Building for the Future - Greensboro to Charlotte Double Track Projects on the North Carolina Railroad

Transcription

1 Building for the Future - Greensboro to Charlotte Double Track Projects on the North Carolina Railroad By Jason Orthner, P.E. Engineering Manager, Design and Construction North Carolina Department of Transportation Rail Division Brad Kerchof, P.E. Director of Engineering Norfolk Southern Corporation Jim Kessler, P.E. Senior Rail Project Manager Gibson Engineers, PC American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association Annual Technical Conference Orlando, FL August 2010

2 ABSTRACT The NCDOT, NCRR and Norfolk Southern have been upgrading the NCRR corridor between Raleigh and Charlotte to improve safety, speeds, capacity and operations. The NCRR corridor segment between Charlotte and Greensboro is the most heavily used rail corridor in NC with over 40 freight trains daily and is a key link in NSR s freight rail Crescent Corridor. This rail line also hosts eight daily Amtrak trains and is a part of the Southeast High Speed Rail corridor. The NCRR was upgraded after its original construction in the 1850s to improve geometry and add a second track. In the 1960s, however, the line generally became single track again as railroad traffic decreased. Today s SEHSR corridor designation and increasing freight traffic require additional capacity. Four significant projects between Charlotte and Greensboro were necessary to fully double track this segment. Construction of the 9-mile Greensboro to High Point section was completed in December Three projects totaling 27 miles are in preliminary design and environmental phases. The entire double track program is expected to be completed in When these projects are complete, the railroad between Charlotte and Greensboro will be more efficient and safer, and will enhance both the freight and passenger transportation systems in North Carolina. The paper describes the importance of the rail corridor, methods employed in completing design and construction, and the key challenges of upgrading the corridor to meet both freight and HSR requirements.

3 Building for the Future - Greensboro to Charlotte Double Track Projects on the North Carolina Railroad TABLE OF CONTENTS Title ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION THE NCRR AND THE GREENSBORO TO CHARLOTTE CORRIDOR FREIGHT OPERATIONS PASSENGER OPERATIONS NORTH CAROLINA RAILROAD IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (NCRRIP) THE SOUTHEAST HIGH SPEED RAIL CORRIDOR AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT (ARRA) CP COX TO CP HOSKINS - LESSONS LEARNED THE NEW PROJECT APPROACH ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PROCESS PROJECT DETAILS ESTIMATED COSTS CURRENT STATUS AND SCHEDULE FOR COMPLETION SUCCESS IN THE FREIGHT-PASSENGER RELATIONSHIP CONCLUSION LIST OF FIGURES

4 INTRODUCTION The NCDOT, NCRR and Norfolk Southern have been upgrading the NCRR corridor between Raleigh and Charlotte to improve safety, speeds, capacity and operations under a program entitled the North Carolina Railroad Improvement Program (NCRRIP). With over forty freight trains a day, the NCRR segment between Charlotte and Greensboro is the most heavily used rail corridor in North Carolina and is a key link in NS s freight rail Crescent Corridor. This rail line also hosts eight daily Amtrak trains and is a part of the Southeast High Speed Rail (SEHSR) corridor. The NCRR was originally constructed in the 1850s and was later upgraded to improve geometry and add a second track. In the 1960s, however, the line generally became single track again as railroad traffic decreased. Today s SEHSR corridor designation and increasing freight traffic require additional capacity and modernization. Construction of four segments of second main track between Charlotte and Greensboro are required to fully double track the route. The first nine miles between Greensboro and High Point (CP Cox to CP Hoskins) was completed in December Three additional projects totaling approximately 27 miles are currently in the preliminary design and environmental document phase: CP Bowers to CP Lake, CP Reid to CP North Kannapolis, and CP Haydock to CP Junker. The entire double track program is expected to be completed in When these projects are complete, the railroad between Charlotte and Greensboro will be more efficient and safer, and will enhance both the freight and passenger transportation systems in North Carolina.

5 THE NCRR AND THE GREENSBORO TO CHARLOTTE CORRIDOR The North Carolina Railroad Company is the owner of the right-of-way and tracks on the Charlotte to Greensboro corridor. The NCRR, a private railroad company owned by the State of North Carolina, is a 317-mile rail corridor that connects Morehead City, the location of one of North Carolina State Port Authority's major facilities, to Charlotte, North Carolina s largest city. The NCRR was authorized by the NC State Legislature in 1848 to construct a railroad linking the eastern part of the state to the Piedmont. Construction began in 1851 and in 1859 the first train ran between Goldsboro and Charlotte. In 1989, the Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad, which ran from Goldsboro to Morehead City, was merged into the NCRR. Figure 1: North Carolina Railroad Company Corridor The NCRR owns and manages the rail corridor and Norfolk Southern Railway (NS), through an operating agreement with NCRR, operates and maintains the railroad for NCRR.

