Thank You for Visiting Our Online Meeting
Welcome to the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) Statewide Rail Plan (SRP) Online Meeting #2. We’re excited to present highlights from our draft plan, which was developed with public and stakeholder input.
Click the arrows at the bottom of your screen to visit each section.
Use the navigation bar/menu to revisit any part of the meeting.
Leave your feedback any time on our Comment Form.
Welcome to the online meeting for the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) Statewide Rail Plan (SRP). This is the second and final online meeting, which will cover the following subjects:
Online Meeting #1 survey responses
Draft report outline, chapters, key takeaways, and
recommendations
Industry trends and relevant rail-related topics
Draft project list
This winter, the first online meeting introduced the Statewide Rail Plan (SRP), reviewed Wyoming’s existing rail system and its role in the state’s economy, introduced federal funding opportunities for rail-related projects, and surveyed respondents on their priorities for improving and advancing our state’s railways.
In total, over 1,200 individuals visited the first online meeting.
About 89% of respondents reported a need for passenger rail in Wyoming.
Safety and Winter Reliability:
Frequent closures on I-80 and I-25 make rail
transportation a safer, more dependable option.
Beneficiaries include students, residents traveling
for medical appointments, older adults, and
tourists.
Destinations:
Where passenger trains travel is important, and
respondents showed the strongest interest in the
following destinations: Fort Collins, Denver, Salt
Lake City, Billings, and Rapid City. Many said they
would use rail regularly for healthcare, commuting,
and long distance travel.
Economic Potential:
Respondents cited tourism benefits, easier access to
national parks, and revitalization opportunities for
downtown areas. They also noted that rail investment
aligns with Wyoming’s railroad heritage and could
make use of existing infrastructure.
Considerations:
Many respondents asked clarifying questions about
what passenger rail service might look like, noting
that their willingness to use it would depend on
several factors, including station locations,
schedule and frequency, cost, and overall comfort.
If you are interested in reading the full survey report, a full meeting and survey summary will be available in the final Statewide Rail Plan report.
These results are not necessarily representative of the entire state.
The Statewide Rail Plan (SRP) will serve as a planning document for rail infrastructure and improvements that align with the goals and objectives of the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). Rail planning enables WYDOT to make informed decisions, identify and prioritize areas for improvement across the rail system, enhance safety, and work toward a transportation network that serves both current and future generations.
The SRP will establish policies involving freight and passenger rail transportation and present priorities and strategies to enhance the state’s rail service. The SRP will serve as a basis for federal and state rail-related investment opportunities.
Click or tap the cards to learn more.
The Role of Rail in Statewide Transportation
The final plan will inform decision makers in developing rail policies and identify projects that support a safe and reliable network.
The State’s Existing Rail System
A description and inventory of existing assets, trends, and forecasts for the rail industry, and a comprehensive list of rail service needs and opportunities.
Passenger Rail
Review of proposed passenger rail improvements and investments.
Freight Rail
Review of proposed freight rail improvements and investments.
Rail Service and Investment Program
Provide guidelines for rail investment and establish a list of rail investment opportunities to help achieve the State’s vision for rail transportation.
Coordination and Review
A summary of participation and input from state and local agencies, railroads, shippers, and members of the public.
Union Pacific (UP) and Norfolk Southern have proposed an end-to-end merger that would create the first single-line transcontinental railroad in the United States. This plan would integrate operating plans, including dispatching, terminals, and commercial activities, while committing to open gateways, service assurances, and promote infrastructure, technology, and safety investments to maintain competition and network fluidity.
Wyoming’s rail network is dominated by UP mainlines that support energy, agricultural, and bulk commodity movements. These movements would remain structurally intact, with potential indirect benefits from improved downstream connectivity and network fluidity. At the same time, they also increase exposure to systemwide operating changes, dispatching priorities, and traffic rebalancing driven by a larger unified network.
The applicants’ indicate the merger will improve reliability, promote faster coast-to-coast service, expand single-line routing options, and deliver productivity gains that strengthen rail’s competitiveness relative to trucking. They also maintain that preserving gateways, honoring trackage rights, and applying regulatory conditions will prevent anticompetitive foreclosure and support continued interline competition.
Potential risks include reduced routing optionality, localized service impacts if traffic is rationalized elsewhere, and dependence on compliance with service and access commitments. Opportunities include stronger long-haul market access for Wyoming shippers, improved reliability for bulk exports, and increased attractiveness of rail-served industrial development if projected network efficiencies and investment commitments are realized.
More information:
Wyoming emphasizes proactive at‑grade crossing safety by updating its Statewide Grade Crossing Action Plan, seeking public input on crossing improvements, and identifying locations for safer separated crossings to reduce crashes. Federally, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) prioritizes grade crossing safety through major investments via directed and discretionary grant funding, data gathering through the railroads and state DOTs, and creating safety advisory committees that recommend actions to address risks such as blocked crossings and inadequate protection at crossings.
