Railtowns.org

The FY2026 Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Notice of Funding Opportunity has officially dropped.

There’s just under $1B total available ($993M) this year.

We want to give you a clear read on what’s in it, what’s changed from last time, and what it will take to be competitive this round. Read our full take on our blog!

We’ve released a new guide for communities located along the vast American rail network. This guide isn’t about siding with railroads or communities. It’s about understanding how and why these problems happen - and what you can do to change the outcome.

“If your town hosts a railroad, you’ve probably encountered at least one of these:

• Frustrated residents calling about blocked crossings or noise
• Emergency vehicles delayed when every route across town seems to be blocked by a train
• Pressure to fix rail issues you don’t feel you can control, and not enough resources to fix them even if you could
• A rail line or yard next to homes, schools, or parks with no obvious way to reduce conflict and risk.

You’re not imagining the friction. And you’re also not alone. These challenges show up in towns of every size, in every region, and across every political stripe. Problems often look local, but causes are often part of how America has invested (or not invested) in community infrastructure for rail.

Most of today’s rail-community conflicts are about misalignment, not bad actors. They’re the consequence of infrastructure decisions made years or decades ago, without a full understanding of how rail systems would operate today or how community growth would unfold around them. The lone road into a neighborhood that crosses active tracks. Housing built next to a 24-hour switching yard. A park or school without a safe pedestrian route across the rail line. Towns live with the consequences, and railroads are often blamed for conditions they didn’t create and may not be able to legally or operationally change.”

This was just a taste. Download is available on our blog now!

https://www.railtowns.org/post/railtown-strategies-the-community-guide-workbook-for-better-rail-outcomes

From our CEO, Tate Linden.
America can't build the future on a system that's been cast as the villain.

A couple weeks ago, I had the opportunity to speak to Minnesota’s regional railroads - leaders working to keep America connected. They were generous with their time and trust, but I didn’t deliver what that room deserved.

I mistakenly improvised, based on conversations I'd had with individuals the day before. I started by trying to explain the cultural forces working against freight rail, but I fumbled the message. So this post begins my attempt to get the facts out there in a way that makes sense.

Rail is the only mode of transportation we routinely portray as the threat.

In headlines, derailments lead the national news. Other land-based transit disasters stay local.
In language: railroaded, derailed, trainwreck - all shorthand for disaster.
In film: if a train is a significant feature, odds are that it represents death or destruction.
In public memory: freight rail hasn’t symbolized progress or captured America's hearts and minds since the golden spike was driven, connecting East to West.

Even when Association of American Railroads, American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, and others publish legitimately amazing data - on safety, emissions, efficiency - it doesn't shift the narrative. The positives don’t stick.

This isn’t just a PR problem. It’s a foundational one.

When communities subconsciously view rail as a menace or a relic, they zone accordingly. They fight access. They blame the industry for things it doesn’t control - viewing it as an adversary, not an asset.

So how do we turn that around?

At Railtowns, we start by telling a truth that railroads aren't in a position to share: Rail isn’t the villain. It’s one of the few tools we have left that can meaningfully reduce congestion, emissions, and long-haul inefficiency at scale.

Then we equip communities to see what rail is - and isn’t.Not through press releases, but through site-specific analysis, policy walk-throughs, and plain-language engagement. Like - a dollar invested in rail/community infrastructure like an overpass can return over 10x its value - just in preventing damage to roads, accident avoidance, and time savings.

We are partners to both rail and community, representing the success of the ecosystem, not one against the other.

That’s what Railtowns is here to do. And in the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing more messages I didn’t get right in Minnesota - because the story we tell about rail shapes the infrastructure we build, the communities we serve, and the future we get.

If your community is a federal grant recipient, don’t miss this article about how to respond to the DOT funding freeze, written by Tate Linden, our CEO.

https://www.railtowns.org/post/what-to-do-about-today-s-dot-grant-freeze-impacts-risks-and-response

If you’d like to get our ongoing alerts and updates in your inbox, sign up on our homepage at railtowns.org.

This railtown is an award-winning leader in placemaking and collaborative intergovernmental practice!

We look forward to supporting their efforts toward passenger rail accessibility and rail safety goals this year.

No community should be isolated when trying to safely integrate with rail infrastructure!

Our membership drive ends in just a few days. You can sponsor your community's 2025 Full Membership for just $99 until March 31st! After that, the cost reverts back to population-based pricing. Sponsor today from https://www.railtowns.org/sponsor-a-community

If your product helps support the prosperity, safety, and accessibility of America's rail and railtowns, we want to connect with you at !

With our nationwide network of municipalities, we connect our members that have specific challenges to municipalities who have solved those challenges.

When one railtown has a great experience with your product and service, they're able to share that experience directly with others in our network who need your solution!

If we haven't connected with you to learn about your rail solution, let's fix that.

We'll be in Denver at the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association’s annual conference in April. If you'll be there, let's book a time to swing by your booth and learn about your offerings.