6 The Charlotte to Greensboro portion of the NCRR is known as the Main Line. This heavily used line extends 92 miles between the Charlotte yard and Elm Interlocking in Greensboro. NS's mainline continues south from Charlotte to Greenville, SC and Atlanta, GA, while northward from Greensboro, the NS continues to Danville and Lynchburg, VA and eventually the northeast United States. THE NCRR Main Line is a part of NS's Crescent Corridor connecting the northeast US with the South. FREIGHT OPERATIONS Norfolk Southern provides both through and local freight service over the NCRR corridor. The main line between Greensboro and Charlotte carries more than 40 MGT in traffic per year and the volume is growing. As part of its Crescent Corridor, this portion of the NCRR provides a critical link for NS growing interstate traffic. The Crescent Corridor is both a collection of rail lines and a transportation infrastructure concept. It is a 2500-mile network of existing track, stretching from New Jersey, Philadelphia and Harrisburg in the Northeast, to Memphis and New Orleans in the Southeast. Two predominately north-south routes, one running parallel to I-85 between Raleigh and Atlanta, and a second running alongside I-81 through the Shenandoah Valley between Manassas and Knoxville, make up the mid-section of the Corridor. Crescent is being developed as a solution to the growing traffic congestion on these interstate corridors, congestion that is caused in large part by expanding inter-city truck volume. NS is partnering with federal, state and local governments to create a rail transportation alternative to new highway construction: by building rail infrastructure and moving trucks off the highway and onto trains, Crescent offers a fuel efficient alternative to building new highways.

7 Figure 2: Norfolk Southern Crescent Corridor In this public-private partnership model, NS pays for the benefits it receives - the additional rail business while government is asked to pay for the benefits it receives avoiding very expensive new highway construction and highway maintenance. Further public benefits include lower fuel consumption, lower emissions, more efficient land use and enhanced highway safety. At full build-out, Crescent anticipates moving one million truck hauls from highway to rail. Crescent allows truckers to do what they do well moving freight short distances, while allowing the railroad to do what it does well moving freight longer distances. NS is already making improvements to the corridor that will increase its capacity and make it more efficient, such as building second main tracks and passing sidings, straightening curves and improving signal systems. New (and expanded) intermodal terminals are a critical component of the Crescent Corridor, and work is already underway at two Southern cites

8 Birmingham and Memphis, where $100 million facilities will be built in the next two years, funded half by NS and half by Federal Stimulus money through the TIGER program. The Crescent Corridor freight initiative is important to the Greensboro to Charlotte corridor for a couple of reasons: North Carolina will benefit from the expanded rail service and the economic advantages that rail provides; but the additional eight intermodal trains forecast when Crescent reaches it full potential means that capacity improvements are critical if North Carolina is going to operate a fast, reliable and frequent intercity passenger service. PASSENGER OPERATIONS North Carolina has one of the most comprehensive programs in the country for investing and operating intercity passenger rail services. In addition to national system Amtrak services, the state subsidizes two Amtrak services, the Carolinian (Charlotte Washington, D.C. New York) and the Piedmont service (Charlotte Raleigh). The state has also been heavily involved in the development of station facilities, improving dozens of stations across the state including the signature Greensboro station. Greensboro Passenger Station

9 Amtrak operates several services in the Greensboro to Charlotte corridor. The Crescent provides daily intercity service between New Orleans and New York, making stops in Charlotte, Salisbury, High Point and Greensboro. The Carolinian operates one round trip between New York and Charlotte on a daily basis. The Piedmont complements the Carolinian service between Raleigh and Charlotte with two round trip pairs. Both the Carolinian and Piedmont make stops at Kannapolis in addition to the Crescent stops. The Piedmont service was expanded in June 2010 to include a mid-day round-trip, resulting in eight daily passenger trains between Greensboro and Charlotte. Future expansion of the Piedmont service will be coordinated with the development of the double track projects. Figure 3: Passenger Rail Service in North Carolina NORTH CAROLINA RAILROAD IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (NCRRIP) In 2001, the NCDOT, NCRR, and NS signed a master agreement providing a platform for significant improvements along the NCRR route between Raleigh and Charlotte. Funding primarily flowed through the NCDOT from state sources, with some federal surface

