Kentucky Injects $3.1 Million Across Seven Urgent Freight Rail Infrastructure Projects

Kentucky freight-rail grants totaling $3.1 million have been issued for seven freight-rail infrastructure projects, Gov. Andy Beshear said yesterday. The funding is being provided through the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The grants are being awarded through two programs: Kentucky Industrial Access and Safety Improvement (KIASI) and Kentucky Short Line Infrastructure Preservation (KSLIP), according to a Kentucky Transportation Cabinet release. Together, the awards cover detector and monitoring upgrades, track work, rail spur access, rail-car repair and transload facilities.

“Kentucky’s rail network is an economic engine that moves millions of tons of freight and generates billions in labor income every year,” said Beshear in a press release.

Kentucky freight-rail grants under KSLIP

Paducah and Louisville Railway (PAL) was awarded $903,641. It was one of three railroads receiving KSLIP funding. The railroad will use the grant to upgrade monitoring systems that support eight hot-box detectors.

“These upgrades will increase network coverage and provide real-time monitoring capabilities, allowing [us] to identify and address potential equipment failures before they become serious incidents,” said PAL President and CEO Tom Greene.

Two other KSLIP grants will go to R. J. Corman Railroad Group and Louisville & Indiana Railroad, as Progressive Railroading reported. R. J. Corman Railroad Group will receive $751,130 to rehabilitate track. The work includes replacing 6,500 ties and 90 switch ties, and installing seven switches. Louisville & Indiana Railroad will receive $82,179 to install a new hot wheel and hot bearing detector.

KIASI grants include rail spur and transload work

Under the KIASI program, Jared Donaldson Trucking LLC is among four grant recipients. The company will receive $500,000 to open a rail spur and install a new turnout. In addition, the work will allow rail-car access for direct truck loading.

“Getting the rail spur back up and running and creating our transloading access will open the door for more business,” said Jared Donaldson, the company’s owner.

The remaining KIASI grants include $305,000 for Norfolk Southern Railway to reinforce track roadbed at five locations. Also, Progress Rail Services Corp. will receive $300,000 to develop a medium- and light-duty rail-car repair facility in Decoursey. Separately, R. J. Corman will receive $284,000 to repair track to establish a permanent transload facility.

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