October 31, 2024

R. J. Corman Railroad Group Awarded Two CRISI Grants for Major Rail Improvement Projects

Nicholasville, KY – R. J. Corman Railroad Group, LLC is pleased to announce they will benefit from two Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grants announced this month, totaling over $35 million. These grants will fund significant rail improvement projects in Kentucky and Ohio, enhancing the safety, efficiency, and economic competitiveness of the regions served.

The first grant, amounting to $32,183,290, is designated for the Kentucky Freight Rail Improvement Program. This project includes the rehabilitation of track on three short line corridors in Kentucky. Specifically, the project will:

• Rehabilitate approximately 30 miles of track, replace crossties, add ballast, surface, and tighten bolts along the R. J. Corman Railroad Company Central Kentucky Lines (RJCC).
• Rehabilitate the 20-mile mainline, replace crossties, add ballast, surface, and tighten bolts along the R. J. Corman Railroad Company Bardstown Line (RJCR).
• Rehabilitate approximately 14 miles of track of the R. J. Corman Railroad Company Memphis Line (RJCM), replace approximately 75 specialty railcars with flatcars, and expand track capacity at the Russellville production plant.

R. J. Corman Railroad Group will contribute a 25 percent match, amounting to over $11.5 million, while Logan Aluminum will provide an additional 5 percent match, totaling over $2 million.

The second grant, totaling $3,166,384, is awarded to the Rural Ohio-Appalachian Rail Rehabilitation (ROARR) project. This initiative includes track rehabilitation and grade crossing improvements at two locations on R. J. Corman’s Cleveland (RJCL) line in Summit, Stark, and Tuscarawas Counties, Ohio. The project will:

• Rehabilitate over 24 miles of track, including the re-establishment of service on three miles of track in eastern Ohio.
• Result in the removal of numerous slow orders and enhance the economic competitiveness of Appalachian communities along the line.

R. J. Corman will contribute 35 percent of the non-federal match, totaling over 1.4 million, and the Ohio Rail Development Commission will contribute $243,568 in grant funds.

These grants were made possible through the collaboration and support of Kentucky and Ohio’s Congressional Delegations, the Ohio Rail Development Commission, County and City officials, economic development organizations, Logan Aluminum, many of our customers, and R. J. Corman representatives.

"We are thrilled to receive these CRISI grants, which will enable us to make crucial improvements to our rail infrastructure in Kentucky and Ohio," said Ed Quinn III, President and CEO of R. J. Corman Railroad Group. "We want to thank the Federal Railroad Administration, Logan Aluminum, the Ohio Rail Development Commission, and the many stakeholders who supported these applications. These projects will enhance the safety and efficiency of our operations, support economic growth in the regions we serve, and demonstrate our commitment to providing high-quality rail services."

About R. J. Corman Railroad Group
R. J. Corman Railroad Group employs approximately 1,400 people in 24 states. R. J. Corman companies provide a broad scope of services to the railroad industry, such as emergency response, track material distribution, track construction, short line railroad operations, industrial switching, and signal design and construction.

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