Marshall, Windom among MN cities receiving railroad grants from state

The Minnesota Department of Transportation has announced that Marshall and Windom are among eight Minnesota cities that will be receiving grants to improve railway service near their communities.

• Heartland Corn Products (Winthrop) – $1 million to expand and improve the efficiency of a railyard.
• Archer Daniels Midland (Marshall) – $1.87 million for a new loadout building and equipment along with a new track connection to existing rail infrastructure.

The eight cities will receive a total of $6.5 million in funding. MnDOT received 16 applications requesting a total of $18.9 million for rail service improvement projects for this round of MRSI funding. Other projects and amounts awarded are:

• Minnesota Commercial Railroad (Roseville) – $301,000 to upgrade a stretch of track to safely accommodate heavier railcars.
• Progressive Rail (Rosemount, Eagan) – $609,000 to extend an existing track interchange to accommodate new business.
• City of Newfolden – $600,000 to replace an existing rail crossing bridge structure as part of a flood prevention project.
• Duluth Seaway Port Authority (Duluth) – $1.2 million to modernize and upgrade rail and switches.
• Twin Cities and Western Railroad (Eden Prairie) – $690,000 to improve and expand rail access at an unloading/loading facility site.
• American Crystal Sugar (East Grand Forks) – $270,000 for a new rail spur track that provides storage for rail cars for bulk and packaged products and improve rail movement.