From Staff Reports

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Blue Ridge Southern Railroad in Haywood County will be awarded $12.6 million in funding through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements program, U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-Flat Rock, announced in a Sept. 21 press release.

 "As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I’m pleased to announce that $12.6 million will be awarded to Blue Ridge Southern Railroad for its rail line in Haywood County, which was adversely impacted by the Pactiv Evergreen mill shutdown in Canton,” Edwards stated in the release. 

“This project is part of a larger Federal Railroad Administration grant of $1.4 billion for 70 projects.”

(The Pactiv Evergreen paper mill officially closed on May 25 as a part of the company’s restructuring efforts. The closure resulted in the loss of an estimated 1,160 Canton jobs.)

The congressman also stressed in the release, “The Blue Ridge Southern Railroad is essential to serving the Premier Magnesia plant in Waynesville, one of Haywood County’s largest employers. 

“It is critical to keeping Premier Magnesia in Haywood County, and to maintaining a future industrial presence in the area. I am grateful to the FRA for recognizing the importance of this rail line to WNC," Edwards stated. 

(“In 2015, the state provided a $12 million grant to Pactiv Evergreen, on the condition it keeps at least 800 employees on staff at the Canton mill through the end of 2024. Stein and Cooper wrote an open letter to the company soon after the mill’s closure was announced demanding it returns the grant,” the Asheville Citizen Times noted in a June 2 story. However, to date, the Pactiv Evergreen has not returned the money.)

Meanwhile the website railroadfan.com stated, “The Blue Ridge Southern Railroad is a Class III shortline railroad operating over 91.8 miles of track in Western North Carolina.

 â€œThe railroad is owned by Watco, 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. Operations began on July 26, 2014.

“The railroad operates the W Line (Saluda Line) from Asheville to East Flat Rock and the T Line (Murphy Branch) from Murphy Junction to Sylva. 

“The railroad also formerly operated the TR Line from Hendersonville to Brevard. This line has since been abandoned and is being converted to a rail trail.

“BLU interchanges with NS at Asheville and Great Smoky Mountains Railroad at Sylva,” railroadfan.com stated.