Montana State University Leads $6.4 Million Federal Grant for National Rail Workforce Development

BILLINGS — The Federal Railroad Administration has awarded Montana State University’s Western Transportation Institute a $6.4 million grant to establish a national rail workforce development program that will introduce elementary and high school students to railroad careers alongside university and technical training initiatives.

The five-year Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) grant will fund rail education programs in Montana, Tennessee, and California, with the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority receiving $630,000 to coordinate regional workforce strategies.

“This project is one of the most exciting opportunities I have encountered in my career,” said Dr. Kelvin Wang, Director of the Western Transportation Institute at Montana State University. “By collaborating with colleagues in California and Tennessee, along with the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority, we are establishing a national model for rail education.”

The initiative comes as Montana advances efforts to restore passenger rail service across the Northern Rockies, with federal agencies providing increasing support for rail infrastructure and workforce development nationwide.

K-12 Students at Center of Initiative

The program will create “Summer Rail Academies” to introduce hundreds of elementary and high school students annually to railroad topics and career paths. Additionally, the grant will fund collaborative curriculum development that integrates rail-focused learning modules into K-12 coursework across the three states.

The initiative will also establish a “Faculty Rail Fellows Program” to train 18-30 educators annually in rail-related topics, ensuring sustained integration of rail education into existing school curricula.

“This CRISI award is about preparing people for great rail jobs — building a skilled workforce in Montana and across the country, from rural and Tribal communities to metropolitan regions,” said Dave Strohmaier, Chair of the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority. “By investing in students today, we are laying the foundation for a sustainable and connected passenger and freight rail system tomorrow.”

Multi-State Partnership Includes Tribal Nations

The Western Transportation Institute will lead the program in partnership with the University of Memphis, California State University Long Beach, and the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority. Labor and tribal leaders, including the International Association of Machinists Union Rail Division, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, and the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, have endorsed the initiative.

The program will establish permanent Regional Rail Working Groups in each state, connecting industry representatives, labor unions, educational institutions, and economic development agencies to coordinate workforce planning efforts.

Beyond K-12 education, the grant will fund rail-focused coursework for thousands of university and technical college students, with curriculum and resources made available through the National Network for the Transportation Workforce to ensure the program can be replicated in other states.

Federal Investment Totals $8 Million

The $6.4 million federal grant, supported by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and recent congressional appropriations, includes an additional $1.6 million in matching contributions from project partners, bringing total project funding to $8 million over five years.

The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority will contribute $210,000 in in-kind services to ensure Montana communities are integrated into the national workforce development initiative.

Montana has seen growing momentum in passenger rail development, with the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority adding new regional partners and receiving federal recognition for efforts to restore long-distance passenger service.

“This initiative will engage students early, broaden career opportunities, and ensure that the economic and community benefits of rail investments are achieved across the country,” Wang said.