Admin Annouces $1.4B for Rail Safety   09/25 06:42

   The Biden administration announced Monday that it has awarded more than $1.4 
billion to projects that improve railway safety and boost capacity, with much 
of the money coming from the 2021 infrastructure law.

   WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Biden administration announced Monday that it has 
awarded more than $1.4 billion to projects that improve railway safety and 
boost capacity, with much of the money coming from the 2021 infrastructure law.

   "These projects will make American rail safer, more reliable, and more 
resilient, delivering tangible benefits to dozens of communities where 
railroads are located, and strengthening supply chains for the entire country," 
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement.

   The money is funding 70 projects in 35 states and Washington, D.C. Railroad 
safety has become a key concern nationwide ever since a train carrying 
hazardous chemicals derailed and caught fire in East Palestine, Ohio, in 
February. President Joe Biden has ordered federal agencies to hold the train's 
operator Norfolk Southern accountable for the crash, but a package of proposed 
rail safety reforms has stalled in the Senate where the bill is still awaiting 
a vote. The White House is also saying that a possible government shutdown 
because of House Republicans would undermine railway safety.

   The projects include track upgrades and bridge repairs, in addition to 
improving the connectivity among railways and making routes less vulnerable to 
extreme weather.

   Among the projects is $178.4 million to restore passenger service in parts 
of Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi along the Gulf of Mexico for the first 
time since Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005.

   "This is a significant milestone, representing years of dedicated efforts to 
reconnect our communities after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina," Sen. 
Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said in a statement. "Restoring passenger rail service 
will create jobs, improve quality of life, and offer a convenient travel option 
for tourists, contributing to our region's economic growth and vitality."

   The grant should make it possible to restore passenger service to the Gulf 
Coast after Amtrak reached an agreement with CSX and Norfolk Southern railroads 
last year to clear the way for passenger trains to resume operating on the 
tracks the freight railroads own.

   "We've been fighting to return passenger trains to the Gulf Coast since it 
was knocked offline by Hurricane Katrina. That 17-year journey has been filled 
with obstacles and frustration -- but also moments of joy, where local 
champions and national advocates were able to come together around the vision 
of a more connected Gulf Coast region," Rail Passengers Association President & 
CEO Jim Mathews said.

   In one of the biggest other grants, the Palouse River & Coulee City Railroad 
in Washington state will get $72.8 million to upgrade the track and related 
infrastructure to allow that rail line to handle modern 286,000-pound railcars.

   A project in Kentucky will receive $29.5 million to make improvements to 280 
miles of track and other infrastructure along the Paducah and Louisville 
Railway.

   And in Tennessee, $23.7 million will go to helping upgrade about 42 bridges 
on 10 different short-line railroads.