Freight Rail Links Multifaceted North Carolina Economy to Global Marketplace

Freight rail connects the Tar Heel State’s ports, power plants, farms, mines and manufacturers to markets across the nation and worldwide. Continuous investment and innovation from railroads will take center stage as North Carolina carves out its place in an ever more integrated global supply chain.

North Carolina's 23 freight railroads operate over 3,125 miles of track and employ 1,614 in the Tar Heel State.* It would have taken approximately 703,000 additional truckloads to move the 12.7 million tons of freight that moved by rail in North Carolina in 2021. Moving freight by rail prevented 3.23 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions, the equivalent of taking 633,000 cars off the road or planting 48.9 million trees. Intermodal and chemicals comprise the majority of freight rail shipments beginning in North Carolina. Coal and farm products are the largest rail import to the state.

*2021 data

Rail at Work

North Carolina

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Featured Rail Advocates

North Carolina
Paul Meyer
Paul Meyer
Executive Director, North Carolina League of Municipalities
Jonathan Barfield, Jr.
Jonathan Barfield, Jr.
New Hanover County Commissioner

Featured Rail Supply Companies

North Carolina

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Parsec, Inc.
Gregori Construction
Direct Chassis Link
NRCMA
Wabtec Corporation
RJ Corman Railroad Group
Polivka International
New York Air Brake
Amsted Rail
Cranemasters, Inc.

icon_railfreight

44 percent
decrease

in rail rates on average from 1981 to today.


That means the average rail customer today can ship significantly more freight for about the same price they paid 40 years ago. 

State Director

North Carolina
Christy Sammon

Christy Sammon

State Director

Christy Sammon joined GoRail in May 2015. She has 10 years of experience in the governmental relations field.