WASHINGTON — West Virginia University at Morgantown is receiving a $191,100 grant from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to continue research into upgrading or rehabilitating deteriorated wooden railroad crossties with thermoplastic reinforcements.

The grant funds will specifically be used to manufacture and perform full-scale field-testing of the crossties under normal rail traffic conditions on the South Branch Valley Railroad as well as subject them to freeze-thaw cycles.

The results of the research may be applied to strengthen materials used for timber constructed railroad bridges.