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    Apply for a Rail Freight Transportation Grant

    Apply for a Rail Freight Assistance Program (RFAP) or Rail Transportation Assistance Program (RTAP) with dotGrants, Pennsylvania's grant application system.

    Apply with dotGrants

    Overview

    Pennsylvania has 65 operating railroads, the most in the country. It also has over 5,600 miles of tracks. 

    PennDOT gives money and technical help to railroads and businesses to help the economy through its grant programs and other resources.

    PennDOT's Bureau of Rail, Freight, Ports, and Waterways is in charge of funding for the Rail Freight Assistance Program (RFAP) and the Rail Transportation Assistance Program (RTAP).

    You can apply through dotGrants.

     

      Additional resources

      Previous awards

      Rail Freight Assistance Program

      The Rail Freight Assistance Program (RFAP) gives money to invest in rail freight infrastructure. The goal is to:

      • Keep important rail freight service if it makes economic sense, and
      • Keep or boost economic development by creating new or expanded rail freight service.

      The most the state will fund for an RFAP project is 70% of the total project costs, up to $700,000.

        Rail Transportation Assistance Program

        The Rail Transportation Assistance Program (RTAP), also known as Capital Budget, is available to applicants with a line item(s) in a Capital Budget Act.

        Applicants should talk to their state representative or state senator to get a line item for their project. The most the state will fund for an RTAP project is 70% of the total project costs, up to the amount of the line item. 

        How rail freight grant application process works

        Submitting your application

        You have to submit your application through dotGrants.

        Review and selection

        The Bureau of Rail, Freight, Ports, and Waterways evaluates grant applications and chooses projects using an objective process. The goal is to select projects that fulfill the intent of the programs and benefit the public. 

        Application period and announcements

        PennDOT accepted applications for the 2024 program through September 1, 2024. Grant winners are usually announced in December.

        Presenting your project

        After the application period ends, each applicant can present their project to the Bureau of Rail, Freight, Ports, and Waterways in Harrisburg, PA. These presentations help the bureau choose which grant applications to bring to the State Transportation Commission (STC) for approval. 

        Approval and Notification

        Following approval by the STC, all applicants are informed about their funding status.