The North Carolina Railroad between Greensboro and Raleigh is increasingly becoming a critical transportation link. As the populations of the communities along this corridor increase, improvements to the railroad are critical to insuring intrastate mobility and improving freight access. Much of this corridor remains on its original alignment laid out in the mid-1800s, which was envisioned for maximum train speeds of 45mph. As part of the federally-designated Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor, this segment of railroad will need significant improvements for greater capacity and train speeds. NCDOT sponsored improvements on this section of railroad focus on both increasing capacity and modernizing the alignment of the railroad for the future.
 Improve Passing Sidings
Passing sidings are locations along a single track railroad where trains can pass each other. Three sidings have been extended, one new one has been built at Durham and another is planned for Haw River. These sidings accommodate freight trains that average 100 to 150 cars. The longer sidings will help reduce congestion and delays on the railroad by providing longer and more frequent places for trains to pass each other.
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| Railroad construction crews install a new turnout in Durham. |
East Durham - milepost H56.9- H59.1
The project constructed 10,400 feet of new track to create a passing siding in East Durham. As part of the project, one half mile of Rigsbee Road near Glover Road was relocated. The track was realigned with straightened curves to allow for increased speeds up to 79 mph. The existing track became the new siding when the new mainline track was finished. No. 20 turnouts were installed at each end of the siding so that freight trains can quickly exit the mainline onto the sidings to allow passenger trains to pass.
Cost: $6.5 million
Construction Schedule: Construction was complete September 2007.
Result: Building a new siding and straightening the curves has improved capacity and reliability of service and saved 30 seconds of travel time per train.
Haw River - milepost H23.5 - H25.5
This project will build 10,000 feet of new track to create a passing siding between Graham and Haw River, approximately halfway between the passing sidings at McLeansville and Mebane, a distance of 22 miles. As part of the project, four curves will be straightened. The project will install two No. 20 turnouts to allow trains to enter the siding at 45mph. The speed on the main track will increase from as low as 50mph to 79mph maximum.
Estimated Cost: $12 million
Construction Schedule: Preliminary plans and environmental is complete and right of way acquisition is expected to begin in 2009.
Result: Building a new siding and realigning the track will increase capacity, modernize the railroad alignment, improved reliability of on-time service and save about a minute of travel time per train.
McLeansville - milepost H7.8- H9.8
This project upgraded 9,250 feet of existing siding track and constructed 1,530 feet of new siding. Installed two No. 20 turnouts to allow trains to travel faster (increased speed from 10 mph to 45 mph) through the siding.
Cost: $1 million
Construction Schedule: Work began in August 2002 and was completed in December 2002.
Result: The longer siding improved capacity of the railroad and reliability of on-time service.
Proposed New Improvement at McLeansville Siding: Extension of Carmon Road to McLeansville Road (milepost H9.09)
This project will eliminate the at-grade crossing at Carmon Road, which lies in the middle of McLeansville siding. This crossing is often blocked for extended periods by freight trains holding in the siding for other freight trains and passenger trains trying to remain on schedule.
Cost: $2 million
Construction Schedule: Project is currently in planning and environmental study.
Mebane - milepost H31.8- H34.1
This project upgraded 8,250 feet of existing siding track and constructed 3,900 feet of new siding. Installed two No. 20 turnouts to allow trains to travel faster (increased speed from 10 mph to 45 mph) through the siding.
Cost: $1.1 million
Construction Schedule: Work began in June 2002 and was completed in January 2003.
Result: The longer siding improved capacity of the railroad and reliability of on-time service.
West Durham (Funston) - milepost H47.8- H49.9
This project upgraded and extended the passing siding track in West Durham from 6,500 feet to more than 9,000 feet. Realigned track to straighten curve to increase speed from 45mph to 65mph and accommodate two tracks. Constructed a total of 12,500 feet of new track. The existing siding became the mainline track, while the existing mainline became the new siding. Installed two No. 20 turnouts to allow trains to travel faster (from 10 to 45 mph) through the siding.
Cost: $3.6 million
Construction Schedule: Design work began in November 2002 and was completed in January 2003. Construction began in April 2003 and was completed in November 2003.
Result: Extending the siding improved reliability of service and increased capacity. Straightening the curve saved 30 seconds of travel time per train.
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Crews install a new siding track at Funston. The longer siding will allow trains to more easily pass each other.
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Reconstruct Rail Junctions
Two rail junctions were reconstructed and modernized to improve rail traffic flow.
Greensboro (Elm Interlocking) - milepost 284.3 - 284.6 and milepost H0.0-0.7
This project reconstructed the Elm interlocking where three railroad lines merge near the renovated historic J. Douglas Galyon Depot in downtown Greensboro. Constructed a second track from Elm Street to just past the depot to accommodate passenger train service into the renovated station. New No. 20 crossovers were installed to enable trains to switch tracks at 45 mph (as opposed to the previous 20 mph limit). A second H-line track was built in conjunction with the station renovation to enable passenger trains to access the renovated depot.
Cost: $3 million
Construction Schedule: Work was completed in September 2005 in conjunction with the opening of the renovated J. Douglas Galyon Depot.
