Small steps, great gains: NCDOT and its freight rail partners are incrementally moving forward on system improvements to the state's 173-mile passenger rail corridor

Railway Age, July, 2005 by Paul Worley

As a new father, I find myself focusing more often on small things. Each day is filled with small steps--the building blocks necessary for future success. In many ways, this is a good analogy for the work under way at the North Carolina Department of Transportation's Rail Division.

More than a decade ago, NCDOT set out to make passenger rail service a more competitive transportation alternative. Meeting this goal required increasing train speeds, reducing travel time, and improving the reliability of its 173-mile corridor (see map above). This was not an easy task, considering that it had been nearly 135 years since the State of North Carolina built a significant section of track.

To start improvements on the segment running through Raleigh (the state capital), Greensboro, and Charlotte, NCDOT formed a coalition with the freight railroads involved: North Carolina Railroad Co. (NCRR), Norfolk Southern, and CSX. NCRR, whose stock is owned by the state, privately owns and operates a 317-mile system, including the Raleigh-Charlotte corridor segment. NS holds the exclusive freight rights over NCRR except for a small portion west of Raleigh, over which CSX also operates.

The group formed the North Carolina Railroad Improvement Project (NCRRIP) to make incremental improvements that would result in the greatest travel-time savings at the lowest possible cost and in the most timely manner. NCDOT agreed to use state and federal funding to cover all NCRRIP expenses, while NS provided field work and preliminary cost estimates.

Among the initial improvements was a centralized traffic control system with wayside signals on the 73-mile Greensboro to Cary "H" line. NCDOT worked closely with NS communications and signal engineers to develop the layout and required track geometry changes. Southwest Signal Engineering designed it, GE Transportation-Rail supplied it, and Interrail installed its components.

The CTC system, which automates train dispatching, was completed last year. It not only improves rail capacity, it enables passenger trains to operate at a maximum speed of 79 mph vs. the previous 59 mph.

Because much of the H-line was in the original 1850s alignment, the 20-mph increase in speed meant that almost all of its 110 curves required modest straightening and additional superelevation. NCDOT and NS engineers worked together to develop the best geometry and speed within NS standard parameters. They improved train performance, provided a smoother ride for passengers, and shaved off some four minutes in travel time.

Interlocking improvements were also required. Early on, the NCRRIP team identified two busy rail junctions for rebuild and modernization to improve traffic flow. The most challenging was the D&S junction in East Durham, where two at-grade railroad crossings (diamonds) were removed and replaced with a series of dispatcher-operated switches, permitting trains to increase their speed above 20 mph. Here, CSX tracks crossed NS tracks, so NCDOT, NS, and CSX revised a century-old facilities agreement, with the added involvement of NCRR, With the paperwork complete, the diamonds were replaced and 1,300 feet of new track was constructed. Passenger trains that had once crawled through the junction now move at 70 mph.

In Greensboro, NCRRIP selected Elm junction as the next ideal candidate for reconstruction. Three rail lines merge here near the historic downtown train station. Junction speeds are limited by several sharp curves on the H-line, non-electrically locked switches, and yard limits restricting speed to 20 mph. This ongoing major renovation project will extend 3,000 feet of double track along the H-line through the station so multiple trains can be accessed simultaneously from a center-island platform. Once complete, traffic will move at 45 mph. Riders will enjoy reliable service as well as a beautifully restored station, funded through other sources. This project should be completed in late 2005.

To date, NCDOT has spent more than $30 million on a series of projects that have trimmed 30 minutes from the passenger service between Raleigh and Charlotte. The state also has invested millions more in train equipment, station renovations, and plans for future service.

All of these projects were necessary to build NCDOT's track record. The agency is committed to safety and working with its railroad partners on improving freight and passenger service. It's been said that in order to push the envelope and do new things, one has to follow through and support a project that meets the needs of all involved parties. There are no shortcuts. Coordination, cooperation, and solid relationships with NCRR, NS, and CSX have been the keys to NCDOT's success.

This month, the NCRRIP team will gather for its 40th progress meeting to review and discuss a list of action items that will further advance service along the 173-mile stretch. We continue adding new projects to that list, as we wrap up the old. Going forward, all of us acknowledge that many will take longer to construct, be more expensive, and yield smaller travel time-savings than others.