First trains use Greenville, N.C., connector

Written by jrood

February 14, 2001 The first trains to use the Greenville, N.C, new railroad connector rolled through the city the evening of May 3, The Daily Reflector reports. The connector, constructed this year to relieve traffic problems at several city train crossings, is located at the intersection of 14th and Beatty streets near Garris Evans Lumber Company. It's the first major step in ongoing efforts to address train traffic in the city.

"While the connector
means that train and vehicular traffic will flow faster and more smoothly in
Greenville, it’s also a part of our effort to continue to modernize our state’s
railroads," said Pat Simmons, NCDOT Rail Division Director.

The connector will allow
trains to perform a turning motion that will move them faster through crossings
at Evans Street near 14th Street, 14th Street at Beatty Street, Howell Street
at Beatty Street, and Arlington Boulevard near J. H. Rose High School. Trains
from points east that are headed north can make the turn without first having
to turn south and vice-versa. Construction of the connector forced the closure
of 14th Street, but the street re-opened to vehicle traffic in April.

City Manager Wayne Bowers
stated that, "placing this connector track in service will have a significant
impact on vehicle traffic in Greenville by reducing congestion at key railroad
intersections. This project is an excellent example of the government and
private industry working together to better serve the public."

A partnership of the N.C.
Department of Transportation’s Rail Division, the City of Greenville, CSX
Transportation, Norfolk Southern and Coastal Carolina Railway brought the
connector to the city.

"CSXT is proud to be part
of this public-private partnership and the shared transportation vision of the
State of North Carolina and the City of Greenville," said John Dillard, CSX
Director of Public Affairs for the Carolinas. "This project is a comprehensive
two-part initiative, which includes building the connector and moving the
existing CSXT yard and office out of the center of Greenville. We believe this
project will improve the quality of life for the citizens of Greenville, while
also improving an important rail link to Eastern North Carolina."

Previously, trains have
stopped on the tracks at the rail intersection and blocked vehicular traffic at
several at-grade crossings for up to 45 minutes. With the new connector, trains
that used to travel through at five miles per hour will now travel at up to 20
mph.

NCDOT Rail Division, CSX
Transportation and the city are continuing their work on the next phase of the
project, which will relocate the CSXT rail-switching yard to a location off
N.C. 903, north of the Tar River. This project was funded by NCDOT, CSXT, the
city of Greenville and a grant from the Federal Railroad Administration.

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