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About NCRR
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Message from the Chairman To Friends of the North Carolina Railroad Company: Keeping progress
on the right track—that’s a big job when you look at all the
work that needs to be done to repair, upgrade and manage the 317-mile
North Carolina Railroad corridor. When the Directors and staff of NCRR
accepted responsibility for improving the railroad, we knew it would require
modernizing the track, recording the associated properties and remodeling
and improving existing structures for economic development purposes. Because
we have limited funds to use for improvements and because any transportation
infrastructure work is expensive, we developed a plan. The Corridor
Improvement Plan, explained in more detail on page 7, is the result
of a careful assessment of the railroad by industry experts, including
structural and mechanical engineers, signaling specialists and construction
consultants. Working closely with NCRR staff, Norfolk Southern and the
Department of Transportation’s Rail Division, we chose a list of
priority projects that would move the railroad’s mission forward.
That mission requires that we use our resources to enhance passenger and
freight service and use the railroad and its properties to promote economic
development. This year we are
halfway through the list that first appeared in the 2001 Annual Report.
So far, we have invested or committed about $60 million in these improvements.
They are paying off for the state as freight service increases both on
the part of NCRR which serves as the mainline for Norfolk Southern and
for the improved eastern North Carolina segment. Norfolk Southern’s
Eastern Carolina Business Unit does more than half of its business on
the NCRR line, carrying some 69,000 carloads in 2003 and increasing service
to grain producers for short haul service as the year closed. Service
between Raleigh and Goldsboro is growing, too, because of the line’s
proximity and access to Interstate 95, Interstate 40 and rail access to
both eastern Class I rail carriers, NS and CSX. Improvements from the
program have benefited passenger service, too. Trains travel at 79 miles
per hour—the passenger limit—on many segments. Two major bridges
on the NCRR are under reconstruction. All but 17 miles of the NCRR line
are continuously welded rail. With regard to real estate assets, it is
fitting that the first property that NCRR has restored is the only remaining
building of its original Company Shops complex. The other completed project
is The Depot, located in downtown Raleigh’s Warehouse District. Maintaining
original design components, such as Belgian Paver stones that line the
parking lot and the clerestory windows that light the interior, have allowed
the building to retain its unique character. Modern up fitting will allow
tenants to operate in cutting edge comfort. See the completion of these
award-winning redevelopment projects on pages 10–11. Looking ahead, much
work remains. As with any complex infrastructure, there is no one point
where all the work is finished. Constant upgrades and improvements are
required to serve the growing transportation needs of a dynamic population.
Transportation plays a crucial role in the creation of new jobs and increased
economic diversity. The North Carolina Railroad plays a critical and growing
role in the state’s transportation system. The potential is here.
We’re developing it now.
This message is taken from the North Carolina Railroad 2003 Annual Report
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