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The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) recently selected Carolina Coastal Railway (CLNA) as the interim operator for the P&N rail line near Charlotte. CLNA will begin operating the first four miles of the rebuilt line between Gastonia and Ranlo in February.

NCDOT previously negotiated with a private company that was interested in serving as the long-term operator, but the parties were unable to reach contract terms. CLNA will serve as interim operator for up to six months, or until NCDOT contracts a long-term operator.

CLNA currently operates a 142-mile line between Raleigh and Plymouth, and a 17-mile line between Belhaven and Pinetown. NCDOT, which purchased the P&N line in 1991, began rehabilitating track last year to provide freight-rail service on the route.

Meanwhile, NCDOT recently partnered with the North Carolina Railroad Co. (NCRR) and Norfolk Southern Railway to upgrade nine grade crossings. The projects call for installing crossing signals, gates and cantilevers.

The state will fund more than half of project costs, which total about $2.2 million. NCRR will cover 24 percent of project costs and NS, 20 percent. NCDOT and NS will split the cost of maintaining the crossings.