North Carolina DOT awards freight rail, crossing safety grants

Twelve short lines and the North Carolina Ports Authority will soon be making improvements to their rail infrastructure due to $10.2 million in matching grant funds being awarded as part of the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s (NCDOT) Freight Rail and Rail Crossing Safety Improvement program.

The program supports rail infrastructure health, safety and performance throughout the state, enabling NCDOT to partner with rail companies on improvement projects to move freight more effectively.

The partnership helps railroads meet customer needs efficiently and in cost-effective ways while preparing them for growing service demands and partnerships with new businesses and industries, NCDOT officials said in a press release.

The grant funds contribute to nearly $20.4 million (total including funds from those below) in rail infrastructure improvements statewide.

Short lines and the grant funds awarded are as follows:
• Aberdeen and Rockfish, $390,000 to modernize rail bridges in Cumberland County;
• Alexander Railroad Co., $750,000 for two projects to improve track and grade crossings, and expand transload operations in Alexander County;
• Atlantic and Western Railway, $430,000 to upgrade track and switches in Lee County;
• Blue Ridge Southern Railroad, $4.5 million to upgrade track, crossings and bridges in Haywood, Buncombe, Henderson and Jackson counties;
• Carolina Coastal Railway, $2.2 million to increase train speeds by improving bridges and track in Wake, Nash, Johnston, Wilson, Greene, Pitt, Beaufort, Washington and Martin counties;
• Chesapeake & Albemarle Railroad, $1.87 million to upgrade track and improve bridges in Currituck and Camden counties, and construct a transload facility with upgraded turnouts in Pasquotank County;
• Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, $1.9 million to upgrade track and bridges, and raise a track bed to prevent washouts in Jackson and Swain counties;
• Laurinburg and Southern Railroad, $1 million to improve track and switches in Scotland County;
• North Carolina and Virginia Railroad, $747,000 for upgrades to sidings in Bertie and Northampton counties;
• North Carolina State Ports Authority, $1.4 million to upgrade rail and install radiation scanners necessary for transporting containers via rail at the Port of Wilmington;
• R.J. Corman Railroad Co., $2.5 million to upgrade crossings and track in Columbus and Horry counties;
• Wilmington Terminal Railroad, $1.2 million to upgrade track in New Hanover County; and
• Yadkin Valley Railroad, $1.5 million to upgrade track, switches and bridges in Forsyth, Stokes, Surry and Wilkes counties.