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{{Short description|Rail corridor}}
The '''North Carolina Railroad''' (NCRR) is a 317-mile rail corridor extending from [[Morehead City, North Carolina]] to [[Charlotte, North Carolina]]. The railroad carries 70-plus freight trains and eight passenger trains daily. It is managed by the North Carolina Railroad Company, which improves and protects the railroad’s properties and corridor to enhance freight and passenger service and promote economic development. The North Carolina Railroad Company is the state’s oldest corporation and remains at the forefront of rail improvements and partnership development to promote jobs and rail-served industry across the state.
{{More citations needed|date=November 2012}}
{{Infobox rail
|railroad_name = North Carolina Railroad
|logo_filename = North Carolina Railroad logo.png
|parent_company = [[Government of North Carolina|State of North Carolina]]
|logo_size =
|system_map = North Carolina Railroad Map.svg
|map_caption = Route of the North Carolina Railroad, in blue.
|map_size =
|marks = NCRR
|image =
|image_size =
|image_caption =
|locale = Between [[Morehead City, North Carolina|Morehead City]] and [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]]
|start_year = 1854
|end_year =
|predecessor_line =
|successor_line =
|gauge = {{RailGauge|ussg|allk=on}}
|old_gauge = {{RailGauge|4ft8in|lk=on}}
|length = {{convert|317|mi}}
|hq_city = [[Raleigh, North Carolina]]
|website = {{URL|ncrr.com}}
}}


The '''North Carolina Railroad''' {{Reporting mark|NCRR}} is a {{convert|317|mi|adj=on}} state-owned rail corridor extending from [[Morehead City, North Carolina]], to [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]]. The railroad carries over seventy freight trains operated by the [[Norfolk Southern Railway]] and eight passenger trains ([[Amtrak]]'s [[Carolinian (train)|Carolinian]] and [[Piedmont (train)|Piedmont]]) daily. The railroad works with the [[North Carolina Department of Commerce]] and the [[North Carolina Department of Transportation]] on capital improvement projects.
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==History==
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In 1848 the [[North Carolina General Assembly|North Carolina legislature]] authorized a railroad that would connect the eastern part of the state with the piedmont. NC Senate President Calvin Graves cast the deciding vote, insuring the railroad would be built, but ending his political career because it would not pass through his district. In 1851 Senator Graves was given the honor of lifting the first shovel of dirt as construction of the railroad began in [[Greensboro, North Carolina|Greensboro]. By 1856 the first train traveled along the entire route, from [[Goldsboro, North Carolina|Goldsboro]] to Charlotte.


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== History ==
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In 1858 the Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad was completed, opening 96 miles of rail between Goldsboro and the Beaufort harbor. Efforts to consolidate the Atlantic and North Carolina with the NCRR were initiated in 1866, but it would take until 1989 to complete the merger and consolidate the railroad from Morehead City to Charlotte.
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In 1848, the [[North Carolina General Assembly|North Carolina legislature]] authorized a railroad that would connect the eastern part of the state with the [[Piedmont (United States)|Piedmont]]. North Carolina Senate President [[Calvin Graves]] cast the deciding vote, ensuring that the railroad would be built, but ending his political career because it would not pass through his district. The North Carolina Railroad was incorporated January 27, 1849, by special act of the North Carolina legislature.<ref name="37Val437">Interstate Commerce Commission. ''Southern Ry. Co.'', Volume 37, Interstate Commerce Commission Valuation Reports, November 6, 1931, p. 437. Washington: United States Government Printing Office, 1932. {{OCLC|297351688}}.</ref>


In 1851, Senator Graves was given the honor of lifting the first shovel of dirt as construction of the railroad began in [[Greensboro, North Carolina|Greensboro]]. In 1854, the railroad's first president, businessman [[John Motley Morehead]], dubbed the rail line "the tree of life" for the state.<ref>[https://www.ncrr.com/about-ncrr/ncrr-history/ NCRR History, North Carolina Railroad Company]</ref>
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In 1895 the North Carolina Railroad was leased to [[Norfolk Southern Railway (former)|Southern Railway Company]] (later Norfolk Southern) for a 99 year period. Southern Railway/Norfolk Southern retained control of the railroad until 1999, when NCRR and Norfolk Southern reached an exclusive [[Arrangements between railroads|Trackage Rights Agreement]] for Norfolk Southern’s continuing freight and maintenance operations on the NCRR line for 15 years, renewable for an additional 30 years.


