South End Rail Yard Plans Discussion at Community Meeting
Written by Jennifer McLawhorn, Managing Editor
NCDOT
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The North Carolina Department of Transportation states plans for the South End rail yard would include a maintenance station, train wash facility, and maintenance yard for Amtrak’s service to Gateway Station.
There are plans for a rail yard in South End which will be discussed at a community meeting on Monday, March 25th for the public to express any concerns. According to a report from WBTV, the current plans show that “everything would be built on the east side of Summit Avenue, scrapping everything on the west side of the road.” There will also no longer be 19 acres on the east side. Construction would start in 2026 and last two years.
Over the last several months, there has been controversy surrounding the planned project as “opponents say the expansion project would divide the city like the construction of highways did in the 1950s-1970s,” according to a report from Axios.
A revised plan includes a $343 million expansion of the rail yard. This would allow for the inclusion of a maintenance yard “for Amtrak’s expanded service to the Gateway Station.” The North Carolina Department of Transportation has stated that the plans also include a refueling station and a train wash facility.
