The Texas North Western Railway Company (TXNW), a subsidiary of TNW Corporation of Dallas, has been awarded $7.3 million for rail line improvements from the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program. TXNW will provide matching funds for the project.

The funding enables TXNW to upgrade 5.5 miles of track with new rail, public grade crossings, and bridges to bolster the local supply chain and ensure safe, reliable services to a growing number of cattle feedlots, dairies, and grain elevators in Moore County. The improvements allow safe movement of industry standard 286,000-lb. railcars and larger locomotives to transport unit trains that serve customers located on TXNW’s line. These upgrades will improve loading and unloading times and provide a significant emissions benefit.

Crediting the success of the grant in part to ongoing support by U.S. Senator John Cornyn, Texas Representative Four Price, the Texas Department of Transportation, Moore County Officials, Trinity Industries, Inc., Skyland Grain LLC, The City of Sunray, Texas, Valero Marketing and Supply, Patton Custom Fertilizer, Dumas Texas Economic Development Corporation and the support of the FRA and its administrator, Paolo Couto, TNW Chief Executive Officer Paul Treangen said “The investment will significantly increase our ability to handle trains, improve cycle times, and enhance customer service. This will lead to a better, safer, overall rail transportation network. The project will also help regional economic development, creating jobs and an increased tax base.”

TXNW is a short line railroad that operates approximately 30 miles of mainline track between Cactus and Sunray, Texas, as well as more than 180 miles of storage and switching tracks. The railway is located about 50 miles north of Amarillo.