About 130 miles of the {{RailGauge|4ft8in}}-[[track gauge|gauge]]<ref>[http://www.csa-railroads.com/North_Carolina.htm Confederate Railroads – North Carolina]</ref> railroad, between Greensboro and [[Goldsboro, North Carolina|Goldsboro]], was opened for operation on December 13, 1855.<ref name="37Val437" /> About 94 miles of the railroad, between Greensboro and [[Charlotte, North Carolina|Charlotte]], was opened on January 30, 1856.<ref name="37Val437" /> In early 1856, the first train traveled along the entire route from Goldsboro to Charlotte.
One year prior to the establishment of this new lease with Norfolk Southern, in 1998, the State of North Carolina agreed to buy out the remaining private shares of NCRR stock, making it a privately run company, with the stock fully owned by the state. In 2000, the General Assembly established by statute that North Carolina Railroad Company revenues are to be used for improvements to the NCRR line. A year later, the implementation of a Corridor Improvement Program that serves as the blueprint for upgrading the railroad was put into place and the first projects, $10 million worth of improvements along the corridor between Goldsboro and Morehead City, were completed. That same year the North Carolina Railroad Company approved a contract with Norfolk Southern and the North Carolina Department of Transportation to complete $30 million of improvements that would eliminate 20 minutes of daily passenger travel time between [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]] and Charlotte.


⚫
In 1858, the [[Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad]] was completed, opening {{convert|96|mi}} of rail between Goldsboro and Shepard's Point, now [[Morehead City]]. Efforts to consolidate the Atlantic and North Carolina with the NCRR began in 1866, but it would take until 1989 to complete the merger and consolidate the railroads from Morehead City to Charlotte.
Also in 2001 a corridor upgrade between Raleigh and [[Selma, North Carolina|Selma]] was completed, allowing for an increase in speed on the rail from {{convert|49|mph|kph}} to {{convert|59|mph|kph}}. Two years later, in 2003, the Neuse River Bridge in [[Kinston, North Carolina|Kinston]] was replaced. It was the first bridge completed through the Corridor Improvement Program. This nearly 100-year old structure developed a large crack in the east abutment after [[Hurricane Floyd]], making it unsafe for further use. The new bridge is designed to carry the faster, heavier cars that are common on today’s freight routes. In May of 2006, a new bridge over [[North Carolina Highway 54|Highway 54]] in [[Research Triangle Park]] was completed to replace the old [[single track]] bridge that had substandard clearance and, because of its narrowness, caused a significant bottleneck on Highway 54. The new bridge is double-tracked to increase train capacity and speed. The improvements will allow traffic to flow smoothly and safely on the road below while allowing both freight and passenger trains to move along the corridor.


The North Carolina Railroad was leased to the [[Richmond and Danville Railroad]] Company and its receiver from September 11, 1871, to June 30, 1894.<ref name="37Val437" />
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==NCRR Today==
⚫
The North Carolina Railroad Company continues to improve and preserve the rail corridor. Recently, the Company added three new [[Rail siding|passing sidings]] and centralized traffic control between Raleigh and Selma in order to increase capacity for both freight and passenger trains. The Company is also replacing several other bridges along the corridor to improve safety, efficiency, and speed.


