In his testimony before a Senate subcommittee hearing, Anacostia Rail Holdings president and CEO Peter Gilbertson said short line railroads need modernizing.
Speaking before the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Freight, Pipelines and Safety’s “On the Right Track: Modernizing America’s Rail Network” hearing, Gilbertson said short line railroads play a part in the interconnected freight network and modernization of and investment into short lines could provide economic growth across the country.
“Short lines are high-impact businesses in underserved areas. They are job creators, safety multipliers, and sustainability drivers. But to remain viable and competitive, we need reliable, accessible infrastructure funding, with CRISI (Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grant program) at its core, a modern regulatory approach rooted in performance, not outdated prescriptions, and the flexibility to innovate, test, and deploy new technologies—safely and efficiently,” Gilbertson, who is also a member of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, said.
Gilbertson said three initiatives would allow short lines to remain a critical part of the transportation infrastructure – continued robust federal investment in short line railroads, especially through the CRISI; regulatory reform that is data- and risk-driven; and support for innovation and new technologies.
He also urged the Senators to address delays in getting grants from the award stage to the obligation and completion stage; continue federal support for programs that address safety between railroads and the motoring public, and the Short Line Safety Institute; and implement change in the U.S. Department of Energy’s regulatory approach to provide a foundation for regulatory reform and innovation.
“Continued investment and regulatory flexibility, particularly in the area of waivers is essential to unlock the full potential of these technologies and ensure that America’s rail network remains a global leader in 21st-century transportation,” he said.
While most short line railroads operate on infrastructure that is decades old, the CRISI grant program can help the short line industry. Since its inception, the program has provided more than $2.7 billion in grants to 240 short line projects, which has been matched by $1.28 billion from private and nonfederal sources. However, some grant recipients have said moving the grants from award to obligation can take between 18 and 24 months.
Short line railroads operate more than 50,000 route miles of track in 48 states and account for about a third (30 percent) of the country’s railroad network.