10 transportation funds, to improve existing tracks, install new signals and build stretches of new track. The projects were designed to enhance the existing NCDOT sponsored passenger services between Raleigh and Charlotte. In addition, related work has been completed on the Raleigh to Selma portion of the NCRR. Figure 5 illustrates the scope of NCRRIP improvements. Projects included new traffic control signal systems, new and extended passing sidings, major interlocking improvements, and the further advancement of the nationally recognized Sealed Corridor grade crossing safety initiative. The NCRRIP program has also coordinated with the states station development program in the improvement of station tracks and platforms. NCRRIP has constructed approximately $65 Million in improvements and reduced the travel time between Raleigh and Charlotte by more than 35 minutes since the work began in In addition to reducing the travel time, the work greatly increased efficiency and reliability for both freight and passenger trains in the corridor. Figure 4: Track Improvements on the North Carolina Railroad

11 Planning and design of the double track projects began under the umbrella of NCRRIP. The projects were originally envisioned largely as double track replacements without significant track alignment, bridge, and grade crossing improvements. Funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) has provided an opportunity to develop a more robust set of improvements than originally envisioned under NCRRIP, particularly with regard to alignment improvements and grade crossing elimination. THE SOUTHEAST HIGH SPEED RAIL CORRIDOR (SEHSR) The SEHSR corridor between Washington, D.C. and Richmond, Raleigh and Charlotte was among five high speed rail corridors originally designated by the US Department of Transportation in The final Tier I draft environmental impact statement (EIS) was completed in June 2002 and selected the corridor through Petersburg VA, and Henderson, Raleigh, Greensboro, and Charlotte, NC. In October of that year, the FRA and FHWA issued a Record of Decision approving the project and allowing a second round of environmental studies to begin. The Draft Tier II EIS for the route between Richmond and Raleigh was completed in 2010 and FRA signed the document in May The final Tier II EIS is expected to be completed in mid 2011 with a Record of Decision expected in late This portion of the corridor will initially operate at speeds up to 110 mph. The SEHSR passenger service will operate via the NCRR between Raleigh, Greensboro and Charlotte with a proposed maximum passenger speed of 90 mph. Four additional round trips between Charlotte and Washington are envisioned with the new route. One of the key components of the double track projects, in addition to increasing capacity, is improving the NCRR corridor to enable passenger trains to operate at higher speeds with enhanced safety.

12 Figure 5: Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT (ARRA) The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was authorized by the federal government in February The purpose of ARRA is to stimulate the economy and generate employment. North Carolina applied for over $5 billion under the high speed rail funding in October In January 2010 the state was awarded $545 million in grants for high speed rail, the sixth highest total of all states. The majority of the grant is for projects on the NCRR. Among the projects that received funding are the three remaining Greensboro to Charlotte double track projects. These projects comprise approximately half of the funding received, which is testament to their importance in the scope of the overall program to develop SEHSR. With significant funding, the state is

13 proceeding to implement these projects through the ARRA program in a new and sustainable manner. Figure 6: Greensboro to Charlotte Double Track Projects COX TO HOSKINS - LESSONS LEARNED CP Cox to CP Hoskins was the first double track restoration project to be constructed in North Carolina in over 30 years, the previous being an approximate 10-mile segment of the NCRR Main Line constructed with the new Southern Railway hump yard at Linwood. The Cox to Hoskins project was developed under the NCRRIP program with limited funding. State funding sources and FHWA congestion mitigation air quality funds were used. This section of previous single track was identified early in capacity modeling as being critical for network fluidity and ensuring on-time meets of passenger trains. The majority of scheduled passenger train meets

14 for Carolinian and Piedmont services have historically, and are proposed, to occur within this segment between Thomasville and Greensboro. The Cox to Hoskins project has been a success for bettering network fluidity and improving ontime meets of passenger trains. However, the project team learned of many ways to enhance this type of project for the future. One key decision early in the project development phase was to construct the project within the existing 200 wide NCRR right-of-way. Environmental documents were prepared accordingly, and public involvement was more limited than current projects. The decision to contain the Retaining walls at Jamestown, NC work within the right-of-way was an effort to reduce cost and the schedule time for planning and right-of-way acquisition. This decision limited the opportunity to make robust changes to the railroad geometry in support of SEHSR. It also increased cost in one area of the project that required a multi-million dollar retaining wall to contain the construction within the right-of-way. The remaining double track projects include the required environmental documents and public involvement to progress acquisition of both railroad and highway right-of-way.

