View source for Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor

{{Short description|Proposed passenger rail project in the United States}}
[[Image:corridor se.PNG|right|thumb|250px|Corridor as designated by the [[Federal Railroad Administration]]]]
The '''Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor''' ('''SEHSR''') is a proposed passenger rail transportation project in the [[Mid-Atlantic (United States)|Mid-Atlantic]] and [[Southeastern United States]] to build [[High-speed rail in the United States|high-speed passenger rail]] services into the Southeast. Routes would extend south via [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]] and [[Petersburg, Virginia]], with a spur to [[Norfolk, Virginia|Norfolk]] in Virginia's [[Hampton Roads]] region; the mainline would continue south to [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]], [[Durham, North Carolina|Durham]], [[Greensboro, North Carolina|Greensboro]], and [[Charlotte, North Carolina]]. Since the corridor was first established in 1992, the [[U.S. Department of Transportation]] (USDOT) has extended it further to [[Atlanta]] and [[Macon, Georgia]]; [[Greenville, South Carolina|Greenville]] and [[Columbia, South Carolina]]; [[Jacksonville, Florida]]; and [[Birmingham, Alabama]].

==History==
Funding for the SEHSR in the early 2000s was by the [[USDOT]] and the states of North Carolina and Virginia. Both states already funded some non-high-speed rail service operated for them by [[Amtrak]], and own [[locomotive]]s and passenger cars.<ref name="sehsr2010">{{cite web |url=http://www.sehsr.org/history.html |title=Project History |author=<!--No author name given.--> |date=April 2010 |website=Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor |publisher=[[North Carolina Department of Transportation#Rail Division|NCDOT Rail Division]]/[[Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation]]/[[Federal Railroad Administration]] |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150710012734/http://www.sehsr.org/history.html |archive-date=2015-07-10}}</ref>

On January 28, 2010, the White House announced that Southeast Corridor would receive $620&nbsp;million of its request.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/fact-sheet-high-speed-intercity-passenger-rail-program-charlotte-raleigh-richmond-w |title=Fact Sheet: High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program: Charlotte - Raleigh - Richmond - Washington, D.C. |date=January 27, 2010 |website=[[whitehouse.gov]] |publisher=[[White House Office|The White House]] |agency=[[White House Office of the Press Secretary|Office of the Press Secretary]] |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170120000000/http://whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/fact-sheet-high-speed-intercity-passenger-rail-program-charlotte-raleigh-richmond-w |archive-date=2017-01-20 |via=[[National Archives and Records Administration|NARA]]}} [https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/fact-sheet-high-speed-intercity-passenger-rail-program-charlotte-raleigh-richmond-w Alt URL]</ref> This money was primarily for capacity upgrades along the Raleigh–Charlotte portion of the corridor ({{aka}} the Piedmont Improvement Program), along with some money for the Richmond–D.C. portion, as the Tier II [[Environmental impact statement|Environmental Impact Statement]] (EIS) for the important Raleigh–Richmond portion was not expected to be complete until 2015. The first large section of the SEHSR, from Washington, D.C., through Virginia and North Carolina south to Charlotte, was projected in 2010 to begin service sometime between 2018 and 2022, based on funding availability.<ref name="sehsr2010"/>

In 2019, the Commonwealth of Virginia announced it would acquire the abandoned portion of the CSX S-Line between [[Petersburg, Virginia]] and [[Ridgeway, North Carolina]]; negotiate rights for a route from Petersburg to Richmond; acquire large portions of right-of-way and track from CSX between Richmond and Washington; and purchase and rebuild the bridge over the [[Potomac River]].<ref name="wp2020">{{cite news |last=Lazo |first=Luz |date=January 11, 2020 |title=Virginia’s $3.7 billion rail plan called a ‘game changer.’ Here’s what we know about it. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/virginias-37-billion-rail-plan-called-a-game-changer-heres-what-we-know-about-it/2020/01/11/fa465172-3174-11ea-a053-dc6d944ba776_story.html |url-status=live |work=[[The Washington Post]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200111235516/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/virginias-37-billion-rail-plan-called-a-game-changer-heres-what-we-know-about-it/2020/01/11/fa465172-3174-11ea-a053-dc6d944ba776_story.html |archive-date=2020-01-11 |url-access=limited}}</ref>

