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Competitive Grants for Rail Vehicle Replacement Program

General Grant Program Information

The Rail Vehicle Replacement Program makes funding available competitively to help fund capital projects to replace rail rolling stock. For the purposes of this program, rail rolling stock is defined as revenue service, passenger carrying vehicles, or propulsion (locomotives) vehicles necessary for the provision of rail public transportation. The program is a set-aside of the State of Good Repair Formula Grants Program (49 U.S.C. 5337). 

Opportunity Status:
Open
Posted Date:
05/27/2026
Close Date:
07/06/2026
Eligible Applicants:
State Governments; Local Governments
Eligible Activities:
Equipment and Materials
Transportation Type:
Railway
Estimated Total Program Funding:
$166,000,000
Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement:
Yes
Match Waiver:
No
Grant Opportunity ID:
FTA-2026-009-TPM-RAIL
Grant Opportunity Link:
Grants.gov Opportunity: FY 2026 Competitive Funding Opportunity: Competitive Grants for Rail Vehicle Replacement Program
Links to Additional Information:
Agency:
USDOT / Federal Transit Administration (FTA)

Eligibility Information

Eligible applicants include:

  • States
  • Local governmental authorities

Recipients must be in an urbanized area and eligible for State of Good Repair Formula Funding (Section 5337).

Eligible activities are the replacement of rail rolling stock. Eligible projects include:

  • Replacing public transportation rail cars used in revenue service: Passenger carrying rail cars, Locomotive (propulsion) rail cars
  • Types of public transit service that are eligible include (but are not limited to): Commuter rail, Heavy rail, Light rail, Streetcar
  • Up to 0.5 percent of Federal request can pay for project-related workforce development activities (for example, maintenance or operations training for new rail cars)
  • Up to 0.5 percent of Federal request can pay for project-related training at the National Transit Institute (NTI)

Funding Information

The total funding available for awards under this NOFO is $166,050,322. Up to three projects may be selected each year.

There is no minimum or maximum grant award amount.

The federal share is not to exceed 80 percent of the net project cost. Rail Program funding can cover up to 50 percent of the total railcar replacement project cost. At least 20 percent of the total project cost must be local funds. The remaining percent may be other Federal funds, including FTA State of Good Repair Program formula funding, or local funds.

Contact Information

Samantha Chadwick
Office of Program Management
FTARailVehicleReplacement@dot.gov 

Disclaimer:
The Dashboard provides users with a high-level overview of relevant Federal discretionary grant programs. The information in the Dashboard is maintained as a secondary resource and may not be updated with the most recent changes to each program's primary guidance materials. Accordingly, please refer to the Federal grant-making agency for the most comprehensive and up-to-date information on a grant opportunity in the Dashboard.