The Federal Railroad Administration has awarded $23.6 million to the Red River Valley and Western Railroad.
The money will go toward rail improvements and enhanced safety.
North Dakota Public Service Commissioner Jill Kringstad calls it a win for Rural North Dakota.
"The railroad has been doing upgrades in phases," Kringstad said. "This particular phase involved some additional rail track capacity near Wahpeton, but also the modernizing of about 26 miles of rail between Gwinner and Wyndmere. And what was really interesting about that particular section of track is, two-thirds of that rail track was actually laid before the end of World War I."
Kringstad said the rest of it was completed before the Great Depression.
Bottineau County also received $691 thousand for rail safety improvements – including for a rail crossing near a school – as well as increased grain handling capacity.
