Press Releases

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has awarded Virginia Tech, based in Blacksburg, Virginia, a $7,509,783 grant. This funding will support the establishment of a national defense rail resilience research center, which will focus research efforts on improving safety and resiliency along the Strategic Rail Corridor Network (STRACNET).

In response to this grant notice, U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement:

“STRACNET, which runs through Virginia’s Ninth District, consists of the civil rail lines that are considered by our military as the most important to national defense.

“The path that STRACNET takes through the Ninth District is in the same corridor as proposed passenger rail line extension from Christiansburg to Bristol.

“This DOT grant for more than $7.5 million helps Virginia Tech establish a new research center dedicated to safety improvements on this critical rail corridor network.”

BACKGROUND

This grant money was made available through the FRA Fiscal Year 2026 Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program.

As part of this funding, the project will construct two research facilities and develop a monitoring tool for track health maintenance.

A STRACNET Defense Site is located at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant.

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