Intramotev Deploys Autonomous Railcars in Missouri
A $16.2 million federal grant will fund two TugVolt autonomous railcars operating on Columbia's COLT short line.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Robotics
Live Poll
Do you think driverless freight trains will be good for rural America?
St. Louis-based Intramotev will deploy two TugVolt autonomous freight railcars on the COLT short line in Columbia, Missouri. The project is backed by a $16.2 million Federal Railroad Administration grant.
Why it matters
The project is intended to produce a safety record that federal regulators and U.S. short lines can use as a template for adopting autonomous railcars. Autonomous railcars could help short lines serve more customers, more often, at lower cost.
The project uses two TugVolt autonomous railcars built at Intramotev's St. Louis facility and will operate on COLT's 21.4-mile line between Centralia and Columbia. The rollout proceeds in phases, beginning with remote switching at COLT's Columbia terminal, and the timeline for full autonomous mainline operation has not been specified.
The players
Intramotev
Intramotev is a St. Louis-based technology company developing autonomous freight railcars.
Federal Railroad Administration
The Federal Railroad Administration is the U.S. Department of Transportation agency that regulates railroad safety and funds rail infrastructure projects.
COLT (Columbia Terminal Railroad)
COLT is a municipally owned short line operated by Columbia City Utilities that connects Columbia, Missouri to the national rail network.
The details
Operations will advance in phases under an FRA-approved test program, starting with remote switching at COLT's Columbia terminal before building to autonomous freight service across the full mainline and its public crossings. The grant also funds track and infrastructure upgrades on the line, which has linked Columbia to the national rail network for nearly 40 years.
Timeline
Phased rollout with no specific dates announced; remote switching begins first at COLT's Columbia terminal.
Roadmap
The project is funded under the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements program, which supports rail infrastructure and safety upgrades. It positions COLT as a test case that could inform the roughly 600 U.S. short lines weighing autonomous railcar adoption.
Residents and businesses along COLT's Centralia-to-Columbia corridor may see changes in freight switching as the autonomous railcars move into service in phases. The full timeline for mainline autonomous operation has not been announced.
The takeaway
The project is designed to create a safety record that other short lines can rely on before adopting autonomous railcars. Its phased rollout means local rail users should watch for announcements on when full autonomous service begins.
Further reading
For more on automation trends, see Robotics coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Construction & Demolition Recycling.
Live Poll
Do you think driverless freight trains will be good for rural America?
