The North Carolina and Virginia Railroad will receive $979,813 for rail replacement and improvements along its mainline corridor in Northampton County, according to the state Department of Transportation’s Rail Division.

The funds are part of the rail division’s announcement of a $16.3 million investment to improve freight rail infrastructure on 12 short line railroads and at the Port of Morehead City.

The NCVA, which is based in Ahoskie, is a short-line railroad that has been operating since 1987. It is currently a subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming Inc., a major holding company that acquired the line in 2012. Before that, it was owned by RailAmerica and originally RailTex, which first purchased the trackage from CSX Transportation.

The NCVA operates approximately 63 miles of track, with the vast majority — about 60 miles — located in North Carolina.

“These projects deliver significant benefits to North Carolina’s freight rail network,” said Jason Orthner, director of NCDOT’s Rail Division. “By working closely with our railroad partners, we are strengthening reliability and resiliency, supporting businesses across the state, and reinforcing the rail infrastructure that drives North Carolina’s economy.”

NCDOT’s $16.3 million contribution is funded through the Freight Rail & Rail Crossing Safety Improvement program. 

The program, established in 2014 by the N.C. General Assembly supports the health, safety and performance of the state’s rail infrastructure while establishing partnerships to meet the growing demand for rail service.

The Rail Division’s grants are matched by investments from participating railroad companies and the N.C. Ports Authority. In total, these partnerships are putting $41.5 million into projects that improve North Carolina’s freight rail network.

The projects will upgrade and improve over 95 miles of railroad track and improve eight railroad bridges and culverts in North Carolina, supporting the increase of freight rail traffic on the statewide railroad network.

Other awarded projectsThe awarded projects and NCDOT’s contribution to each include:

Aberdeen Carolina and Western Railway: $4,845,392 in funding for rail replacement and improvements along the ACWR Piedmont Division. (Cabarrus and Mecklenburg counties).

Aberdeen and Rockfish Railroad: $771,397 for track upgrades and continuity of service on the AR Mainline (Hoke County).

Alexander Railroad Company: $381,797 for track and corridor upgrades near the Alexander Industrial Park (Alexander County).

Alexander Railroad Company: $495,026 for track and grade-crossing upgrades on the mainline rail corridor (Iredell County).

Atlantic & Western Railway: $690,440 for corridor improvements and rail track upgrades on the Jonesboro branch (Lee County).

Chesapeake & Albemarle Railroad: $712,801 for bridge and track improvements along the mainline corridor and Edenton siding (Camden, Pasquotank, Perquimans, and Chowan counties).

Carolina Coastal Railway: $1,230,000 for rail and bridge improvements along the Belhaven and NS lines (Beaufort, Greene, Washington, and Wilson counties).

Great Smoky Mountains Railroad: $1,680,614 for track improvements and bridge repairs along the mainline corridor (Jackson, Swain, Macon, and Cherokee counties).

North Carolina Ports (Morehead City): $177,500 for rail scale installation at the Port of Morehead City (Carteret County).

North Carolina Ports (Morehead City): $844,860 for rail replacement and upgrades within the Port of Morehead City (Carteret County).

Raleigh & Fayetteville Railroad: $999,586 for rail corridor improvements to the NS and VF lines (Wake and Harnett counties).

Winston-Salem Southbound Railroad: $1,112,500 for rail improvements along the W line (Davidson County).

Wilmington Terminal Railroad: $627,000 for rail and switch improvements along the mainline corridor (New Hanover County).

Yadkin Valley Railroad: $754,700 for track upgrades and rail corridor improvements along the K and CF lines (Yadkin, Surry, and Stokes counties).