Historic N.C. Rail Line May Be Rebuilt After Helene

Courtesy of Norfolk Southern

ASHEVILLE, N.C. - While there is no exact timeline for the repairs, Norfolk Southern has reportedly told the North Carolina Department of Transportation the line between Asheville and Old Fort will be rebuilt.

According to a report in BlueRidgeNow, the line has connected Asheville to the rest of the state for passenger and freight. Last fall, Hurricane Helene caused historic flooding in the area, washing away part of the line. In October 2024, RT&S reported that Norfolk Southern was still evaluating this area. The report stated that teams experienced difficulty assessing the damage in this area. WNC Rail Committee co-chair Marion Mayor Steve Little noted the worst of the damage lies closer to the town of Old Fort, near Mill Creek Road.

Now, the line may be restored to support Amtrak travel. A spokesperson for the NCDOT has said that it will rebuild the Old Fort Loops though “the section remains under assessment.” In restoring rail to western North Carolina, NCDOT Rail Division Director Jason Orthner said it “obviously provides a basis not just for this future passenger rail service, but the important need for freight to move from the central part of North Carolina all the way to the western part of North Carolina.” The project is estimated to cost around $665 million, with most of the funding coming from federal and state resources.

The FRA’s Corridor Identification & Development (ID) program that is “a comprehensive intercity passenger rail planning and development program that will help guide intercity passenger rail development throughout the country and create a pipeline of intercity passenger rail projects ready for implementation.” The line that runs through the Old Fort Loops was selected (along with six others) for a $500,000 grant. The line is now reportedly in the second stage of said program, where those involved are seeking another $400,000. NCDOT Rail Division Director Orthner has stated that matching funds could come from the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management’s State Technical Assistance and Match Program (STAMP). According to the OSBM, this program is “an initiative which enables state agencies to apply for funding for technical assistance and state matching funds associated with funding opportunities made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) – also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the Chips and Science Act of 2022 (CHIPS), and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA).” However, NCDOT Secretary Joey Hopkins said, “all of our grants are kind of on pause with the new administration.”