Connects and supports 11 Tribal organizations in the WI, MI, MN region;
Includes reaching out to public agencies and advocating for investment to ensure thriving growth and economic vitality for the region;
Supports and sustains the Northwoods forest products industry; and
Provides public access to critical rail infrastructure to support economic and global reach.
Maintain and improve short line freight rail infrastructure on short lines in the region such as Watco and the Escanaba Lake Superior Railroad by seeking Build America Bureau funding resources such as RRIF, TIFIA and Private Activity bonds;
Support passenger rail development interest on the CN line from Milwaukee to Green Bay passenger rail corridor by supporting predevelopment planning activities to support TIFIA loans or FRA Grants to support a new passenger rail corridor;
Ensure the voices of the WI, MN, MI rural and tribal communities bulk raw material producers, manufacturers, shippers and distributors have access to the global market by connecting products and materials from the Northwoods Region to the Port of Duluth, Escanaba, Green Bay, Manitowoc and Superior, WI;
Connect the Northwoods Rail Transit region to regional and global markets by supporting improved access and connection to the Ports of Duluth, Superior, Escanaba, Manitowoc, Green Bay and other commercial Ports connected to Lake Superior and Lake Michigan to support movement of bulk products, cargo containers and cruise line development;
Support public rail access through the development of bulk cargo transloads, intermodal terminals, container yard infrastructure and storage facilities to more efficiently and effectively handle freight shipments;
Support the region in the identification, procurement, building, leasing and operating of railroad rolling stock to safely, efficiently and productively move cargo to, from and through the region. Activities which may include asset pooling, asset purchasing and or building of rolling stock such as rail cars, material handling equipment to efficiently load and unload rail assets;
Explore and demonstrate new technologies and innovative rail based technology to reduce shipping costs on low density lines and test new freight handling technology which will be instrumental in initial density building services to build future scalable rail services to ignite local economic development;
The GLFR will also have the ability to manage logistics services to support the development of a pool of rolling stock assets, the storage and distribution of these assets by rail operator, GLFR will manage or outsource the maintenance and the operation of rolling stock in support of the region.
