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During the next few months, North Carolina Railroad Co. (NCRR) plans to complete a $4 million tie replacement project between New Bern and Goldsboro as part of ongoing maintenance along its 317-mile corridor.

A Norfolk Southern Corp. “super gang” will replace 1,000 to 1,500 wood ties and surface track, including tamping the ties, leveling track and banking curves. NS is responsible for maintaining the line and is funding the project, which will enable trains to travel at a normal, safe speed of 40 mph, NCRR officials said in a prepared statement.

“We continue to see solid rail business in eastern North Carolina,” said Dominik Browne, general manager for the Norfolk Southern East Carolina Business Unit. “We are anticipating more traffic from both long-time customers, such as PCS Phosphate, and the Port at Morehead City.”
 
NCRR owns and manages the corridor between Morehead City and Charlotte that’s used by 70 freight and eight passenger trains daily.

Meanwhile, the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s (NCDOT) Rail Division recently completed safety improvements at six grade crossings.

The division revised crossing signals and installed gates at CSX Transportation crossings in Lincolnton, Iron Station, Green Mountain and Glenwood; an Aberdeen Carolina and Western Railroad crossing in Aquadale; and a Carolina Coastal Railway crossing in Stantonsburg.

Costing more than $1 million, the projects will be 90 percent-funded by federal dollars, with NCDOT or the local governments covering the remainder. Maintenance funding will be divided equally between the municipalities and railroads.