Kentucky awards $7.5M in grants to eight short-line rail projects

The Kentucky government awarded $7.5 million in grants to eight railroad projects designed to maintain and enhance infrastructure.

The funding comes from the newly created Kentucky Short Line Infrastructure Preservation (KSLIP) program, which was established in this year’s biennial budget, state officials said in a press release. Grant recipients match the funding.

The recipient of the largest grant, Paducah & Louisville Railway, was awarded $2 million to fund a project to renew track in its Princeton Yard. The short line will replace the switching ladders on the yard's northern and southern self-guarded turnouts, reconnect tracks 9, 10 and 11 to the ladders and re-establish track access through the existing maintenance-of-way shop building, state officials said in a press release.

The project also will eliminate several old turnouts, fasteners, rail track and ties, replacing them with modern equipment. Additionally, the short line will remove ballast and implement measures to improve the current inadequate drainage throughout the yard. 

Other selected recipients include the Transkentucky Transportation Railroad, $1.6 million; R. J. Corman Railroad Group, $1.5 million; Tennken Railroad Co., $500,100; and the Louisville & Indiana Railroad, $550,316. Full descriptions of each selected project and the funding amount can be found here.

KSLIP grant recipients were selected by a committee based on criteria such as the project’s focus on enhancements to existing rail lines and the company’s ability to retain existing customers and attract new rail shipping industries to Kentucky, state officials said.