Later in 2020, the State of North Carolina received federal funding allowing for the purchase of the [[Norlina Subdivision|active segment]] of the [[CSX Transportation|CSX]] S-line between [[Ridgeway, North Carolina|Ridgeway]] and [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Stradling |first=Richard |date=September 18, 2020 |title=NC gets federal grant to buy corridor for Raleigh-Richmond high-speed rail |url=https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article245841010.html |url-status=live |work=[[The News & Observer]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919023748/https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article245841010.html |archive-date=2020-09-19 |url-access=limited}}</ref>

{{As of|2023|post=,}} Tier II planning is complete for the Washington to Raleigh section, and for portions of the Raleigh to Charlotte section.<ref name="usdot-ATL-CLT-Rail">{{cite web |url=https://railroads.dot.gov/rail-network-development/environment/environmental-reviews/southeast-high-speed-rail-atlanta |title=Southeast High-Speed Rail: Atlanta to Charlotte Passenger Rail Corridor |author=<!--No author name given.--> |date=July 9, 2021 |website= |publisher=[[United States Department of Transportation|USDOT]] |agency=Federal Railroad Administration |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709180127/https://railroads.dot.gov/environment/environmental-reviews/southeast-high-speed-rail-atlanta-charlotte-passenger-rail |archive-date=2021-07-09}}</ref> Tier I planning, in cooperation with North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, is complete for the Charlotte to Atlanta section, with some routing to be determined.<ref>{{cite report |author=[[CDM Smith]] |date=August 2014 |title=South Carolina Statewide Rail Plan |url=https://www.scdot.org/multimodal/pdf/SC_MTP_Rail_Plan.pdf |url-status=live |publisher=[[South Carolina Department of Transportation|SCDOT]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220323231417/https://www.scdot.org/multimodal/pdf/SC_MTP_Rail_Plan.pdf |archive-date=2022-03-23}}</ref><ref name="gdot-ATL-CLT-Rail">{{cite web |url=https://www.dot.ga.gov/GDOT/pages/AtlantaCharlotteRail.aspx |title=Atlanta to Charlotte Passenger Rail Corridor Investment Plan |author=<!--No author name given.--> |date=<!--No date given.--> |publisher=[[Georgia Department of Transportation|GDOT]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811115353/https://www.dot.ga.gov/GDOT/pages/AtlantaCharlotteRail.aspx |archive-date=2023-08-11}}</ref>

==Route==
===D.C.–Richmond===
[[File:SEHSR Corridor, May 2019.png|thumb|Map from Washington to Charlotte and Hampton Roads, with the status of each SEHSR segment indicated.]]

[[image:Virginia Express at Potomac river (8682502764).jpg|thumb|Expanding the [[Long Bridge (Potomac River)|Long Bridge]] over the [[Potomac River]] from two to four tracks will allow a doubling of the amount of Amtrak service between Washington D.C. and Virginia, including services proposed under the SEHSR plan.]]

