
- any combination of the entities described above.