Result: Upgrading the junction improved traffic flow (speeds increased from 20 to 45 mph) and reliability, and saved 2.5 minutes in travel time per train. The new junction also enabled passenger train service to return to the J. Douglas Galyon Depot.
East Durham (D&S junction) - milepost H 56.6-57.1
This project removed two at-grade railroad crossings (or diamonds) and replaced them with a series of switches that included three No. 15 turnouts and one No. 20 crossover. Constructed 1,300 feet of new track. Realigned curve to improve passenger train speed.
Cost: $2.3 million
Construction Schedule: Work began in Spring 2003 and was completed in February 2004.
Result: Upgrading the junction improved traffic flow (speeds increased from 20 to 70 mph), streamlined railroad operations, reduced long-term railroad maintenance needs and saved 2 minutes per train.
Curve improvements and Track Surfacing
In numerous locations between downtown Greensboro and Cary, crews increased super-elevation in curves to allow trains to travel faster and more smoothly. Work included surfacing the track and installing ballast to raise the outer portion of the track in curves.
Cost: $3 million
Construction Schedule: Work began in October 2002 and was completed in fall 2005. More than 100 curves were reworked to improve travel time.
Result: Super-elevating the curves and resurfacing the trace improved train performance, provides a smoother ride for passengers and saved 4 minutes per train.
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| The new traffic control system enables trains to operate at maximum speeds, improving traffic flow and reliability. Photo at west end of Funston siding. |
Install Traffic Control and Communications System
A new centralized train traffic control system was installed between Greensboro and Cary (milepost H0.0 to milepost H73.0) to automate train dispatching, improve rail capacity and increase train speeds from 59 mph to 79 mph.
Cost: $ 8 million
Construction Schedule: Work began in July 2002 and was completed in March 2004.
Result: The new traffic control system improves traffic flow and reliability. It also enables trains to operate at maximum speeds of 79 mph (old speed was 59 mph), saving 5 minutes per train between Cary and Greensboro.
Lengthen train detection circuits
Train detection circuits were adjusted at each railroad-highway crossing between Cary and Greensboro (milepost H0.0 to milepost H73.0). The signal adjustments were needed to activate protective flashing lights and crossing gates at train speeds up to 79 mph.
Construction Schedule: Work began in 1995 and was completed in 2003. Revisions to train detection circuits were made incrementally as various grade crossings were improved.
Result: The adjusted detection circuits saved 9 minutes travel time per train between Charlotte and Raleigh.
Revised Train Control Signals (Boylan to Fetner) - milepost
H73.0 - H80.9
Revised train control signals between Raleigh and Cary to improve train speeds. New bi-directional signals and track improvements further improve speed and capacity.
Cost: $75,000
Construction Schedule: Work began in Summer 2003 and was completed in September 2003.
Result: The new signals enabled eastbound trains to increase their speed from 30mph to 60 mph, saving 3 minutes per train between Cary and Raleigh.
Installed Bi-directional Signals and Upgraded Tracks (Boylan to Fetner) - milepost H73.0 - H80.9
Replace rail and crossties, resurface track and install bi-directional signals between Raleigh and Cary further increased train speed and increased capacity.
Estimated Cost: $5 million
Construction Schedule: Track work was completed in 2005. Work on the signals was completed in fall 2007.
Result: The upgraded track allowed train speeds to increase from 60 mph to 79 mph, saving one-half minute per train. The new bi-directional signals will increase capacity and flexibility of the railroad by allowing trains to move more efficiently in each direction on each track.
Fetner Interlocking Improvement (Cary) - milepost H73
The Fetner Junction (Cary) will be rebuilt and new #20 turnouts will be installed to increase train speeds from 25 to 45 mph, saving approximately 1.5 minutes per train. In addition, the bridge surface over Durham Road will be improved.
Estimated Cost: $2 million
Construction Schedule: Construction is expected to be completed in 2009.
Result: This project will greatly improve train speeds through the junction, allow all trains to fully access all tracks, and reduce vehicular delays in downtown Cary through the expediting of freight trains.
Installed Constant Warning Time Devices
All public rail-highway crossings between Cary and Greensboro are now equipped with constant warning devices to ensure that crossing lights and gates are activated at about the same time before a train crosses the intersection regardless of what speed it is operating. For example, signals and gates would activate about 30 seconds before a train enters the intersection whether it is a freight train going 20 mph or a passenger train traveling at 79 mph. Improving the consistency of the warning signals also helps improve safety for motorists at the rail crossings by making the warnings more reliable thereby dissuading motorists from trying to drive around the gates illegally.
Construction schedule: Completed spring 2004.
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| This crash beam at Gregson Street helps protect the integrity of the railroad in the event an oversized truck hits the bridge. |
Installed Crash Beams
A crash beam was installed at the Gregson Street underpass in Durham in Spring 2003. The structure helps to protect the railroad bridge's steel spans and ensures that trains can continue to operate safely in the event that a truck not meeting the clearance requirements of the bridge hits the structure.
Crash beams are being planned and designed for five other bridges between Greensboro and Cary. Crash beams will be installed at Erwin Road in Durham and Exchange Park Drive in Hillsborough in 2009.
Contact: Jason Orthner, PE
Updated 1/2009
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