The D.C. to Richmond segment of the proposed corridor travels along 123 miles of [[CSX Transportation|CSX]] track currently used by CSX freight trains, non-high-speed Amtrak trains, and the [[Virginia Railway Express|VRE]] commuter rail's [[Fredericksburg Line]]. Federal funding in the amount of $75 million issued in September 2012 paid for construction of a third main track in [[Stafford County, Virginia|Stafford]] and [[Prince William County, Virginia|Prince William]] counties,<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Bowen |first=Douglas John |date=September 18, 2012 |title=FRA funds third track for northern Virginia |url=https://www.railwayage.com/freight/class-i/fra-funds-third-track-for-virginias-dc-suburbs/ |url-status=live |magazine=[[Railway Age]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811055617/https://www.railwayage.com/freight/class-i/fra-funds-third-track-for-virginias-dc-suburbs/ |archive-date=2023-08-11}}</ref> while Virginia's [[Atlantic Gateway (Virginia)|Atlantic Gateway]] infrastructure project funded additional main tracks in two segments in [[Fairfax County, Virginia|Fairfax County]] along with some of the design and engineering costs for providing relief for the capacity constrained [[Long Bridge (Potomac River)|Long Bridge]] over the Potomac River between DC and Alexandria.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no byline--> |date=February 7, 2017 |title=Virginia seeks project manager for Atlantic Gateway |url=https://www.railwayage.com/news/virginia-seeks-project-manager-for-atlantic-gateway/ |url-status=live |magazine=Railway Age |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811060018/https://www.railwayage.com/news/virginia-seeks-project-manager-for-atlantic-gateway/ |archive-date=2023-08-11}}</ref> In October 2014, the [[Federal Railroad Administration]] filed a notice of intent to perform (in partnership with the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation) a Tier II [[Environmental impact statement|EIS]] for upgrading this segment, with the aim of increasing train frequency and cutting the current travel time by thirty minutes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dc2rvarail.com |title=D.C. to Richmond Southeast High Speed Rail |author=<!--No author name given.--> |date=<!--No date given.--> |website=DC2RVARail.com |publisher=Virginia Passenger Rail Authority |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230803000656/https://www.dc2rvarail.com/ |archive-date=2023-08-03}}</ref> The draft version of the Tier II EIS was released in September 2017, with the final version released in May 2019.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://railroads.dot.gov/rail-network-development/environment/environmental-reviews/southeast-high-speed-rail-dc-richmond |title=Southeast High-Speed Rail DC to Richmond |author=<!--No author name given.--> |date=August 28, 2020 |publisher=USDOT |agency=Federal Railroad Administration |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028191513/https://railroads.dot.gov/environment/environmental-reviews/southeast-high-speed-rail-dc-richmond |archive-date=2020-10-28}}</ref> The study covered the corridor from the Long Bridge to a rail junction at [[Centralia, Virginia|Centralia]], five miles south of Richmond. A new bridge would be built over the [[James River]] to expand service to [[Richmond Main Street station]] (RVM). Currently north-south through trains stop only at [[Richmond Staples Mill Road station]] (RVR), using the bypass Belt Line across the river. RVM, near the [[Virginia State Capitol|State Capitol]], is preferred under federal guidelines as a central city location.

Significant infrastructure changes between the draft and final EIS in May 2019 included:<ref>{{cite report |author=<!--No author name given.--> |date=May 2019 |title=DC to Richmond Southeast High Speed Rail: Tier II Final Environmental Impact Statement and Final Section 4(f) Evaluation – Executive Summary |url=https://railroads.dot.gov/sites/fra.dot.gov/files/fra_net/18685/Part04_Executive%20Summary_DC2RVA%20FEIS.pdf |publisher=FRA & VA DRPT |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811062947/https://railroads.dot.gov/sites/fra.dot.gov/files/fra_net/18685/Part04_Executive%20Summary_DC2RVA%20FEIS.pdf |archive-date=2023-08-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite report |author=<!--No author name given.--> |date=May 2019 |title=Southeast High Speed Rail DC to Richmond Tier II Final EIS: Appendix A – Draft EIS Errata Table |url=https://railroads.dot.gov/sites/fra.dot.gov/files/fra_net/18696/Part13_Appendix%20A%20Draft%20EIS%20Errata%20Table_DC2RVA%20FEIS.pdf |publisher=FRA & VA DRPT |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811064322/https://railroads.dot.gov/sites/fra.dot.gov/files/fra_net/18696/Part13_Appendix%20A%20Draft%20EIS%20Errata%20Table_DC2RVA%20FEIS.pdf |archive-date=2023-08-11}}</ref>

* Coordination with [[Virginia Railway Express|VRE]] station expansions and improvements.
* Clarification that [[Ashland station (Virginia)|Ashland]] (ASD) would receive no additional track or station improvements. A bypass had been considered before the draft version.
* Clarification that all Amtrak trains would stop at both RVR and RVM, except the non-stop ''[[Auto Train]]'' from [[Lorton station (Auto Train)|Lorton]] to Florida.

In December 2019, Virginia agreed to acquire 350 miles of right of way from CSX, effectively giving the Commonwealth control over much of the Richmond-D.C. leg of the corridor.<ref name=CSXVirginia/> As part of the deal, Virginia will build a new two-track rail bridge over the Potomac River for Amtrak and VRE trains parallel to the existing Long Bridge. The new bridge will take passenger traffic off the existing bridge, which will serve only freight traffic. The Long Bridge has historically been one of the worst bottlenecks in the national rail system.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lazo |first=Luz |date=December 19, 2019 |title=Virginia to build Long Bridge and acquire CSX right of way to expand passenger train service |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/virginia-to-build-long-bridge-and-acquire-csx-right-of-way-to-expand-passenger-train-service/2019/12/19/c021ffbc-ff08-11e9-8bab-0fc209e065a8_story.html |url-status=live |work=The Washington Post |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191220003713/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/virginia-to-build-long-bridge-and-acquire-csx-right-of-way-to-expand-passenger-train-service/2019/12/19/c021ffbc-ff08-11e9-8bab-0fc209e065a8_story.html |archive-date=2019-12-20 |url-access=limited}}</ref> The Commonwealth of Virginia will cover roughly one-third of the costs, federal funds (including Amtrak) will cover another third, and the remainder will be sought from a variety of regional partners, such as VRE, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, the District of Columbia, and Maryland, all of which have pledged support for bridge expansion.

