Funds from the Federal Railroad Administration’s CRISI grant will support key projects to enhance passenger rail service. Credit: Valerio Pucci/Shutterstock.

Amtrak, along with its Midwestern partners, has secured up to $300m in federal grants, aimed at enhancing rail services in the region.

The funds, provided by the Federal Railroad Administration’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant programme, will support several key projects to improve passenger rail service.

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One of these projects, earmarked up to $8.38m, is the Wolverine and Blue Water Capacity Enhancement at Niles-Glenwood Road.

This initiative will progress the final design to increase capacity along a 19-mile stretch of the Amtrak-owned Michigan Line.

Amtrak and the Michigan Department of Transportation are contributing to the local funding match required for this project.

Another project, the Grade Crossing Shunt Enhancement Safety Project, has been allocated up to $58.8m.

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It involves the procurement and installation of onboard shunt enhancement devices for 443 locomotives and 192 cab cars in the Amtrak-operated fleet.

The project is a collaborative effort with State Departments of Transportation, CN railroad, and railroad equipment suppliers.

Additional Midwestern grants backed by Amtrak include the Springfield Rail Improvements with up to $157.1m, the Muskego Yard Bypass Project with up to $72.8m, and the Future of Midwest Passenger Rail-Phase 1 with up to $1.84m.

Amtrak President Roger Harris highlighted the significance of these grants at a recent groundbreaking event for the Gulf Coast Corridor Improvement Project.

The project, supported by a $178m CRISI grant, will help expand and improve passenger rail services as envisioned by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner said: “These grants will directly support Amtrak priorities, including the Chicago Hub Improvement Program (CHIP) – an Amtrak-led Midwest megaproject aimed at improving passenger rail service into Chicago – and advance our goal to double Amtrak ridership nationwide by 2040.

“I want to thank the Biden-Harris Administration, Congress, and our state, host and commuter partners for supporting the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA), which made these significant grants possible.”

Recently, Amtrak contracted HNTB to upgrade the power system along a key segment of the Harrisburg Line in Pennsylvania.