Grenada Railroad to receive $18.2M grant for rail upgrades, expansion

Grenada Railroad (GRYR) will receive an $18.2 million grant from the federal Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement (CRISI) program for the central Mississippi rail resiliency and capacity expansion project, the short line's parent company announced yesterday.

The proposed project was selected for final design and construction and includes installation of siding, replacement of rail joints with continuous welded track, replacement of ties, resurface of 26 crossings and replacement of signals at six crossings, according to the Federal Railroad Administration.

As a grant recipient, GRYR will contribute a 30% match, or $7.8 million, according to a Pinsly Railroad Co., GRYR's parent.

“This new grant will fund the upgrading and modernizing of our rail line from Canton, Mississippi, to Southaven, Mississippi, on the Mississippi-Tennessee border, and significantly increase capacity to support the rapid growth of industrial development in central Mississippi,” said Pinsly CEO Ryan Ratledge.

Increased volumes from industrial facilities, along with truck-to-rail conversions, have created a need for additional capacity and long-term infrastructure enhancements to ensure uninterrupted service linking the region to national and global markets, Ratledge said.

GRYR's CRISI grant received backing from local and state officials, including U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith (both R-Miss.) and U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), whose district includes the GRYR line.