===Richmond–Norfolk (Hampton Roads spur)===
In 1996, USDOT added a connection from Richmond east to [[Newport News, Virginia|Newport News]] to SEHSR. However, with the extension of [[Northeast Regional]] Amtrak service to [[Norfolk station (Amtrak)|Norfolk]] in December 2012,<ref name="vp">{{cite news |last=Forster |first=Dave |date=August 30, 2012 |title=Amtrak rolls out ticket prices for Norfolk |url=http://hamptonroads.com/2012/08/amtrak-rolls-out-ticket-prices-norfolk |url-status=unfit |work=The Virginian-Pilot |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902005954/http://hamptonroads.com/2012/08/amtrak-rolls-out-ticket-prices-norfolk |archive-date=2012-09-02}}</ref> the [[Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation]] (DRPT) re-evaluated rail access to the [[Hampton Roads]] metropolitan area and on September 1, 2012, announced that while rail service from Richmond to Newport News will be maintained, the preferred high-speed corridor has been shifted to a Richmond–Petersburg–Norfolk alignment.<ref name="hamptonroads.com">{{cite news |author=<!--No author name given.--> |date=September 2, 2012 |title=High-speed rail to Hampton Roads one step closer |url=http://hamptonroads.com/2012/09/highspeed-rail-hampton-roads-one-step-closer |url-status=unfit |work=[[The Virginian-Pilot]] |agency=Associated Press |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902195306/http://hamptonroads.com/2012/09/highspeed-rail-hampton-roads-one-step-closer |archive-date=2012-09-02}}</ref> The current Amtrak route through [[Suffolk, Virginia|Suffolk]] would change to achieve more separation from freight, and a suburban station would be added at [[Bower's Hill, Virginia|Bower's Hill]] in Chesapeake.

In November 2014 the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) released a report recommending a different route, from Richmond to Suffolk to Norfolk via a new crossing of the James River near [[Charles City, Virginia|Charles City]], bypassing Petersburg. This would provide combined high speed rail for a western portion of the Newport News route.<ref>{{cite report |author=Transportation Economics & Management Systems, Inc. |date=November 2014 |title=Hampton Roads High Speed Passenger Rail Plan – Executive Summary |url=https://www.hrtpo.org/uploads/docs/Hampton%20Roads%20High%20Speed%20Passenger%20Rail%20Vision%20Plan%20-%20Executive%20Summary.pdf |publisher=HRTPO |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160804185306/https://www.hrtpo.org/uploads/docs/Hampton%20Roads%20High%20Speed%20Passenger%20Rail%20Vision%20Plan%20-%20Executive%20Summary.pdf |archive-date=2016-08-04 |ref={{SfnRef|Transportation Economics & Management Systems, Inc.|2014a}}}}</ref><ref>{{cite report |author=Transportation Economics & Management Systems, Inc. |date=November 2014 |title=Hampton Roads High Speed Passenger Rail Plan |url=https://www.hrtpo.org/uploads/docs/Hampton%20Roads%20High%20Speed%20Passenger%20Rail%20Vision%20Plan%20-%20Final%20Report.pdf |publisher=HRTPO |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811070853/https://www.hrtpo.org/uploads/docs/Hampton%20Roads%20High%20Speed%20Passenger%20Rail%20Vision%20Plan%20-%20Final%20Report.pdf |archive-date=2023-08-11 |ref={{SfnRef|Transportation Economics & Management Systems, Inc.|2014b}}}}</ref> It is not clear if the 2014 report will influence the project.

