HORRY COUNTY, SC (WBTW) – A short line railroad that connects Horry County to Columbus County, North Carolina, is expected to begin operating March 1.
Carolina Southern stopped operations on the 80-mile line nearly four years ago due to structural problems on some bridges. R.J. Corman closed on a $14 million deal to purchase the line in mid-2015.
Bill Henderson, R.J. Corman Vice President of Sales and Marketing, told News13 on Tuesday a team of 50-100 workers have spent the past few months repairing and rebuilding the line. Henderson says those crews, which are a part of the company’s own railroad construction company, have been working seven days a week to get it functioning again.
Officials say the company has had to invest more than a “couple million dollars” to make the repairs. It has had to address unsafe bridges, deteriorating ties on the track and several portions of rail line that needed replaced.
Henderson told News13 several rail lines were also washed out in Conway and Mullins from October’s historic flooding.
When operations begin in March, Henderson says trains will operate on the rails at 10 mph. He says the company will continue to reinvest in the line to increase the speed in which trains can travel.
R.J. Corman says a public safety campaign will begin in the upcoming weeks to get the public used to a line operating in the area again.
