FRA to offer $24 million in grants for intercity passenger-rail service

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) yesterday announced the availability of $24 million in grant funding to initiate, restore or enhance intercity passenger-rail service.

The grants provide intercity passenger-rail operating assistance for staffing, fuel, electricity, station expenses, lease payments on rolling stock, routine planned maintenance, host railroad access costs, train yard operation and administrative costs, FRA officials said in a press release.

Amtrak, other intercity passenger-rail companies, groups of states, individual states, cities and other government entities are eligible to apply. Applications are due Jan. 6, 2020.

The grants are being made available through the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, the fiscal-year 2018 and 2019 Restoration and Enhancement Grants Program.

“We’re encouraging applicants to leverage federal Restoration and Enhancement grants to support large-scale, intercity passenger-rail improvements,” said FRA Administrator Ronald Batory.