Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad (CSS), an Anacostia Rail Holdings Company (ARH), has been awarded $2.88 million in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program. The funding will support the Indiana – Freight, Rail Safety & Service Reliability Improvement Project. CRISI is a highly competitive grant program, and this award was made with the full support of Governor Braun and the Northwest Indiana congressional delegation.

The project will involve track rehabilitation across northern Indiana and northeastern Illinois, including replacing cross ties and switch ties, rehabilitating switches, and upgrading four at-grade crossings. These improvements are designed to enhance rail safety, improve service reliability, reduce emergency maintenance events, and maintain the operability of critical track segments while supporting more dependable yard and mainline performance.

The federal funding will be supplemented by a 40% non-federal cost share from CSS, demonstrating the railroad’s commitment to investing in infrastructure that supports its customers and the regional economy.

“Maintaining safe, reliable infrastructure is fundamental to delivering the consistent freight rail service our customers depend on,” said Todd Bjornstad, President of CSS. “This project will allow us to address critical track and crossing needs across our network, strengthen safety, and improve service reliability for the industries and communities we serve. We are grateful for the strong leadership of Governor Braun, Senators Young and Banks, and Representatives Yakym and Mrvan in supporting this effort.”