⚫
From July 1, 1894, the North Carolina Railroad was leased to the R&D's successor, the [[Southern Railway (U.S.)|Southern Railway Company]], for 99 years. Southern merged with [[Norfolk & Western Railway]] to form [[Norfolk Southern Railway|Norfolk Southern]], which inherited the NCRR lease.<ref name="37Val437" /> Norfolk Southern retained control of the railroad until 1999, when NCRR and Norfolk Southern reached an exclusive [[Arrangements between railroads|trackage rights agreement]] enabling Norfolk Southern to continue freight and maintenance operations on the NCRR line for 15 years, renewable for 30 more years.
⚫
Beginning in 2008, the North Carolina Railroad Company is working with the [[North Carolina Department of Transportation]] and Norfolk Southern to improve crossing safety on the eastern portion of the line by upgrading gates and signals, and making crossing closures were feasible. The Company is also working with these parties to replace [[double track]] between Greensboro and [[High Point, North Carolina|High Point]].


In 1929, Governor [[O. Max Gardner]] appointed [[Fanny Yarborough Bickett]] as the first woman president of the railroad.<ref name= ham>{{cite book |last1= Ham|first1= Marie Sharpe|last2= Blake|first2= Debra A.|last3= Morris|first3= C. Edwards|date= 2000|title= North Carolina's First Ladies 1891–2001, Who Have Resided in the Executive Mansion At 200 North Blount Street|location= [[Raleigh, North Carolina]]|publisher= The North Carolina Executive Mansion Fine Arts Committee and the North Carolina Executive Mansion Fund, Inc.|pages= 27–30|isbn=0-86526-294-2}}</ref> She was succeeded by [[Cora Lily Woodard Aycock]] in 1933.
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The North Carolina Railroad Company’s continual investment in these ongoing capital improvement projects enhances the efficiency and safety of transportation in the state. The North Carolina Railroad was instrumental in encouraging the economic development of North Carolina in the 19th century, helping to define new markets, new industries, and new cities and today NCRR continues to contribute to the state’s economy. The North Carolina Railroad carries over one million carloads of freight each year and about 300,000 passengers. Based on a 2007 study by the [[Research Triangle Institute]], the North Carolina Railroad saves North Carolina industries $198 million in transportation costs annually, and the total impact on North Carolina economic output is $338 million annually. In 2005, in counties bordering NCRR tracks, industries using rail freight services accounted for $143 billion in output, more than 24% of North Carolina’s total economy. NCRR freight transportation also has environmental benefits, conveying $65.7 million in external benefits (cost savings).


In 1998, one year before the establishment of the new lease with Norfolk Southern, the State of North Carolina agreed to buy out the remaining 25% private shares of NCRR stock. While the NCRR is still nominally a private company, all of the voting stock is held by the state.
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==References==
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1. http://www.ncrr.com/ncrr-history.html<br>
2. http://www.whistlestopncrr.com/<br>
3. http://www.ncrr.com/ncrr-economic.html (Research Triangle Institute Study, May 2007)


In 2000, the North Carolina legislature established by statute that North Carolina Railroad Company dividends paid to the State were required to be used by the [[North Carolina Department of Transportation]] for improvements to the NCRR line. At that time, NCRR was a [[real estate investment trust]]. In 2013, the legislature rewrote this statute to enable NCDOT to use its dividends of the North Carolina Railroad Company for the purposes set forth in the statute.


⚫
== NCRR Today ==
⚫
Recently,{{when|date=September 2024}} the North Carolina Railroad Company added three new [[Rail siding|passing sidings]] over eight miles and centralized traffic control between Raleigh and Selma (30 miles) in order to increase capacity for both freight and passenger trains. The Company is also replacing several other bridges along the corridor to improve safety, efficiency, and speed. Other improvements made by the NCRR since 2001 include rail and bridge upgrades between Raleigh and [[Morehead City]], NC, at a cost in excess of $60 million. In 2010, the Company completed commuter rail investment and ridership studies for the segments between Goldsboro and Greensboro, through Raleigh.

⚫
Since 2008, the North Carolina Railroad Company has been working with the [[North Carolina Department of Transportation]] and Norfolk Southern to improve crossing safety on the eastern portion of the line by upgrading gates and crossing signals. The Company is also working with these parties to add or replace [[double track]] between Charlotte and Raleigh in an initiative to extend higher-speed passenger rail south to Charlotte from Washington via [[Richmond, Virginia]].

