FRA directs $5.3 billion to rail crossings, Amtrak fleet and Chicago maintenance facility across 23 states

The Federal Railroad Administration announced a $5.3 billion package of rail grants on 14 August 2026, covering 41 projects across 23 states and spanning grade-crossing closures, new Amtrak trainsets, and a major maintenance facility in Chicago^[1]. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy made the announcement at Cincinnati Union Terminal. The FRA received 103 eligible applications from 78 entities requesting a combined $11.7 billion, meaning roughly half the demand went unfunded^[1].

Grade-crossing work anchors the safety case

Grade crossings are the second-leading cause of rail-related deaths in the United States, accounting for more than 2,000 incidents and 200 fatalities annually. The package will close more than 30 crossings outright and upgrade more than 1,000 others with new infrastructure and technology^[1]. The FRA prioritised high-risk sites - those with a documented history of at least three incidents or two fatal incidents during the previous five years.

The largest state-level crossing awards include:

• Florida DOT - $356 million for state-of-good-repair improvements at up to 910 highway-rail crossings statewide
• North Carolina DOT - $299 million to eliminate nine grade crossings, install sections of double track, and add trespass-prevention measures
• Texas DOT - $189 million to eliminate nine crossings in Fort Worth, Dallas, and Terrell through grade-separation projects

Amtrak receives nearly $3 billion across seven projects

The single largest award in the package is $2.05 billion for Amtrak to purchase 43 new U.S.-built trainsets intended for routes including the Adirondack, Cascades, Hiawatha, Keystone, and Wolverine corridors. A separate $140.6 million will overhaul 41 Siemens Charger locomotives currently running on Midwest and Pacific routes. Amtrak and its state partners are required to contribute a 20 percent funding match before equipment can be ordered, meaning state transportation departments will need to commit additional capital.

The trainsets will be built domestically with nearly 100 suppliers across 31 states, a Buy America requirement embedded in the National Railroad Partnership Program grant terms.

Chicago lands a new maintenance campus

Two Chicago-area grants address the infrastructure underpinning all Midwest corridor operations. The FRA awarded $572 million for a new Midwest Maintenance Facility, which will relocate Amtrak's maintenance operations from the 14th Street Yard to the Canal Street Yard - a site currently owned by Union Pacific. A separate grant of up to $87 million will fund bridge and viaduct repairs in the same corridor. Amtrak says the new facility will allow more efficient railcar servicing and reduce turnaround time, accelerating on-time performance goals by more than a decade.

Funding source and what to watch

Roughly $2 billion of the package became available after the Trump administration cancelled federal support for California's high-speed rail project, with Congress separately rescinding $929 million in California HSR funding through the January 2026 Consolidated Appropriations Act. All grants flow through the NRPP, an Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act programme. State DOTs and Amtrak will now need to finalise match commitments and advance environmental reviews before construction contracts can be let - the pace of that process will determine how quickly the crossing closures and facility work move to procurement.