November 14, 2001

Work Begins to Decrease Rail Travel Time Between Raleigh and Selma

The North Carolina Railroad Company, the North Carolina Department of Transportation and Norfolk Southern Railway Company are partnering to upgrade the train control signals to decrease travel time between Raleigh and Selma. Work began in late October and should be completed in February. Once work is completed, passenger train speeds will increase from 47 mph to 59 mph along this portion of the corridor, trimming 7 to 8 minutes from the travel time between Raleigh and Selma.

While much of the work is scheduled to avoid impacting train services, passengers on the Carolinian (trains 79, 80) and Silver Star (trains 91,92) can expect delays of 75-90 minutes Mondays through Thursdays until late December.

"As this area continues to grow, it becomes even more critical that we improve our rail infrastructure," said State Transportation Secretary Lyndo Tippett. "These improvements will help make existing rail traffic more efficient -- and help us prepare for future freight and passenger needs."

"We’re working with the Department of Transportation, Amtrak and Norfolk Southern to make the construction as quick and painless as possible," said Scott Saylor, President of the North Carolina Railroad Company. "This is an exciting project that will improve efficiency and travel time along an increasingly popular segment of railroad. In the meantime, we want to apologize to Amtrak passengers for any inconvenience the track work may cause and thank them for their patience. "

In addition to four Amtrak passenger trains, four freight trains travel daily along this portion of the corridor. The NCDOT, Norfolk Southern and NCRR are working together to bring these improvements about in the most cost efficient manner.

"By carefully choosing projects that provide the greatest benefits with regard to safety, as well as freight, commuter and passenger transit, the NCRR preserves and develops the corridor as a unique asset for the people of North Carolina," says Scott Saylor. "Having partners such as NCDOT, the General Assembly and Norfolk Southern makes good sense as the potential and promise of shipping and travel by rail is developed."

The North Carolina Railroad Company manages the 317-mile rail corridor that extends from Morehead City to Charlotte and serves as the backbone of the state’s rail system. The corridor serves both passenger and freight transportation needs through lease agreements with Norfolk Southern while control of the right-of-way remains under the auspices of the NCRR. Funds for the $2.7 million project are provided jointly by the NCRR and the NCDOT.