Or better yet! If you'll be on the Sunday morning Rocky Mountaineer train excursion, we can chat on the train while we take in the beautiful scenery.

ps. If you won't be at ASLRRA, let's meet in DC the next time you're in town - ping us to get it on our calendars!

aslrra
American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association
Rocky Mountaineer
rockymountaineer

HiRail stepped forward for the rail safety & accessibility of ten railtowns in eastern Iowa, underlining their commitment to safer grade crossings across America!

These ten neighbors are connected by a Union Pacific line and have a wonderful shared history of benefitting from freight rail service. We've spoken with each of the communities and look forward to supporting their efforts for safer integration with the rail infrastructure that they host!

From Larry Thompson, CEO: "At HiRail, we are dedicated to revolutionizing the transportation and infrastructure industries with cutting-edge solutions that prioritize safety, efficiency, and sustainability. With 35 years of expertise and a passion for innovation, we specialize in delivering state-of-the-art grade crossing systems, and world-class support that meet the needs of modern transportation.

Our team of skilled professionals is committed to providing tailored solutions that elevate the performance of rail networks while enhancing the passenger experience and reducing environmental impact. From designing and implementing new rail systems to upgrading existing infrastructures, Hirail, Inc. takes pride in delivering reliable, cost-effective, and high-quality solutions that exceed rail industry standards.

At the heart of our company is a strong commitment to integrity, safety, and customer satisfaction. We believe in forging long-lasting partnerships with our clients and stakeholders, ensuring that every crossing we produce contributes to the development of smarter, greener, and more connected communities.
Join us on our journey to reshape the future of rail transportation."

Thank you, HiRail, for sponsoring, Dewitt, Mt. Vernon, Lisbon, Mechanicsville, Clarence, Lowden, Wheatland, Stanwood, Grand Mound, and Calamus, IA!

TRAINFO has underlined their mission to improve safety & mobility at rail crossings by stepping forward for five American railtowns!

Thank you, TRAINFO! Because of you, each of these railtowns gets direct support from the Railtowns team and connection to the experts, services, and vendors they need for their rail projects and initiatives.

Grade separation isn't always possible, and we're glad that the technology and innovation that TRAINFO brings to the market is available to railtowns in this situation. Recently, TRAINFO was identified as a best practice for reducing collisions at rail crossings by the Transportation Research Board.

TRAINFO's rail crossing information system is used by public agencies in over 12 states and is regarded as a proven and effective alternative to grade separation.

If you're dealing with traffic delays and collisions at rail crossings, please reach out to TRAINFO, or we can connect you with them for a conversation.

Railtowns has joined a coalition of passenger rail advocates in urging the Federal Railroad Administration to reconsider recent firings in the Office of Railroad Development (RRD).

The RRD plays a pivotal role in enhancing the nation’s rail infrastructure. Its primary responsibilities include managing federal investments in both freight and passenger rail systems, overseeing grant programs, and leading rail planning and engineering initiatives.

The removal of key officials overseeing rail programs raises serious concerns about continuity and the ability to deliver on critical rail investments. With historic levels of federal funding supporting passenger rail expansion, experienced leadership is more important than ever to ensure projects stay on track and deliver results for both passengers and rail-hosting communities.

We believe that rail progress depends on long-term planning, stable leadership, and a commitment to both industry and community needs. We stand alongside Rail Passengers Association and others in calling for transparency and accountability in these decisions.

We encourage all rail-linked communities - and those seeking to become rail-linked - to speak with their elected representatives to ensure their needs and concerns can be addressed.

This cash is burning a hole in our pocket! Should it go to your community??

We've got matching grant dollars that need to be allocated across the nation. If your community has historically had challenges safely integrating with rail infrastructure- please nominate it to receive a 2025 Full Membership.

These memberships are funded by our matching grant, which was established by a Class I RR in partnership with our board treasurer, Kellie Hinkle. We appreciate their generous support of our mission toward prosperous, safe, accessible American railtowns!



Kellie Hinkle
kelliehinkle

We 💙 our hometown sponsors, and this 'why I sponsored' was too sweet to not share with the rest of you!

Today, Craig is Board Treasurer for NIPRA, a nonprofit that's working to restore passenger rail service between Chicago and Fort Wayne, IN, as part of the Midwest Connect corridor that will stretch all the way to the east coast. Each of the railtowns along the proposed route has the chance to benefit economically and use the access to bolster railtown pride in their community!

Crestline is proof that small communities can punch above their weight when it comes to optimizing and advocating for passenger rail access!

Anticipating the arrival of daytime passenger rail, Crestline has already done wonderful transit-oriented development in its downtown. It has the perfect property identified for its train station, with lovely walkability to its shop-filled downtown district with big, safe sidewalks and art-filled alleys. Some of their development just required a fresh coat of paint, other included incentivizing small businesses to move into the area.

This community of 5,000 understands the economic benefits that come with a downtown that entices riders to hop off the train for lunch and shopping- and it hasn't hesitated to do just that!

Welcome in, Crestline! We're thrilled to be working with you as you implement transit-oriented development.