Northern Lines Railway, a short line owned by Anacostia Rail Holdings, has been awarded up to $1.3 million from the Federal Railroad Administration to rehabilitate about 25 miles of track around St. Cloud, Minnesota.
The grant comes from the agency's Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements, or CRISI, program and will fund the railroad's Minnesota Track Rehabilitation & Reliability Project, according to Anacostia's announcement. The railroad will cover a 35% nonfederal cost share.
Crews will replace deteriorated ties and correct track surface and alignment defects. The work is intended to reduce derailment risk, support the safe movement of hazardous materials and increase freight capacity.
"This federal funding will help us address critical track conditions, reduce derailment risk, and improve the reliability and capacity of our network," said James McDonald, general manager of Northern Lines Railway.
The award is part of a CRISI round of about $2.34 billion for 105 projects that includes more than $400 million for grain-hauling short lines. Rep. Tom Emmer, whose district includes St. Cloud, supported the project.
