Area railroad tracks to see improvements under new grant

The Louisville & Indiana Railroad is receiving up to $2.7 million in federal dollars to upgrade its tracks in southern Indiana.

The Federal Railroad Administration is announcing $10.8 million in grants for Indiana to improve rail safety, to strengthen the supply chain and to add passenger rail service in the state. The funds are coming from the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program, through the bipartistan infrastructure law.

The objectives for the Louisville and Indiana Railroad are to enhance the reliability of rail service from Indianapolis to Louisville, to mitigate safety risks like derailments caused by potential rail failures, and to add energy-saving infrastructure. The company will use the funds to design and construct track improvements, grade crossing upgrades, and to install solar panels. The railroad and the Indiana Department of Transportation will provide a 52 percent match for the grant.

Also in Indiana, Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway Corp. is receiving $8.1 million for an Indiana-Illinois rail corridor project.