Washington, DC — Communities across the country are looking to rail as a tool for economic growth, smarter infrastructure, and improved mobility. As local leaders consider everything from industrial development to grade crossings and broadband buildout, one lesson keeps resurfacing: successful rail projects depend on early, consistent collaboration.
That message was front and center during GoRail’s recent webinar “Building Better Rail Partnerships” hosted in partnership with the National League of Cities, which featured a panel of railroad public-affairs leaders to talk candidly about what works—and what doesn’t—when communities and railroads collaborate.
Reinforced across the panel: successful rail projects start early, depend on clear communication, and work best when railroads and communities approach challenges as long-term partners.
Start early—or don’t start at all
If there was a single takeaway repeated throughout the discussion, it was this: don’t bring railroads in at the end of the planning process.
“Don’t start late with the railroad,” said Johan Hellman, Executive Director of Public Affairs for BNSF in the Pacific Northwest. “People will come to us after they’ve done the engineering, talked to stakeholders, and lined everything up—and say, ‘We’re starting Monday, we just need you to sign off.’ That conversation almost never goes well.”
Early engagement gives railroads the opportunity to flag safety concerns, suggest standardized solutions, and help communities avoid costly redesigns. Hellman noted that railroads often bring decades of experience to common projects like grade separations, quiet zones, and bridge replacements, and can point to designs that have already worked elsewhere.
“There’s a good chance we’ve worked on something like this before,” he said. “And by coming to us early, we can say: this probably won’t work, but here are five options that might.”
Economic development works best when everyone’s aligned
Panelists also emphasized that rail-served economic development is most successful when communities understand how they fit into the rail network and plan accordingly.
“It’s really critical for communities to understand whether they’re adjacent to a main line or a branch line,” said Larry Lloyd, Head of U.S. Government Affairs for CPKC. “That context matters. You wouldn’t build a driveway straight onto an interstate, and the same logic applies to rail.”
Engaging railroads early allows local leaders, developers, and economic development agencies to assess whether a site is viable and whether alternatives like transload facilities might offer more flexibility. “You don’t always have to be directly on the rail line,” Lloyd added. “A well-planned transload site can open up opportunities while still protecting the efficiency of the network.”
This kind of economic development is essential to long term community growth and vitalization. Kevin Donahue, State and Local Affairs Manager at CN, pointed to Lake Orion Township, Michigan, where a rail corridor that had been dormant for roughly 20 years ultimately supported a multi-billion-dollar General Motors investment.
“We hear all the time, ‘You have this unused property, why not put housing or retail there?’” Donahue said. “Instead, that site is now supporting a multibillion-dollar auto manufacturing investment, with good-paying jobs, because rail was part of the solution.”
Public projects: clarity beats speed
For communities working on crossings, bridges, or roadway improvements, panelists stressed that clarity upfront could prevent long delays later.
“We don’t want to just say no, we want to explain why,” said Cassie Gouger of Union Pacific, who oversees third-party public projects. “Early communication helps align goals so projects can move forward safely and efficiently.”
That alignment is especially important for complex efforts like quiet zones or rails-to-trails projects, which involve federal processes, safety requirements, and often significant funding.
“These projects can be tricky,” said Curtis Sloan of Watco Companies. “They take time, they take money, and there’s a federally prescribed process involved. There’s no magic shortcut—but there is value in starting with an open, realistic conversation.”
Grants, broadband, and thinking long-term
As federal funding programs continue to shape local infrastructure decisions, panelists encouraged communities to view rail projects holistically.
Tom Livingston, Vice President of Government and Community Affairs at CSX Transportation, said successful applications tend to share a few traits. “Shovel-ready is always good,” Livingston noted, adding that projects that “pencil well” for railroads also show “measurable economic output” for communities.
“The projects that tend to get funded are the ones that meet multiple needs,” Hellman said. “They reduce congestion, improve safety, cut emissions, and help communities function better. Those are the projects that compete well.”
Lloyd offered a concrete example from Franklin Park, Illinois, a community adjacent to a major rail yard. Through the Railroad Crossing Elimination grant process, Franklin Park took a corridor-level approach rather than focusing on a single blocked crossing. That approach, Lloyd explained, helped the community look at “four or five crossings together,” strengthening the grant application and advancing multiple safety improvements at once. Looking beyond one issue, he said, creates a “much higher return” for both communities and railroads.
That same long-term mindset applies to emerging challenges like broadband deployment. While railroads support expanded connectivity, panelists noted that coordination is essential to protect safety-critical infrastructure.
“When coordination breaks down, things can get unsafe quickly,” Sloan said, citing instances where unapproved work disrupted rail signaling. “We have processes in place for a reason—and completeness of information really matters.”
Partnership is the policy
Looking ahead to the next surface transportation reauthorization, panelists urged local leaders to stay engaged—not just on individual projects, but in telling rail’s broader story.
“We’re entering a critical period where these grant programs will either grow or be cut,” Lloyd said. “Local voices matter in that conversation. Your experience on the ground is what makes the case.”
Sloan noted that the issues GoRail engages on “affect us all,” encouraging those in attendance to look to GoRail as a resource on infrastructure policy. With the deadline for surface transportation reauthorization approaching in September, and Congress actively working on draft legislation, learn more about railroads’ policy priorities as well as rail-related federal grant opportunities.
The Bottom Line
Across regions and railroads, the message was consistent: engaging early, being specific, and thinking holistically can mean the difference between projects that stall and projects that deliver. When communities treat railroads as long‑term partners, they reduce delays, strengthen grant proposals, and protect infrastructure that supports economic resilience for decades to come.
