US short-line rail group lands $5.63 million federal grant to train workers

What's the deal? The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA)Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has won a $5,625,000 grant from the Federal Railroad AdministrationDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → to expand its Short Line Training Center. ASLRRA will add a 25% match, bringing the total project to $7.5 million.

What's the endgame? The money funds at least 24 computer-based training programs and up to 48 in-person seminars, plus new technology. The center has served nearly 2,000 short-line employees since 2021.

Why now? The award comes from the FY2025–26 round of the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program. The Federal Railroad Administration selected 105 of 368 applications, awarding nearly $2.34 billion overall.

Short-line projects took the largest share: $1.885 billion across 87 projects in 40 states. "The Short Line Training Center has met and exceeded all expectations, has become a trusted training resource for dozens of short line railroads and is steadily growing," said ASLRRA president Chuck Baker.

The center traces back to a 2020 CRISI grant to the Iowa Northern Railway Company, with ASLRRA as primary contractor. ASLRRA represents the interests of the nation's 603 short-line railroads.

The signal: At $5.63 million, the grant sits in the top 10% of comparable awards by size, yet it is modest beside the round's large track and equipment projects. Its significance is that CRISI is now funding workforce and safety capacity — not just physical infrastructure — for an industry whose small operators rarely afford such training on their own.

Read more: progressiverailroading.com

Image credit: American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association