Railroad Rehabilitation & Improvement Financing (RRIF)

The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act was enacted on December 4, 2015. The FAST Act included substantive and procedural changes to the TIFIA and RRIF programs. The Department is working diligently to implement these changes. It is revising many program websites, guidance documents, and regulations. During the transition, TIFIA and RRIF remain open for applications. Potential applicants interested in the programs should proceed under existing program guidance.

Program Overview

The RRIF program was established by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) and amended by the Safe Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: a Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). Under this program the FRA Administrator is authorized to provide direct loans and loan guarantees up to $35.0 billion to finance development of railroad infrastructure. Up to $7.0 billion is reserved for projects benefiting freight railroads other than Class I carriers.

The funding may be used to:

Acquire, improve, or rehabilitate intermodal or rail equipment or facilities, including track, components of track, bridges, yards, buildings and shops;
Refinance outstanding debt incurred for the purposes listed above; and
Develop or establish new intermodal or railroad facilities

Direct loans can fund up to 100% of a railroad project with repayment periods of up to 35 years and interest rates equal to the cost of borrowing to the government.

Eligible borrowers include railroads, state and local governments, government-sponsored authorities and corporations, joint ventures that include at least one railroad, and limited option freight shippers who intend to construct a new rail connection.

Please refer to the RRIF Program Fact Sheet for additional information.

Executed Loan Agreements


FISCAL YEAR	ORGANIZATION		AMOUNT
2015	The Arkansas and Missouri Railroad Company	$	6,809,000
2015	Metropolitan Transportation Authority	$	967,100,000
2012	Alameda Corridor Transportation Authority	$	83,710,000
2012	Kansas City Southern Railway Company	$	54,648,000
2011	Northwestern Pacific Railroad Company and North Coast Railroad Authority	$	3,180,000
2011	Amtrak	$	562,900,000
2011	C&J Railroad	$	56,204
2010	Denver Union Station Project Authority	$	155,000,000
2010	Great Lakes Central Railroad	$	17,000,000
2009	Georgia & Florida Railways	$	8,100,000
2009	Permian Basin Railways, Inc	$	64,400,000
2009	Iowa Interstate Railroad	$	31,000,000
2007	Nashville and Eastern Railroad	$	4,000,000
2007	Nashville and Eastern Railroad	$	600,000
2007	Columbia Basin Railroad	$	3,000,000
2007	Great Western Railway	$	4,030,000
2007	Dakota Minnesota & Eastern Railroad	$	48,320,000
2007	Iowa Northern Railroad	$	25,500,000
2006	Virginia Railway Express	$	72,500,000
2006	RJ Corman Railway	$	11,768,274
2006	RJ Corman Railway	$	47,131,726
2006	Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway	$	14,000,000
2006	Iowa Interstate Railroad	$	9,350,000
2005	Great Smoky Mountains Railroad	$	7,500,000
2005	Riverport Railroad	$	5,514,774
2005	The Montreal Maine & Atlantic Railway	$	34,000,000
2005	Tex-Mex Railroad	$	50,000,000
2005	Iowa Interstate Railroad	$	32,732,533
2004	Stillwater Central Railroad	$	4,675,250
2004	Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway	$	25,000,000
2004	Dakota Minnesota & Eastern Railroad	$	233,601,000
2003	Arkansas & Missouri Railroad	$	11,000,000
2003	Nashville and Western Railroad	$	2,300,000
2002	Amtrak	$	100,000,000
2002	Mount Hood Railroad	$	2,070,000

Railroad Rehabilitation & Improvement Financing (RRIF)

Program Overview

Executed Loan Agreements

eLibrary

Regulations

Contact Us