15 Another limiting decision was to not include at-grade crossing evaluation, consolidation and elimination as part of the project planning. It was determined that these efforts should progress separately in the future. Again, limited funding drove the decision, but an opportunity was missed to perform comprehensive planning and a master plan of improvements. One crossing within the project limits, Stallings Rd., was closed prior to the project as a separate effort tied to a larger highway project, but no other crossings were evaluated for elimination. It was determined that the planning for the remaining double track projects would include comprehensive evaluation of at-grade crossings for closure, grade separation, and safety improvements. Interlocking Construction at Cox One other important take-away from Cox to Hoskins related to interlocking construction. For train operations, Cox and Hoskins control points were proposed in good locations for temporarily holding trains away from at-grade crossings and yard operations. However, these locations required construction of the new universal crossover control points atop the existing equilateral turnouts. This complexity added to the project cost and required several long work windows with train annulments. It was determined that for the remaining sections of double

16 track, the new crossover control points would be built in new locations. This is facilitated by a robust crossing closure program. THE NEW PROJECT APPROACH NCDOT is managing the planning, design, and environmental analysis of the remaining double track projects in a more comprehensive manner. Project design and environmental analysis evaluates the benefits and impacts of railroad and highway elements together for the full length of each double track corridor. In real time as project development progresses, the environmental, planning, and design members of the project team work together to adjust designs to meet objectives, reduce impacts, and produce a quality project. As the NCRR corridor is the only viable route for handling traffic in this largely urbanized area of North Carolina, making lasting, sustainable improvements is the primary objective in the development of the remaining double track projects. The project objectives must be met while not precluding future capacity improvements within the corridor. The objectives of the Greensboro to Charlotte double track projects can be summarized as: Increase railroad capacity Improve railroad operations Modernize the railroad Improve safety Capacity and operation efficiency will be enhanced not only through the construction of double track, but through the coordinated locations of universal crossovers, auxiliary tracks, signal layout, and elimination of highway crossings. Railroad modernization will be created through the complete renewal of the traffic control signal system, replacement of obsolete bridges, and realigning curves to achieve consistent near term and future operating speeds and to reduce fuel use and rail, wheel, and brake wear. Most notably, safety and train operations will be

17 significantly improved through these projects with the proposed elimination of 22 public and 11 private at-grade crossings and the construction of up to 10 new grade separated structures. Once completed, the corridor will be mostly grade separated through the limits of the new double track. Changes to design and operating practices are being explored and developed as part of the projects. This includes the use of Number 24 turnouts in place of the current standard Number 20 to create faster (60 mph vs. 45 mph) diverging moves for both intermodal freight and passenger trains. Future higher speed, higher cant deficiency operation for passenger trains is facilitated through improved track geometry, flatter curvature and longer spirals to allow greater passenger comfort in curves. Spirals are designed for a future 5 cant deficiency operation for conventional passenger equipment using AREMA formulas where greater than NS standards. A desirable maximum degree of curvature of one and a half degrees has been employed to provide for a consistent design speed of 90 mph throughout the projects. This has been successful for all but three curves on the Reid to N. Kannapolis segment where heavily urban conditions forced curvature to one degree forty two minutes. Vertical and horizontal clearances at proposed overhead structures are also being evaluated to allow for possible future electrification and future additional tracks. New ways are being explored to construct the remaining double track projects as well. Previously, NS managed all elements of construction and projects were constructed in a primarily sequential manner. With the volume of work proposed, NCDOT field divisions, with their long history of corridor construction experience, are proposed to manage the vast majority of civil work on the new projects including roadbed, drainage, and structures. Track and signal construction will be managed by the experts at Norfolk Southern Railway to ensure a high quality final project.

18 ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PROCESS Development of the double track projects requires documentation of the project impacts through the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. It was determined, through coordination with the FRA, that Environmental Assessment documents would be prepared for each project, encompassing the total scope of work for each project. Railroad and highway improvements were evaluated together for the benefit of both systems. This comprehensive transportation approach has proved more successful and less time consuming, than previous efforts to evaluate railroad improvements separately from highway crossing consolidations and closures which when handled separately can encumber resources and generate more scrutiny without the context and momentum of the overall systems improvement. The environmental and public involvement process is managed by the NCDOT Rail Division Environmental and Planning Branch. Consultant teams are utilized to prepare the documents, including necessary project mapping, and evaluate impacts to the natural and human environment. Natural environment evaluations included defining the boundaries of wetlands, streams, and endangered species habitats and avoiding these areas to the extent possible. Human environment evaluations included identifying historic architecture and archeology, presence of public parks and recreation facilities, emergency services access, and noise analysis. In many places along these projects, it was necessary to thread the needle for both roadway and railroad improvements through many environmental constraints. Well planned public involvement has been critical to the successful development of these projects. As these projects not only include critical improvements to the railroad infrastructure but also include major highway system changes for safety, the clear communication of the benefits of the projects to the public was critical. Public involvement began with informal workshops for each project in August and September At these meetings, team members from NCDOT and NCRR were present to answer questions in a one-on-one format. Much of

