NCDOT awards grants to short-line railroads

The North Carolina Department of Transportation's Rail Division has announced it will invest $12.9 million to improve rail infrastructure on 11 short lines and to the state ports in Morehead City and Wilmington.

The funds will be provided through the state's Freight Rail and Rail Crossing Safety Improvement program, which was established in 2014 to support statewide freight-rail infrastructure while establishing partnerships to effectively meet the growing demand for rail service.

The state's contribution will match equal investments for each project from participating railroad companies and the North Carolina Ports Authority. A total of $25.8 million will be invested into the statewide freight-rail network through these projects, NCDOT officials said in a press release.

The projects will upgrade over 10 miles of railroad corridor, improve 16 railroad bridges and enhance port rail operations.

Railroads receiving grant funds are:

• North Carolina Ports-Wilmington, $3,891,020 for construction of rail storage track and raising adjoining track;

• Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, $2,080,364 for refurbishment and construction of new sidings, track upgrades, culvert and drainage upgrades and slope retaining wall construction;

• North Carolina and Virginia Railroad, $1,011,279 for track upgrades and rail corridor improvements;

• Raleigh & Fayetteville Railroad, $999,586 for rail corridor improvements; 

• Yadkin Valley Railroad: $750,130 for rail track upgrades and rail corridor improvement 

• Aberdeen & Rockfish Railroad, $723,130 for track upgrades on the Aberdeen district;

• Alexander Railroad Co.: $500,000 for track upgrades on the mainline rail corridor and $125,000 for track upgrades in the Statesville rail yard;

• Wilmington Terminal Railroad: $639,528 for track upgrades within the Wilmington port rail yard;

• Chesapeake & Albemarle Railroad, $607,735 for bridge improvements and track upgrades along the CA mainline;

• North Carolina Ports-Morehead City, $555,678 for upgrades to track, rail and highway crossings, and rail-car switching operations;

• Atlantic & Western Railway, $494,950 for corridor improvements and track upgrades to the Cumnock branch;

• Atlantic Railways Co., $388,192 for track upgrades along the Badin subdivision; and

• Aberdeen Carolina and Western Railway, $177,450 for bridge improvements along the Piedmont and Sandhills divisions.

"The benefits these projects offer the statewide freight rail network can't be overstated," said Jason Orthner, director of the NCDOT Rail Division. “Together, NCDOT and our short-line partners are increasing reliability and resiliency in freight rail operations, supporting North Carolina businesses and contributing to the state's economic vitality."