Recent federal investment of over $1.1 billion, under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), resulted in improving or eliminating more than 1,000 at-grade crossings nationwide. This was the largest grade crossing safety effort in FRA history.
IIJA funding was made available primarily through competitive grant programs. Separately, Wyoming also receives approximately $1.225 million annually in formula funding under FHWA's Section 130 program. These funds are for crossing surface and signal safety improvements at existing at-grade crossings. However, given the funding allocation, the number of projects that can be advanced with Section 130 funding is limited.
The U.S. Department of Transportation is primarily directing resources to grade crossing safety by updating FRA regulations and modernizing requirements and penalty structures as part of a broader deregulatory effort. At the same time, FRA is issuing targeted safety advisories to address operational hazards such as inadequate point‑protection and visibility at passive crossings.
Recommended improvements in the updated Grade Grossing Safety Action Plan include:
Mitigation of Hump Conditions: As at-grade railroad crossings are repaired and maintained, they may become level with the roadway they cross. This occurs due to elevation differences between the roadway and railroad tracks, incremental elevation gains from track maintenance, super-elevation of the railroad tracks, or complex vertical geometry required to cross several sets of tracks at varying heights. This can create a "humped" profile, posing a risk for low-clearance vehicles. The solution is to reconstruct the roadway approaches on either side of the railroad tracks to better match the elevation of the existing railroad track.
Installation of Automatic Gates: This safety upgrade improves the crossing from either passive (no gate or flashing lights) or flashing lights only (no gate) to flashing lights and gate mechanisms.
The FRA is a modal administration within the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT). Within the FRA, the Office of Railroad Safety and Office Railroad Development have regulatory authority over all publicly and privately owned rail in the United States.
Special Transportation Circumstances (STC)
STC funding is FDA directed funding available to states that are not served by the national Amtrak network, providing support for eligible rail projects. Only the states of Alaska, South Dakota, and Wyoming are eligible applicants. Projects submitted for funding must provide freight rail benefits and be identified in a respective state rail plan. Wyoming prioritizes this funding for grade separations and other grade crossing improvements. This program requires a 20% non-federal match, which can come from local or private funding sources.
Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE)
Created through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, RCE is an FRA program that provides dedicated funding to improve safety at existing at-grade rail/highway crossings through elimination, grade separation, or other safety improvements such as upgraded signals or gates. The FRA encourages applicants to look at rail corridors or otherwise group potential grade crossing improvements. Planning, project development (preliminary engineering and environmental review), and design/construction can all be funded through RCE. Eligible applicants include states, cities, counties, other local jurisdictions, port authorities, tribes, and publicly-established railroad authorities. This program requires a 20% non-federal match, which can come from local or private funding sources.
Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development
(BUILD) (formerly RAISE, formerly TIGER)
BUILD, originally created in 2009, is a USDOT multimodal funding program administered by the Office of the Secretary that can fund a variety of surface transportation projects, including highway, transit, and freight or passenger rail. While planning, project development (preliminary engineering and environmental review), and design/construction can all be funded through BUILD, the program typically has size limitations on federal awards ($25 million). Eligible applicants include states, cities, counties, other local jurisdictions, commuter rail authorities, tribes, and publicly-established railroad authorities. This program requires a 20% non-federal match for most projects, though the match requirements can vary for rural and/or planning projects with each funding opportunity. The required non-federal match can come from local or private funding sources.
Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements
(CRISI)
Initially created in 2015, CRISI is FRA's primary funding program for freight rail projects. Eligible project types must produce measurable passenger or freight rail benefits, including enhanced multimodal connectivity, capacity, and state of good repair of rail assets. Safety projects, such as grade separations or improvements to at-grade crossings, are also considered eligible. Planning, project development (preliminary engineering and environmental review), and design/construction can be funded through CRISI. Eligible applicants include short-line (Class II or III) railroads, states, cities, counties, other local jurisdictions, tribes, and publicly-established railroad authorities. This program requires a 20% non-federal match, which can come from local or private funding sources.
On February 3, 2026, President Trump signed the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development FY26 appropriations bill, which included:
CRISI: An additional $50 million in competitive discretionary and $87,426,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending (earmarks)
BUILD: Additional $145 million
RCE: No additional annual appropriation
The Statewide Rail Plan (SRP) will be part of a larger group of plans that guide long range planning efforts in Wyoming. The 2050 Long Range Transportation Plan was recently completed, and the 2026 State Freight Assessment is currently being developed. Both plans, along with the SRP, are updated every five years and include substantial public and stakeholder involved processes.
2050 Long Range Transportation Plan
wydotlrtp.com
2026 Statewide Freight Assessment
wyfreightassessment.com