The Blue Ridge Southern Railroad (reporting mark BLU) is a Class III shortline railroad operating over 91.8 miles (147.7 kilometres) of track in Western North Carolina. The railroad is owned by Watco of Pittsburg, Kansas, and operates three lines that connect in the Asheville area that were previously owned by Norfolk Southern. The railroad is based out of Canton, North Carolina, and utilizes 11 locomotives. Operations began on 26 July 2014.[1]
History
The Blue Ridge Southern Railroad was formed on 25 June 2014 when Watco reached a definitive agreement with Norfolk Southern for the purchase of 91.8 miles of branchlines in Western North Carolina. The railroad began operations with a fleet of 11 diesel electric locomotives, which consist of three SD40-2s, four SD40M-2 rebuilds, and four GP39-2s.[1]
The announcement to sell the lines that would become the Blue Ridge Southern Railroad was made in a Norfolk Southern corporate meeting in April 2014.[2][3]
Lines operated
NS Line
North/East terminus
South/West terminus
Industries
W Line (Saluda Line)
Asheville - MP 1.0
East Flat Rock - MP 26.0
Southern Concrete Materials (numerous locations), Cane Creek Industrial Park, Kimberly Clark (Naples)
^ ab"Watco's Blue Ridge Southern Railroad To Buy Lines in N.C." Rail Source. 30 June 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
^Kracher, Frank (18 June 2014). "Railroad Jobs in Jeopardy". WLOS. Archived from the original on 20 June 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
^"Watco Acquires Cluster of NS North Carolina Branchines". Eastern Railroad News. 12 May 2014. Archived from the original on 20 May 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
Further reading
"Company negotiating with Norfolk Southern for rail line". BlueRidgeNow.com. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
"Rail segment needed for Ecusta Trail is sold". Hendersonville Lightning. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
WATCO. "Blue Ridge Southern Railroad agrees to purchase Asheville, N.C., lines" (PDF) (Press release). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 August 2014. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
"Watco Holdings, Inc.-Continuance in Control Exemption-Blue Ridge Southern Railroad, L.L.C." Surface Transportation Board. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
"Kansas company buys railroad lines in Jackson County, WNC". The Sylva Herald & Ruralite. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
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