For the first time in nearly seven months, a freight train rolled into Asheville’s rail yard Friday morning, marking the latest step in the region’s recovery from Hurricane Helene.
The 42-car merchandise train left Knoxville Thursday night and rumbled into the Asheville Yard near the River Arts District at 8 a.m., Friday, according to Heather Garcia, senior communications manager for Norfolk Southern.
“When the train pulls out, probably late today or early tomorrow, loaded with product from about a half-dozen local businesses, it will head back west to Knoxville and beyond, marking the first freight rail service for local businesses since September and a huge milestone in the journey to return to normalcy for the business community in WNC,” Garcia said in a statement.
Freight trains are a lifeline for many businesses in the area. The train is carrying a variety of freight, Garcia said, including agricultural products, metals and construction materials.
Underwood & Weld, a Spruce Pine-based company specializing in dry bulk transportation, was among the businesses hailing Friday's reopening.
“We are thrilled to see freight rail service back in Asheville. Rail is a key part of how we move goods efficiently across the region," Kevin McKinney, Underwood & Weld's operations manager, said in a statement. "This is more than a return to normalcy, it’s a huge step in ensuring the resiliency of our business in the long term."
Norfolk Southern completed the restoration of the rail line connecting East Tennessee with Western North Carolina in late March. The section, which was heavily damaged by the historic storm, is part of a railway known as the AS Line.
The full AS Line runs from Morristown, Tenn., through Asheville to Salisbury, N.C. But for now, the westernmost section runs only from Morristown to Grovestone/Swannanoa, while the easternmost section runs from Old Fort to Salisbury.
The section in between – a winding, mountainous 13-mile stretch between Swannanoa and Old Fort, known as the Old Fort Loops – remains unrepaired.
Local rail advocates have urged Norfolk Southern to move forward on restoring that section, which they see as crucial to their goal of achieving the eventual return of passenger rail service to the region. But the company has not set a timeline for its repair.
