Monday, January 12th, 2026 |
Photo – UPRR’s “Big Boy” locomotive – Bigfoot99 file photo
The Wyoming Department of Transportation is seeking public feedback on its revised Statewide Rail Plan.
In Wyoming, five freight railroad companies operate nearly 1,800 miles of track. The Wyoming Department of Transportation is responsible for reviewing the state’s rail system, documenting its condition, and identifying needs and opportunities. Every four years, those findings are compiled into the Statewide Rail Plan. WYDOT Railroad Coordinator David Herdt said the plan serves as a roadmap for future rail‑related policies and business decisions.
Herdt clarified that WYDOT does not pay for any rail improvements. Railroad companies determine when and where service grows. WYDOT uses the Statewide Rail Plan to share information about the rail system with government agencies and the public.
WYDOT is seeking public feedback as part of its year‑long Statewide Rail Plan update process. In early December, the agency opened the first online public meeting for the project. Herdt said WYDOT has posted a slideshow outlining the plan and a questionnaire for residents to complete.
The short survey asks residents what investments could improve the efficiency, capacity, and safety of Wyoming’s rail network, and if they see a need for passenger rail in the state. WYDOT’s head of Systems Planning and Railroads, Dan Kline, said the Federal Railroad Administration funded a nationwide study on the potential for expanded passenger service. However, Kline said Wyoming is not actively pursuing a passenger rail project. The survey question is meant as a way for the agency to keep the public informed about the rail industry.
Kline added that WYDOT is simply reporting on what other entities are doing with passenger rail.
The Systems Planning and Railroads head encouraged the public to review the plan and submit an online comment, adding that WYDOT will be collecting feedback until the end of the month.
WYDOT Railroad Coordinator David Herdt said the agency has hired an outside consultant to gather and analyze the public comments. At only three weeks into the process, Herdt said it’s too early to determine what priorities residents have for rail service.
WYDOT will be holding another online Statewide Rail Plan public meeting sometime this winter, although a specific date hasn’t been set.
In conjunction with the rail plan update, WYDOT is also developing a new Grade Crossing Action Plan. Herdt said the study will identify which road crossings need repairs and prioritize the most hazardous locations.
Here in Carbon County, Herdt said earlier Grade Crossing Action Plans identified unsafe crossings in Sinclair and Medicine Bow, However, the worst in the county was on Ferris Road, west of Rawlins.
Herdt urged residents to report safety concerns to WYDOT so the agency can work with the railroads to resolve them.
The 2026 Statewide Rail Plan, with links to the online meeting and survey, is available at www.wyomingstatewiderailplan.com. Both the updated rail and grade crossing plans are expected to be finalized this spring.