⚫
The North Carolina Railroad was instrumental in encouraging the economic development of North Carolina in the 19th century, helping to define new markets, new industries, and new cities. Today NCRR continues to contribute to the state’s economy. The North Carolina Railroad carries over one million carloads of freight each year and about 300,000 passengers. Based on a 2007 study by the [[Research Triangle Institute]], the North Carolina Railroad saves North Carolina industries $198 million in transportation costs annually, and the total impact on North Carolina economic output is $338 million annually. In 2005, in counties bordering NCRR tracks, industries using rail freight services accounted for $143 billion in output, more than 24% of North Carolina’s total economy. NCRR freight transportation also has environmental advantages, conveying $65.7 million in [[external benefit]]s.

== See also ==
{{Portal|Trains|Railways}}
*[[North Carolina Department of Transportation]]
*[[Amtrak]]
*[[Norfolk Southern Railway]]

== Footnotes ==
{{Reflist}}

⚫
== References ==
*Interstate Commerce Commission. ''Southern Ry. Co.'', Volume 37, Interstate Commerce Commission Valuation Reports, November 6, 1931, p.&nbsp;437. Washington: United States Government Printing Office, 1932. {{OCLC|297351688}}.
⚫
*[https://www.ncrr.com/about-ncrr/ncrr-history/ NCRR Website]
*[https://www.ncrr.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/NCRR-Forum-handout-v6_09242014.pdf Research Triangle Institute Study, September 2014]

{{North Carolina railroads}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:4 ft 8 in gauge railways in the United States]]
[[Category:North Carolina railroads]]
[[Category:North Carolina railroads]]
[[Category:Transportation in North Carolina]]
[[Category:Transportation in North Carolina]]
[[Category:Predecessors of the Southern Railway (U.S.)]]
[[Category:Railway companies established in 1849]]
[[Category:Non-operating common carrier freight railroads in the United States]]
[[Category:Norfolk Southern Railway lines]]
[[Category:1849 establishments in North Carolina]]

Latest revision as of 05:56, 20 December 2024

North Carolina Railroad
Route of the North Carolina Railroad, in blue.
Overview
Parent companyState of North Carolina
HeadquartersRaleigh, North Carolina
Reporting markNCRR
LocaleBetween Morehead City and Charlotte
Dates of operation1854–
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Previous gauge4 ft 8 in (1,422 mm)
Length317 miles (510 km)
Other
Websitencrr.com

The North Carolina Railroad (reporting mark NCRR) is a 317-mile (510 km) state-owned rail corridor extending from Morehead City, North Carolina, to Charlotte. The railroad carries over seventy freight trains operated by the Norfolk Southern Railway and eight passenger trains (Amtrak's Carolinian and Piedmont) daily. The railroad works with the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the North Carolina Department of Transportation on capital improvement projects.

History

[edit]

In 1848, the North Carolina legislature authorized a railroad that would connect the eastern part of the state with the Piedmont. North Carolina Senate President Calvin Graves cast the deciding vote, ensuring that the railroad would be built, but ending his political career because it would not pass through his district. The North Carolina Railroad was incorporated January 27, 1849, by special act of the North Carolina legislature.[1]

In 1851, Senator Graves was given the honor of lifting the first shovel of dirt as construction of the railroad began in Greensboro. In 1854, the railroad's first president, businessman John Motley Morehead, dubbed the rail line "the tree of life" for the state.[2]

About 130 miles of the 4 ft 8 in (1,422 mm)-gauge[3] railroad, between Greensboro and Goldsboro, was opened for operation on December 13, 1855.[1] About 94 miles of the railroad, between Greensboro and Charlotte, was opened on January 30, 1856.[1] In early 1856, the first train traveled along the entire route from Goldsboro to Charlotte.

