Federal Grant Upgrades 25 Miles of Minnesota Track
Shippers on the St. Cloud-area line should expect track repairs that aim to improve reliability and reduce derailment risk.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Transportation
Northern Lines Railway, an Anacostia Rail Holdings Company, was awarded $1.3 million in CRISI funding to rehabilitate 25 miles of track in the St. Cloud region of Minnesota. The short line railroad will contribute a 35% non-federal cost share to the project, which is known as the Minnesota Track Rehabilitation & Reliability Project.
Why it matters
Short line railroads carry a meaningful share of regional freight, and track condition directly affects how quickly and safely goods move through the state. Federal grant support paired with a railroad-funded match lowers the capital burden of a project of this kind.
The $1.3 million CRISI award covers part of a rehabilitation effort on 25 miles of track in the St. Cloud region, with Northern Lines Railway supplying a 35% non-federal share. The source does not state the full project budget, so the federal portion's share of total cost cannot be determined.
The players
Northern Lines Railway
A short line railroad operating in Minnesota and a subsidiary of Anacostia Rail Holdings, which owns regional freight rail operations.
Anacostia Rail Holdings
A holding company that owns short line and regional railroads, including Northern Lines Railway.
The details
Crews will replace ties throughout the 25-mile corridor and correct track surface and alignment defects along the same stretch. Track surface and alignment problems are a common cause of derailment risk, so repairing them is the core of the safety and performance gains the project is meant to deliver. Upon completion, the railroad expects enhanced performance and safety with reduced derailment risk.
Timeline
The $1.3 million CRISI grant award was published on November 2, 2026.
Market Landscape
Federal CRISI grants are one of the main channels through which short line railroads finance track and safety upgrades that they would otherwise struggle to fund alone. This award follows that pattern, pairing federal money with a railroad-funded match on a regional freight corridor.
Shippers and businesses that rely on rail freight through the St. Cloud region should watch for changes in service reliability as the track work proceeds. Logistics and procurement teams may want to confirm with carriers whether any service disruptions are expected during construction.
The takeaway
Operators who ship by rail in central Minnesota should factor in possible short-term disruption and longer-term reliability gains on the upgraded corridor. Businesses should ask their rail carriers for construction schedules and any service advisories before committing to new shipping plans.
Further reading
For more on how freight rail projects like this one are funded and built, browse our Transportation coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Railway Track and Structures.
