FRA's CRISI 50/50 program benefits panhandle short line, $8 million expansion and improvement
August 30, 2025 - TRA Newswire -
The Texas North Western Railway Company (TXNW) held a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony in the panhandle community of Etter this week, commemorating the completion of an $8.2 million expansion and improvement project for the short line.
TXNW was awarded $4.1 million through the FRA’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements program (CRISI) to support a total project investment of $8.2 million under a 50/50 cost share. The CRISI program focuses on projects that improve rail safety, reduce congestion, enhance service reliability, and advance the resilience of freight transportation infrastructure—objectives at the core of TXNW’s investment.
Commemorative bells were handed out to dignitaries that attended the ribbon-cutting.
The Etter improvement project rebuilt, reconfigured and extended TXNW’s rail interchange, eliminating a significant operational bottleneck and ensuring the facility can safely handle longer, heavier trains. The upgrades include:
• Relocating and installing new turnouts and constructing new crossovers to improve the fluidity of interchange operations between TXNW and BNSF Railway’s Boise City subdivision.
• Extending two sidings to enable the efficient assembly and disassembly of full-length unit trains.
• Upgrading the track structure to allow for the safe movement of railcars weighing up to 286,000 pounds.
• Installing dual-tone multi-frequency power-controlled switches, reducing manual operations, improving crew safety, and increasing operational efficiency.
Texas Northwestern Railway is one of three short line railroads in Texas under the Dallas-based TNW Corporation umbrella. TNW also operates a logistics facility and handles shipments at the Port of Victoria.
According to a statement from TNW, the project has driven meaningful economic benefits for Moore County and the region. Over the nine-month construction period, more than 100 new jobs were created directly and indirectly, fueling local activity across hotels, restaurants, fuel suppliers, hardware stores and housing. The project’s completion positions Moore County as a stronger hub for freight logistics, supporting local industries such as agriculture, energy, and manufacturing, while expanding opportunities for future business growth and increasing the local tax base.
TXNW’s progress was made possible through collaboration with federal and state partners, local governments, and key stakeholders, according to TNW Corporation. Those include the FRA; Gov. Greg Abbott; U.S. Sen. John Cornyn; U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz; U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry (TX-13); the Texas Department of Transportation; officials from Moore County and the cities of Dumas, Sunray and Cactus; and customers including Valero Marketing and Supply, Continental Carbon, Bunge, and Nutrient Ag Solutions, along with interchanging partner BNSF Railway.
Additional coverage: https://www.amarillo.com/picture-gallery/news/2025/08/29/txnw-railway-celebrates-8-2m-interchange-expansion-in-etter/85893238007/