The Georgia Central Railway, a 211-mile short line freight railroad operating between Macon and Savannah, thanks all those that facilitated the federal Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program grant awarded to the City of Dublin last week.

The $4-million grant, matched with a $4-million investment by the Georgia Central, enables the railroad to complete a series of track, bridge, tie and surfacing improvements to accommodate industry-standard 286,000-lb. railcars for its entire corridor and to increase speeds from 10 mph to 25 mph for one-third of the main line.

“All of us at Georgia Central thank the state and local officials and customers that supported our CRISI grant application, especially the City of Dublin, which agreed to submit the grant to the federal government,” said Andy Chunko, president of the railroad. “This will directly help all of the communities and customers served by our railroad and allow safe and efficient transport of high-capacity freight cars.”

“These are the partnerships that help rural and urban communities thrive economically,” said Federal Railroad Administration Administrator Ronald Batory in the June 12 announcement of the awards. “The participation of multiple partners demonstrates the importance of these funds and tells us they will be a key asset in improving safety for communities and railroads around the country.”

The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act authorized the CRISI Program, which funds a wide range of projects that improve the safety, efficiency and reliability of intercity passenger and freight rail systems. Over one-third of the $326 million in grant funds were awarded to rural projects such as those in Georgia.