Documents

NCRR Track Improvement Project Status

Track Improvements Map (PDF)

Proposed Track Improvements between Selma and Greensboro H-Line (2.2MB PDF)

Proposed Track Improvements between Greensboro and Charlotte Mainline (2.2 MB PDF)

Any motorist can tell you: the state's streets and highways have become more congested over the past decade. With congestion brings increased emissions. To help address those congestion and emission concerns, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Rail Division is improving passenger rail service by improving railroad infrastructure.

The NCDOT is investing state, federal and surface transportation funds throughout the state to improve existing tracks, install new signals and build stretches of new track to improve the state's rail system. These projects range in scope from critical freight access to statewide development of the Southeast High Speed Rail corridor.

Working with the North Carolina Railroad (NCRR), Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) and CSX Transportation, the NCDOT is upgrading existing rail corridors to improve safety, efficiency and capacity for freight and passenger train services. The first phase of improvements is scheduled along the North Carolina Railroad. The 317-mile, state-owned corridor links Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh and extends to the state's seaport at Morehead City. Norfolk Southern Railway operates trains along the entire corridor under a lease agreement with NCRR. CSX Transportation shares operation of a portion of the NCRR's corridor between Raleigh and Cary.

Completed improvements at McLeansville.

Through track and signal improvements, the NCDOT has reduced the travel time between Raleigh and Charlotte by more than 35 minutes since the work began in 2001. In addition to reducing the travel time, the work will increase efficiency and reliability for both freight and passenger trains in the corridor.

The NCDOT provided the preliminary engineering and design plans and is paying for all of the rail improvements with state transportation funds. Norfolk Southern will provide the final plans and do the actual construction.

For more information about other safety improvements made in the Raleigh to Charlotte corridor, see the Sealed Corridor section.

More info>Greensboro to Charlotte
More info>Raleigh to Greensboro
More info>Selma to Raleigh

Contact: Jason Orthner, PE

Updated 1/2009