In 1858, the Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad was completed, opening 96 miles (154 km) of rail between Goldsboro and Shepard's Point, now Morehead City. Efforts to consolidate the Atlantic and North Carolina with the NCRR began in 1866, but it would take until 1989 to complete the merger and consolidate the railroads from Morehead City to Charlotte.

The North Carolina Railroad was leased to the Richmond and Danville Railroad Company and its receiver from September 11, 1871, to June 30, 1894.[1]

From July 1, 1894, the North Carolina Railroad was leased to the R&D's successor, the Southern Railway Company, for 99 years. Southern merged with Norfolk & Western Railway to form Norfolk Southern, which inherited the NCRR lease.[1] Norfolk Southern retained control of the railroad until 1999, when NCRR and Norfolk Southern reached an exclusive trackage rights agreement enabling Norfolk Southern to continue freight and maintenance operations on the NCRR line for 15 years, renewable for 30 more years.

In 1929, Governor O. Max Gardner appointed Fanny Yarborough Bickett as the first woman president of the railroad.[4] She was succeeded by Cora Lily Woodard Aycock in 1933.

In 1998, one year before the establishment of the new lease with Norfolk Southern, the State of North Carolina agreed to buy out the remaining 25% private shares of NCRR stock. While the NCRR is still nominally a private company, all of the voting stock is held by the state.

In 2000, the North Carolina legislature established by statute that North Carolina Railroad Company dividends paid to the State were required to be used by the North Carolina Department of Transportation for improvements to the NCRR line. At that time, NCRR was a real estate investment trust. In 2013, the legislature rewrote this statute to enable NCDOT to use its dividends of the North Carolina Railroad Company for the purposes set forth in the statute.

NCRR Today

[edit]

Recently,[when?] the North Carolina Railroad Company added three new passing sidings over eight miles and centralized traffic control between Raleigh and Selma (30 miles) in order to increase capacity for both freight and passenger trains. The Company is also replacing several other bridges along the corridor to improve safety, efficiency, and speed. Other improvements made by the NCRR since 2001 include rail and bridge upgrades between Raleigh and Morehead City, NC, at a cost in excess of $60 million. In 2010, the Company completed commuter rail investment and ridership studies for the segments between Goldsboro and Greensboro, through Raleigh.

Since 2008, the North Carolina Railroad Company has been working with the North Carolina Department of Transportation and Norfolk Southern to improve crossing safety on the eastern portion of the line by upgrading gates and crossing signals. The Company is also working with these parties to add or replace double track between Charlotte and Raleigh in an initiative to extend higher-speed passenger rail south to Charlotte from Washington via Richmond, Virginia.

The North Carolina Railroad was instrumental in encouraging the economic development of North Carolina in the 19th century, helping to define new markets, new industries, and new cities. Today NCRR continues to contribute to the state’s economy. The North Carolina Railroad carries over one million carloads of freight each year and about 300,000 passengers. Based on a 2007 study by the Research Triangle Institute, the North Carolina Railroad saves North Carolina industries $198 million in transportation costs annually, and the total impact on North Carolina economic output is $338 million annually. In 2005, in counties bordering NCRR tracks, industries using rail freight services accounted for $143 billion in output, more than 24% of North Carolina’s total economy. NCRR freight transportation also has environmental advantages, conveying $65.7 million in external benefits.

See also

[edit]

Footnotes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e Interstate Commerce Commission. Southern Ry. Co., Volume 37, Interstate Commerce Commission Valuation Reports, November 6, 1931, p. 437. Washington: United States Government Printing Office, 1932. OCLC 297351688.
  2. ^ NCRR History, North Carolina Railroad Company
  3. ^ Confederate Railroads – North Carolina
  4. ^ Ham, Marie Sharpe; Blake, Debra A.; Morris, C. Edwards (2000). North Carolina's First Ladies 1891–2001, Who Have Resided in the Executive Mansion At 200 North Blount Street. Raleigh, North Carolina: The North Carolina Executive Mansion Fine Arts Committee and the North Carolina Executive Mansion Fund, Inc. pp. 27–30. ISBN 0-86526-294-2.

References

[edit]
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