ASLRRA and Wi-Tronix Announce Federal Obligation of $20.5 Million CRISI Grant to Advance Short Line Railroad Technology
May 7, 2026
BOLINGBROOK, ILLINOIS | May 7, 2026 – The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA), in conjunction with grant project partner Wi-Tronix, announced that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has formally obligated funds under the FY2023-24 Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program Grant. With grant agreements now signed, the $20.5 million program moves from commitment to execution, an important milestone for participating short line railroads that serve the critical first and last miles of America’s freight rail network.
Short line railroads operate nearly 50,000 miles of track across the United States, yet many have lacked access to the onboard monitoring technology that larger Class I carriers have long relied upon to improve safety, reduce costs, and meet regulatory requirements. This grant directly addresses that gap. Awarded to ASLRRA with Wi-Tronix serving as technology project partner, the program will fund deployment of Wi-Tronix’s Violet Edge platform across more than 600 locomotives spanning over 75 railroad operations in 32 states.
The Violet Edge platform gives operators real-time access to more than 100 locomotive signals from any device, enabling remote fleet monitoring, time-synchronized data storage and analysis, and proactive action on safety, maintenance, and compliance. Installations may range from targeted upgrades to fully integrated deployments incorporating inward- and outward-facing cameras, event recorders, fuel sensors, and Electronic Data Acquisition Processors (EDAPs), engineered to each railroad’s specific locomotive requirements.
“This grant obligation is the moment everything becomes real,” said Larry Jordan, President & CEO of Wi-Tronix. “Short line railroads are crucial segments of the national freight rail network, but for too long, advanced monitoring technology has been out of financial reach for many of them. With funds formally obligated, we are ready to execute, bringing the Violet platform to hundreds of locomotives and dozens of railroads that will see immediate, tangible improvements in safety, efficiency, and sustainability.”
The CRISI program, administered by the FRA, strengthens the safety, efficiency, and reliability of the nation’s rail infrastructure. For short lines operating under significant capital constraints, this grant creates the conditions for technological adoption that the market alone has not produced. The Violet Edge platform will enable recipients to anticipate maintenance needs before failures occur, reduce at-risk operating behavior, quantify fuel usage and emissions, and demonstrate compliance with internal and federal standards.
Wi-Tronix will lead system design, technical specifications, and solution delivery throughout the program. ASLRRA and Wi-Tronix extend their gratitude to the FRA and U.S. Department of Transportation for their commitment to ensuring the benefits of modern rail technology reach every segment of the nation’s freight network.
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ABOUT WI-TRONIX
Wi-Tronix delivers advanced IoT platforms for the rail industry and provides actionable information and insights on how rail networks are performing in real time. By enabling continuous improvement with a powerful combination of connectivity, analytics, alerts, and more, Wi-Tronix is enabling freight, passenger railroads, and transit systems with the tools that help enhance safety, operational efficiency, and service reliability. The Wi-Tronix team is passionately committed to its global vision of saving lives and ensuring the most efficient and reliable movement of goods and people throughout the world. Find out more at www.wi-tronix.com.
ABOUT ASLRRA
The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) is a non-profit trade association representing the interests of the nation’s 603 short line and regional railroads and railroad supply company members in legislative and regulatory matters. Short lines operate 50,000 route miles of track in 48 states, or approximately 30% of the national railroad network, touching in origination or termination one out of every five cars moving on the national railroad system, serving customers who otherwise would be cut off from the national railroad network. www.aslrra.org