19 the public interest related to concerns of impacts on homes and businesses and inconvenience and diversion of traffic related to certain crossing closures. For context, the team defined the projects like an interstate highway rather than a utility improvement. Just like interstate highways, these projects need to be largely grade separated and aligned for consistent speeds to operate efficiently and safely. Public involvement continued with follow-up workshops on the Haydock to Junker and Reid to N. Kannapolis projects in early These were necessary in order to present updated crossing closure and grade separation plans and address public and community leader suggestions. Public comment is expected to formally conclude with public hearings in the fall of In real time, the environmental, planning, and design members of the project team have worked together to adjust designs to meet objectives, reduce impacts, and produce a quality project. The draft documents are in process of being sent to the FRA for review. Once the EA documents are signed by the FRA, it is the hope of the project team that this carefully coordinated and comprehensive process will result in the necessary follow-up documents called Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), culminating the end of the planning process. PROJECT DETAILS The three remaining double track projects located on the NCRR Main Line are, from north to south, CP Bowers to CP Lake, CP Reid to CP North Kannapolis and CP Haydock to CP Junker. CP Bowers to CP Lake CP Bowers to CP Lake is the northernmost of the three projects located in Davidson County between Thomasville and Lexington, NC. This project is 4.2 miles long (Milepost to 314.0). Major aspects of this project include: Retire and remove existing CP Bowers interlocking (Milepost 309.8)

20 Construct new CP Lake interlocking with No. 24 crossovers (MP 311.2) Retire and remove existing CP Lake interlocking (MP 314.0) Construct new grade separations at Upper Lake and Turner Roads Rehabilitate concrete arch bridge over Jimmy's Creek Rehabilitate concrete arch bridge over Richford Creek and lower track profile 2' to reduce load on bridge structure Replace existing twin thru girder superstructures on bridge over Abbotts Creek with ballasted deck double track superstructure Realign four curves and introduce longer spirals to permit future 90 MPH passenger train operations Close three public and one private at-grade crossing Twin Thru Girder Bridges over Abbotts Creek While this project is not particularly long and difficult from a road construction view point, the key challenge is to deal with environmental concerns due to the numerous wetlands bordering, and

21 encroaching into, the railroad right-of way. Particular attention is paid to reducing the environmental impacts through track relocations and construction of short gabion basket retaining walls as required. CP Reid to CP North Kannapolis CP Reid to CP North Kannapolis is located in Rowan County between Salisbury and Kannapolis. Project length is 11.3 miles (MP to 348.3). Major aspects of this project include: Retire and remove existing CP Reid interlocking (MP 337.0) Construct new CP Sumner Interlocking with No. 24 crossovers (MP 340.0) Retire and remove existing North Kannapolis interlocking (MP 347.5) Construct new CP North Kannapolis Interlocking with No. 24 crossovers (MP 347.0) Construct new overhead grade separations at Peeler Road in Salisbury and 22nd Street in Kannapolis Construct new undergrade grade separation at Kimball Road Realign six curves with longer spirals for future 90 MPH passenger train operations Close 10 public at-grade crossings and 5 private crossings Construct safety improvements at 4 remaining public at-grade crossings The challenge with this urban project is minimizing impacts to adjacent structures, streets and other infrastructure, particularly in the town of China Grove. Although the NCRR Corridor is generally 200 feet wide, over the years many encroachments have been constructed within railroad right-of-way such as streets, businesses, or residences with or without agreements in place.

