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Yesterday, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) announced reconstruction work on its Piedmont & Northern (P&N) rail corridor in Gaston County will be significantly completed by Feb. 20, at which time trains will traverse the route for the first time in more than 20 years. Patriot Rail Corp. will provide freight-rail service on the line via the Piedmont & Northern Railway.  
 
Built in 1911 and located about 20 miles west of Charlotte, the P&N corridor extends about 12 miles from Mount Holly to Gastonia and includes a three-mile spur to Belmont. Restoration of the corridor — excluding four miles of the western end that was completed in early 2010 — began in August 2011 and is being funded through a partnership among federal, state and county governments.
 
The reconstruction work includes installation of new wood ties and timber bridge ties, bridge repairs, new track construction, replacement of grade crossing surfaces and the addition of safety devices at several crossings. 
 
The corridor connects with a Norfolk Southern Railway line in Gastonia and CSX Transportation line in Mount Holly. In addition to freight-rail service, Patriot Rail will be responsible for marketing, maintenance, inspection and revenue sharing per its lease agreement with NCDOT.