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North Carolina’s rail system contributes over $20 billion into the state’s economy and supports 88,000 jobs, according to a report released in February by the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Rail Division.
The Economic Contribution of Rail in North Carolina report, which was produced in partnership with the Institute for Transportation Research and Education (ITRE) at N.C. State University, is the first of its kind and shows that North Carolina’s rail system is important to the state’s future.
The report highlights annual impacts and contributions from rail sectors including freight, passenger and tourism. North Carolina is home to two Class 1 railroads, Norfolk Southern and CSX, as well as 24 short line railroads that provide small and rural communities with critical opportunities to access the state’s major freight railroad network.
NCDOT’s Rail Division supports 3,600 rail corridor miles, including the 317-mile North Carolina Railroad Company corridor that hosts freight service and the state’s intercity passenger rail service, NC By Train. The extensive railroad network reaches 86 of the state’s 100 counties, making it vital to the state’s efforts to better connect rural and urban communities.
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