22 Right-of-Way Encroachments in China Grove CP Haydock to CP Junker This, the southernmost of the three projects, in located in Cabarrus and Mecklenburg counties between Concord, Harrisburg and Charlotte, a length of 12.2 miles. Significant features of this project include: Retire and remove existing CP Haydock interlocking (MP 360.0) and replace with a new interlocking at CP Shamrock (MP 363.0). The relocation of the interlocking will improve railroad operations. The new interlocking will include No. 24 crossovers to permit improved freight and passenger train speeds. Replace existing CP Junker interlocking with new No. 24 crossovers. New Junker interlocking is designed to accommodate a future third track into Charlotte. Realign five curves and introduce longer spirals to permit future 90 MPH passenger train operations,

23 Construct a new rail bridge over Coddle Creek for the main tracks. The condition of the existing bridge structure and curve realignments at this location required a new structure. CP Junker and Industrial Tracks Construct new ballast deck spans over Rocky River Construct four new overhead grade separations at Pharr Mill Road, Roberta Road (Harrisburg), Caldwell Road and Grier Road which will permit the closing of nine atgrade public highway crossings and five private crossings. Coordinate with the City of Charlotte the possible construction of a new undergrade grade separation with their proposed Mallard Creek Parkway which will permit the closing of Back Creek Church Rd. Construct safety improvements at one remaining at-grade highway crossing

24 The unique aspect of this project is the staging of construction to minimize impacts to railroad operations and to maintain service to local industries. Especially challenging are the curve realignments, bridge construction and track reconfigurations at the north end of the project. ESTIMATED COSTS The estimated costs for the double track projects are: CP Bowers to CP Lake: $47.5 million ($37.4 million for railroad roadbed, railroad structures, track and signals, $10.1 million for grade separations) CP Reid to CP North Kannapolis: $92.6 million ($63.8 million for railroad roadbed, railroad structures, track and signals, $28.8 million for grade separations) CP Haydock to CP Junker: $95.1 million ($79.2 million for railroad roadbed, railroad structures, track and signals, $15.9 million for grade separations) CURRENT STATUS AND SCHEDULE FOR COMPLETION The preliminary design for all three projects is scheduled for completion in mid-summer The Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) is anticipated by 1 st Quarter Final design Requests for Proposal will be issued in late 2010 and early 2011 with all final designs completed by mid Construction will begin in late 2012 on the grade separations and in early 2013 on the railroad related work. All construction is scheduled for completion in SUCCESS IN THE FREIGHT- PASSENGER RELATIONSHIP Unless a new passenger operator has the funding and political muscle to build (or buy) its own right-of-way, its success will depend upon the relationship that it can develop with an existing freight railroad. After all, the railroad has what the passenger operator needs a well-

25 positioned right-of-way. The success of this relationship very much a public-private partnership - is determined by how prepared each side is to provide what the other side needs. It is most helpful to this partnership for the passenger operator to adopt the position, at the outset, that the proposed passenger operations will not adversely impact current freight operations or constrain future freight capacity. (While a passenger operation can never truly be transparent due to the inflexibility of passenger train schedules the passenger operator can do much to minimize its impact.) And the passenger operator must be prepared to spend money lots of it. A rail line that is already of high quality (and thus fairly high speed) is probably flush with freight trains, and capacity improvements will be essential. Passing sidings, additional main track and high-speed crossovers are some of the anticipated improvements. Railroads that adopt a supportive attitude towards passenger rail do so because they realize that passenger rail is a growth industry, one that increasingly is earning political and popular support. A railroad that says no stands in the way of transportation progress and may suffer long-term consequences in other venues, particularly those that require government and public support. By saying yes, a railroad, in addition to gaining popular support, may obtain some infrastructure improvements that help its freight operations. In the case of Greensboro to Charlotte, the most obvious benefit to NS is the continuous double track corridor (and an improvement that is clearly needed to support multiple daylight passenger trains). But NS will also enjoy the benefits of high-speed crossovers, curve improvements that will expedite intermodal trains, and perhaps most importantly, a dramatic reduction in the number of highway grade crossings, which will have a significant positive impact on the freight railroad s safety, service reliability and maintenance. These are improvements that NS would not have funded on its own.

26 CONCLUSION ARRA funding requires that these projects be in service by September of This funding has brought the opportunity to construct the projects in a viable and sustainable manner. It also brings new challenges in the form of project reporting and approval processes to the previously established NCRRIP processes. However, the project team comprised of NCDOT, NCRR, and NS is confident that with the previous experience and trust developed through working closely together, these projects will progress to success and provide lasting improvements for future passenger and freight traffic. LIST OF FIGURES Figure Title 1 North Carolina Railroad Corridor 2 Norfolk Southern Crescent Corridor 3 Passenger Rail Service in North Carolina 4 Track Improvements on the North Carolina Railroad 5 Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor 6 Greensboro to Charlotte Double Track Projects