All Aboard Act of 2025

The All Aboard Act of 2025 establishes a state rail formula grant program, creates a Green Railroads Fund for electrification, expands passenger rail programs, addresses railyard air pollution, and sets up rail workforce training centers. It aims to expand rail service, electrify rail, and achieve zero-emission locomotives by 2047.

Sec. 3, State rail formula funding: The Secretary of Transportation must create a formula grant program for states to develop rail plans, operate rail service, and maintain or expand rail infrastructure. States receiving grants must report on strategies to expand passenger rail, especially high-performance service, and electrify freight and passenger rail. Goals include zero-emission locomotives by 2047, zero emissions for 50% of trains by 2030 and all new trains by 2035, reconnecting communities divided by railroads, and making rail trip-time competitive. Funds can be used for hiring staff, pooling with other states, improving or building infrastructure, operating intercity passenger rail, and preparing grant applications. Each state gets at least $5 million annually over 5 years, with a total authorization of $3.5 billion for the 5-year period starting October 1, 2025.

Sec. 4, Green Railroads Fund: The Secretary, with the EPA, may award competitive grants to eligible entities (states, groups of states, Amtrak, railroads, tribes, manufacturers, utilities, labor organizations) for electrified rail operations. Applications must include public engagement plans, environmental and health safeguards, wage and apprenticeship requirements, and workforce transition plans. Funds can be used to purchase rail lines, rebuild locomotives, install electrification infrastructure, build new electrified corridors, update rail yards, lease easements, purchase electric locomotives, ensure climate resilience, engage communities, and support workforce development. Projects must use project labor agreements, hire locally, and require two-person crews for freight trains. Priority goes to projects reducing air pollution in environmental justice communities and expanding high-performance passenger rail.

Sec. 5, Expansion of passenger rail and high-performance rail: Authorizes $80 billion over 5 years for the Federal-State Intercity Partnership program, with priority for high-performance rail projects. Also authorizes $30 billion over 5 years for the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement program, expanding eligibility to Class I railroads if they use funds for electrification, use project labor agreements, hire locally, and partner with other entities. Eligible activities include zero-emission locomotive infrastructure projects like electrifying routes, rehabilitating locomotives, purchasing railroad infrastructure, building electrified corridors, and electrifying rail yards. Applications must include workforce transition plans and, for electrification projects, community engagement and local hiring plans.

Sec. 6, Rail air pollution grant program: The EPA Administrator must establish a grant program under the Clean Air Act to address air pollution from railyards, with $500 million authorized over 5 years.

Sec. 7, Labor protections and workforce development: Grants under this Act are subject to certain labor protection conditions from existing law. Operators of passenger rail on infrastructure built with these grants are considered rail carriers for purposes of railroad retirement, labor, and unemployment insurance laws, with exceptions for construction contractors and subcontractors working under collective bargaining agreements. All laborers on construction work must be paid prevailing wages. The Act establishes a Passenger Rail Workforce Training Center and a Freight Rail Workforce Training Center to develop training programs in partnership with labor organizations and Amtrak.