RALEIGH, N.C. — A dozen North Carolina short lines will receive approximately $12 million for infrastructure improvements under the state’s Freight Rail and Rail Crossing Safety Improvement Program, the N.C. Department of Transportation announced Wednesday, Dec. 7.
The recipients match the state funds, leading to approximately $24 million in work to support improvements to 52 bridges and nearly 123 miles of track.
Grants awarded include:
Aberdeen, Carolina & Western Railway: $3,563,324 for mainline bridge improvements, siding construction, and track upgrades in Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Moore, and Stanly counties.
Aberdeen & Rockfish Railroad: $536,908 for track upgrades in Moore County.
Alexander Railroad Co.: Two awards — $403,995 for mainline upgrades in Irdell County; $96,000 for mainline upgrades in Alexander County.
Atlantic & Western Railway: $647,985 for bridge improvements and track upgrades in Lee County.
Blue Ridge Southern Railroad: $1,847,754 for bridge improvements and track upgrades on the Canton and Skyland branches in Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, and Jackson counties.
Carolina Coastal Railway: $1,154,500 for bridge improvements and track upgrades on the Belhaven, Plymouth, and Wilson branches in Beaufort, Nash, Pitt, and Wilson counties.
Charlotte Western Railroad: $511,032 for construction of two mainline rail sidings in Gaston County.
Chesapeake & Albemarle Railroad: $403,863 for bridge improvements and track upgrades along the mainline and on the Pasquotank and Vulcan Lead branches in Perquimans County.
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad: $1,011,978 for bridge improvements and track upgrades along tmainline in Cherokee, Jackson, Macon, and Swain counties).
North Carolina & Virginia Railroad: $415,572 for bridge improvements and track upgrades along the mainline and Northampton, Bertie, and Hertford branches, in Hertford and Northampton counties.
Raleigh & Fayetteville Railroad: $805,000 for bridge improvements and track upgrades on the Fayetteville Subdivision in Cumberland, Harnett, and Wake counties.
Wilmington Terminal Railroad: $574,914 for track upgrades along the mainline and in the Wilmington yard in New Hanover County.
