Waiting For The Train October 18th Meeting Minutes
Oct. 18, 2023
Welcome and Introductions
Mimi Phifer and Barbara Lynam met with and welcomed nearly 40 members of the Morganton community at the Collett Street Recreation Center on Wednesday, October 18th, to give an update on the plans for a railway service from Salisbury to Asheville. Ray Rapp, Co-chair of the Western North Carolina Rail Committee and a former NC House of Representatives member and former mayor of Mars Hill, was the guest speaker. His task was to tell us where we are now and specific steps that we can take as a group to ensure that our efforts in “Waiting for the Train” are productive.
Ray Rapp
The last passenger train coming through Morganton was in July of 1975. Although the North Carolina Passenger Rail Committee, which was formed shortly after the last train, continued to work to bring passenger rail service back to Western North Carolina, it lost its momentum in about 2015. Other work and interest in rail service continued, however, with the NCDOT Rail Commission encouraging local communities to maintain and utilize depots, like the one in Morganton that was renovated just a few years ago and now serves as part of the History Museum of Burke County. Repurposing existing structures was part of the overall plan to restore and maintain the internal structure along the rail line between Salisbury and Asheville.
Mr. Rapp noted, according to Amtrak, rail service from Salisbury to Asheville will be available by 2035. He stressed that this is a long-range process.
In November of 2021, Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which included $66 billion for passenger and freight rail. The Federal Rail Administration (FRA) has solicited projects to be funded through the Infrastructure Act. According to Mr. Rapp, North Carolina has been aggressive in going after this money with 12 projects to be considered. The Salisbury-Asheville line is one of those twelve up for consideration, with a high likelihood of being accepted.
The Western North Carolina Passenger Rail Committee was reconstituted and incorporated in 2017. Its mission statement has three objectives, which are important to the work of “Waiting for the Train.”
1) to improve and expand freight rail service in WNC;
2) to increase the number of tourist and excursion trains in the region (such as the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad and the Craggy Mountain Line); and
3) to restore a passenger rail connection to Western North Carolina between Asheville and Salisbury.
Mr. Rapp’s last point was that the cost estimate to upgrade the line between Salisbury and Asheville is $660 million. 80% of that, if the FRA approves the recommended study by the rail division, will be paid by the Internal Improvement Act. 20%, however, has to be raised locally and in the State Legislature. Mr. Rapp strongly recommends lobbying the legislature, advocating for the rail service in both the State House and Senate. Make sure they know about and have read the WNC Passenger Rail Feasibility Study (available on the Waiting for the Train website on the Press page.)
Q & As
Q: What can we do now? Tell us about this Corridor Plan.
A: There is a request for $500,000 to complete the study in preparation for the line.
It’s time to get to work with our State Senators and Congressmen, as well as our US Senators and Congressmen. You must become lobbyists, said Mr. Rapp.
Mayor Ronnie Thompson informed the group that a business megasite was being planned for Burke and McDowell Counties. He said a key reason it was planned for that location was because a rail line was coming through the area.
Butch McSwain emphasized how important freight service was for this area.
Q: Is this owned by Amtrak?
A: The trains will be operated by Amtrak, but they will be owned by the State of North Carolina.
Q: Are the trains included in the price tag you gave us?
A: Yes.
Q: What is actually being approved in November or December and how much citizen input is needed?
A: The feasibility study is being finalized. The next step is getting the $500,000 for the engineering efforts required if our project is deemed worthy. We are in competition with other states, as well as the other projects in North Carolina. Mr. Rapp said he thinks we have the “inside track” – no pun intended.
Q: If the study is not approved in November or December, does that mean game over?
A: No, the Legislature is in favor of it. Please understand that this is a process, but we are in the best position we have been in in 50 years.
Q: Do you think this train will be used by business people or tourists?
A: Both. A significant number will be tourists who will provide an economic boost to every community along the rail line.
Q: We are in competition with other states. How do we know, for example, what Arizona is doing?
A: North Carolina has been one of the most aggressive states in going after grant money. We have a really positive reputation for what we are doing. They are really looking at projects in the Southeast. The CEO of Amtrak has said that the Southeast has gotten the shortfall in terms of funding.
Where do we start? We start with our own legislators. Go meet with them. Send them the Feasibility Study (on our website on the Press page)
Next meeting TBA: Please invite 5 to 10 people. We will eventually include our legislators, but we want to show them a ground-swell of enthusiasm from the community.
In the meantime, consider dropping-by one of the two Imagine Morganton 2040 open workshops Oct. 24 5:30pm-7:30pm or Oct. 25 noon-2pm to give voice to bringing back the train.
And visit our new website and Facebook pages: www.morgantonpassengertrain.com www.facebook.com/morgantonpassengertrain
Respectfully submitted: Kay N. Dignan