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Yesterday, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced it granted $2.4 million to Tacoma Rail — which is owned and operated by the city of Tacoma, Wash. — to upgrade track to accommodate 286,000-pound rail cars. The FRA initially will award the grants to the Washington Department of Transportation

The short line will replace 17 miles of track and install thousands of ties on its Mountain Division Line between Tacoma and Frederickson. Tacoma Rail will use the line to serve a new grain trans-loading facility in Frederickson, and move grains, agri-mulch, cedar fencing, aluminum billets, steel pipe, and farm and other equipment destined for the Port of Tacoma for export to Japan and China.

“Making an improvement in the transportation link between the local producer and world market opens economic opportunities,” said FRA Administrator Joseph Boardman in a prepared statement

In the future, the city will use the line to restore passenger-rail service for visitors to the Upper Nisqually Valley and Mount Rainier National Park.