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The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) recently awarded $2 million in grants to nine short lines to help fund track maintenance and improvement projects.

The funds were allocated from NCDOT's "N.C. Moving Ahead!" and Rail Industrial Access programs. A two-year, $700 million program, N.C. Moving Ahead! is designed to provide funds to modernize railroads — 23 short lines operate in North Carolina — as well as improve highways and expand public transportation services.

"It is essential that we modernize our state's railroads so that we may improve capacity, reliability and safety," said N.C. Transportation Secretary Lyndo Tippett in a prepared statement.

NCDOT granted:
• $500,000 to Aberdeen, Carolina & Western Railway Co. for a $1 million project under which the 140-mile short line will upgrade track to accommodate 286,000-pound rail cars, replace one-third of the ties on an Aberdeen-to-West End line and build 5,700 feet of mainline in Candor;
• $452,902 to North Carolina & Virginia Railroad Co. for a $987,366 project under which the 54-mile short line will replace seven track miles to accommodate 286k;
• $357,500 to Alexander Railroad Co. for a $715,000 project under which the 19-mile short line will upgrade a bridge to 286k standards;
• $348,150 to Yadkin Valley Railroad Co. for a $696,300 project under which the 100-mile short line will install about 14,000 ties and surface 30 track miles;
• $105,423 to Laurinburg & Southern Railroad Co. for a $210,845 project under which the 34-mile short line will replace 2,200 ties and surface four track miles;
• $87,000 to Aberdeen & Rockfish Railroad Co. for a $174,000 project under which the 47-mile short line will repair a trestle and treat timber on four bridges;
• $52,500 to Atlantic & Western Railway L.P. for a $105,000 project under which the three-mile short line will repair and upgrade a bridge;
• $50,000 to Carolina Coastal Railway Inc. for a $100,000 project under which the 17-mile short line will replace 2,000 ties; and
• $46,525 to Nash County Railroad for a $93,050 project under which the 20-mile short line will surface several track miles, and replace deck ties and repair a walkway on a bridge.