JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – CSX today said it has reached a major milestone in its rebuilding of the hurricane-damaged Blue Ridge Subdivision with the completion of a new bridge over the Nolichucky River at Poplar, N.C.
The 375-foot span on the former Clinchfield Railroad was destroyed by floodwaters after Hurricane Helene ravaged the area in September 2024. In all, 60 miles of the railroad was either heavily damaged or wiped off the map between Erwin, Tenn., and Spruce Pine, N.C.
CSX expects to reopen the line sometime late this year. Meanwhile, the railroad is detouring eight or so trains per day that normally would use the route.
The railroad announced the completion of the bridge project in a post on LinkedIn.
CSX maintains a web page dedicated to the rebuilding efforts in Tennessee and North Carolina.
Great job CSX, proud to be a stockholder.
One step closer to bring in the Clinchfield back into operation. They still have a lot of work to do but the bridge is back in operation and now they can bring work trains across the river to clean up the rest of the damage.
If anyone enjoys railroad engineering, I would suggest that you try the 27 part series on You Tube by a videographer called “Desogns in Orbit.” He has done an amazing, comprehensive job of following the rebuilding from covering the destruction to examining each step of the rebuilding. It is truly an amazing accomplishment by CSX and its contractors.
Sorry. “Designs” not Desogns.