U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.) has introduced legislation requiring a transfer of ownership of Amtrak’s Keystone East Line and some of its 12 stations to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Under the Keystone Line for the Commonwealth Act, the line between Harrisburg, Pa., and Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station would be managed by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT).
Following Rail Safety Week, the U.S. Department of Transportation is running a $6.6 million “Stop. Trains Can’t” public awareness campaign through Nov. 8. In addition, Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI) has made available online versions of its most popular highway-rail grade crossing safety materials for children.
The New Orleans & Gulf Coast Railway (NOGC)—Railway Age’s 2016 Short Line Railroad of the Year—and Napoleon, Defiance & Western Railway Co. (NDW) will be performing line upgrades with grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s 2020 Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced that it is distributing $320.6 million to 50 projects that improve the safety, efficiency and reliability of freight rail and intercity passenger service in 29 states.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) will distribute $1 billion among 70 surface transportation infrastructure projects in 44 states through its Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Transportation Discretionary Grants program. The Fiscal Year 2020 program is for planning and capital investments.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) published a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) that provides up to $50 million in grants for commuter rail agencies working to improve safety at highway-rail crossings. Applications will be accepted until Oct. 26, 2020.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has proposed $856 million in grants through the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) discretionary grant program. About 16% of those funds—$135.5 million—are earmarked for two rail projects.