Federal Railroad Administration

Sierra Northern Railway (SNR) has made significant rail safety upgrades and FRA Administrator David Fink met with SNR staff to view and learn more about these improvements.

Using over $17 million in an FRA Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Grant, SNR replaced 90,000 railroad ties and rehabilitated 10 miles of rail. This CRISI Grant also allowed them to make improvements to 10 grade crossings along the Oakdale Branch line. In December 2025, they also completed a project to build five new sidings expanding nearly 7 miles using a Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) Express loan with the Build America Bureau.

Photos courtesy of David D. Woodruff

Safety Saturday: Graduates, don’t let your celebration end in tragedy. Never take photos on a train track.

FRA Administrator David Fink was hands-on during his tour of Siemens’ manufacturing facility in Sacramento, California. Joined by Siemens Mobility of North America CEO Tobias Bauer, Administrator Fink was inspired by the diligent ex*****on and care each employee took as a major producer of U.S. passenger rail equipment.

Tuesday Train Travel: Where are you planning your trip along the NEC honor 🇺🇸250?

Check out the map:
https://ne-rail-guide.com/regional-overview/

A-BOS
B-NY/NJ
C-PHI
D-DC

Wellness check.

Safety Saturday: You cannot out run a train. Freight trains may travel up to 70 MPH and are quieter than you think.

Have you seen any America250 trains? Drop the pics⬇️

📣Master Developer Team Selected for Penn Station📣

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration is investing $200 million for Amtrak and Penn Transformation Partners to lead the vast undertaking of revitalizating New York Penn Station.

FRA Administrator David Fink said, “The new station will be an architectural icon that fuels further development in the Nation’s financial capital while accommodating more passengers during critical rush periods.” Moving at the speed of Trump, construction will begin in 2027 and will include a new grand entrance, accessible walkways, and expanded track capacity.

PENN STATION UPDATE: Trump’s Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy & Amtrak Announce Penn Transformation Partners (Halmar) as Master Developer Team for New York Penn Station Renovation | US Department of Transportation USDOT invests an additional $200 million today to ensure the project is on track to break ground on a new station in 2027

The Mobile Railcar Inspection Portal (M-rip® ) can identify mechanical areas of interest while the train is in motion up to 70 MPH using bright lights, high-resolution cameras, and AI. The M-rip® technology will help streamline the railcar inspection process. “We’re very pleased to see the Duos M-rip® technology platform in operation,” said FRA Administrator David Fink during his visit to Duos headquarters.