Nebraska, Colorado short-liner will use grant to improve track

Officials are looking into light-rail expansion between Alexandria and Quantico.

Progress Rail

The Nebraska, Kansas & Colorado Railway (NKCR), a line managed by OmniTRAX, Inc., one of the largest privately held transportation service companies in North America and an affiliate of The Broe Group, has received a $4.5 million grant from the U.S. DOT. The grant will fund the renovation of more than 100 miles of track in western Nebraska and eastern Colorado.

“This grant is a great example of how government and business can come together to improve safety for the communities where the NKCR operates and support commercial activities in those communities. We appreciate the efforts of the federal government, particularly Nebraska’s U.S. senators and congress people, who have supported the grant from the beginning,” said Kevin Shuba, CEO of OmniTRAX.

Funding for the grant comes from the FY 2020 Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Grant Program. The project, which includes private-sector matching, will install approximately 42,595 ties and 15,990 tons of ballast, and resurface 562,848 track feet on the NKCR between Holdrege, Neb., and Sterling, Colo. 

“Today’s grant will improve an important freight rail line between Nebraska and Colorado, which is welcome news for our state’s communities, ag producers, and businesses. I thank Transportation Secretary Chao for this significant grant benefitting the Heartland,” said U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee and chairperson of the Subcommittee on Transportation and Safety.

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