ATLANTA — Norfolk Southern resumed service last month between Asheville, N.C., and points west for the first time since Hurricane Helene devastated the AS Line in September.
The railroad’s rebuilding efforts now will turn to restoring its line between Old Fort and Grovestone, N.C., which includes the historic Old Fort Loops, NS said today. NS expects to complete the rebuild of the line this winter.
NS had previously said it was evaluating whether to repair the rugged, 16-mile section of the railroad, which also sustained severe damage from hurricane-related flooding.
Floods following the hurricane destroyed some sections of the AS Line, which connects western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. NS engineering teams rebuilt 128 locations totaling over 13 miles of track between Newport, Tenn. and Asheville, utilized more than 160,000 tons of aggregate materials and cleared more than 2,000 trees. The route reopened on April 25, NS said today.
“This is a day so many of us, both at Norfolk Southern and beyond, have been looking forward to, and I want to credit all of our NS teammates and our partners that played a role in getting this track back in service so quickly despite unprecedented damage,” Ed Boyle, NS vice president of engineering, said in a statement. “We know firsthand how critical rail service is for local communities, and we’re proud to restore this vital link for businesses and mark this important step in the region’s economic recovery.”
The restoration of service follows the replacement of the Pigeon River bridge in Newport in March.
Norfolk Southern’s return to Asheville also allows Watco’s Blue Ridge Southern Railroad to resume operations. The 87.83-mile short line’s routes south and southwest of Asheville connects with NS at the Class I railroad’s Asheville Yard.
“Our team has worked closely with Norfolk Southern to ensure that this transition happens as smoothly as possible,” Blue Ridge Southern General Manager Kyle Ogle said in a statement. “This will not only help our local customers, but it will also enhance the region’s connectivity and economic competitiveness, and we’re thrilled to be able to welcome these businesses back.”
Norfolk Southern’s Asheville area customers, as well as state and local elected officials, welcomed the resumption of service.
“Restoring freight rail service to Asheville is a positive step towards getting western North Carolina back on its feet and reconnected economically,” said North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein.
Underwood & Weld, a dry bulk trucking company that provides transload and warehouse services, said it was “thrilled” to see service restored. “Rail is a key part of how we move goods efficiently across the region,” Operations Manager Kevin McKinney said in a statement. “This is more than a return to normalcy, it’s a huge step in ensuring the resiliency of our business in the long term.”
