We don’t know how long this instability will last or how deeply it’ll reshape rail communities, transportation policy, America, and the world.  We do know that some of the broader rail ecosystem work we’ve been doing could be used against the interests of those who live or are served by the rails. As such, we are pulling back from our broader initiatives to focus on ones closer to home. Individual and specific relationships across America - each between one railroad and one town.

America can't build the future on a system that's been cast as the villain. When communities subconsciously view rail as a menace or a relic, they zone accordingly. They fight access. They blame the industry for things it doesn’t control - viewing it as an adversary, not an asset. [But rail is] one of the few tools we have left that can meaningfully reduce congestion, emissions, and long-haul inefficiency at scale. So how do we turn [the story] around? At Railtowns, we start [with] a truth...

On April 24, 2025, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy issued a memo to every recipient of DOT financial assistance. The message: funding is at risk if recipients are found to be violating federal law - especially when it comes to immigration enforcement or running programs based on race or sex, even if the intention is to promote diversity, equity, or inclusion (DEI). On the surface, it sounds simple: follow the law, avoid discrimination, and there’s no problem. But is that factually corect?