Meanwhile, Virginia plans to expand conventional Amtrak service to both Newport News and Norfolk as part of a funding plan announced December 2019, encompassing major steps towards SEHSR on the Washington to Raleigh line.<ref name="wp2020"/>

=== Richmond–Raleigh (S-Line) ===
{{For|the section from Richmond to Raleigh|S-Line Corridor}}Between Richmond and Raleigh, the corridor uses the [[CSX]] [[S-Line Corridor|S-line]] (the former [[Seaboard Air Line Railroad|Seaboard Air Line]] main line),<ref name="Duncan2020" /> which generally parallels [[U.S. Route 1|US 1]]. The tracks on the segment of this line between Centralia, Virginia and [[Norlina, North Carolina]] were removed in the late 1980s and through traffic shifted to the CSX A-line (the former [[Atlantic Coast Line Railroad|Atlantic Coast Line]] main line). The relative absence of freight trains along the remaining portions of the [[S-Line Corridor|S-line]] will mean that significant [[curve straightening]] and other work can be accomplished without disrupting current service.[[image:CSX A and S lines.png|thumb|CSX's main "A" (red) and "S" (blue) lines. Note the removed track between [[Centralia, Virginia]] and [[Norlina, North Carolina]], indicated by the dashed line.]]The [[S-Line Corridor|S-line]] also provides a more direct route for trains between Raleigh and the Northeast via Richmond. Since the abandonment of the [[S-Line Corridor|S-line]], Amtrak trains traveling north of Raleigh use the A-line and the [[North Carolina Railroad]] between Raleigh and [[Selma, North Carolina|Selma]]. (The A-line does not pass through Raleigh, instead running roughly parallel to [[Interstate 95]] through [[Rocky Mount, North Carolina|Rocky Mount]], [[Wilson, North Carolina|Wilson]], and [[Fayetteville, North Carolina|Fayetteville]].) The new [[S-Line Corridor|S-line]] route will include station stops at Norlina, North Carolina, [[Henderson, North Carolina]] and [[Wake Forest, North Carolina]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Duncan |first1=Charles |date=December 6, 2023 |title=$1B grant will help make high speed rail a reality from Raleigh to Richmond |url=https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2023/12/06/high-speed-rail-raleigh-richmond |url-status=live |work=<!--Website name same as publisher.--> |publisher=Spectrum News 1 North Carolina |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250114034204/https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2023/12/06/high-speed-rail-raleigh-richmond |archive-date=2025-01-14}}</ref>

{{Richmond–Raleigh rail|collapse=y}}

The proposed project does not include [[Railway electrification system|electrification]] of the railway, unlike in the Northeast Corridor. However, top speeds would be raised from {{convert|79|to|110|mph}}, resulting in an average speed of {{cvt|85|-|87|mph}}. Travel time currently between Richmond and Raleigh on the ''[[Carolinian (train)|Carolinian]]'' and ''[[Silver Star (Amtrak train)|Silver Star]]'' is close to four hours, but full implementation as proposed would reduce this to nearly two hours. The proposed two hours in time savings is nearly evenly split between the shorter distance provided by the more direct [[S-Line Corridor|S-line]] routing and speed increases.

The overall project cost for fully restoring and improving the [[S-Line Corridor|S-line]], including the curve straightening and new bridges necessary to raise top speeds to {{cvt|110|mph}}, has been estimated at $4&nbsp;billion. In response, the North Carolina-Virginia Interstate High-Speed Rail Compact Commission has proposed investigating a staged effort that would first restore the [[S-Line Corridor|S-line]] to its {{cvt|79|mph}} max speed state from the 1980s and pursue other improvements only after service was restored.<ref>{{cite news |last=Siceloff |first=Bruce |date=October 23, 2014 |title=Two states see slow start for fast trains between Raleigh and Richmond |url=https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article10105373.html |url-status=live |work=The News & Observer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150501120548/https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/state-politics/article10105373.html |archive-date=2015-05-01 |url-access=limited}}</ref> This would have the benefit of reducing the travel time between Richmond and Raleigh by nearly one hour for a much lower startup cost, though it may somewhat increase the cost of performing the later improvements. The ''[[Silver Star (Amtrak train)#Route details|Silver Star]]'' would also travel over a restored [[S-Line Corridor|S-line]], as it did before 1986, and would also see the improvement in travel time.<ref>{{cite report |date=August 2015 |title=Comprehensive State Rail Plan |url=https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/Rail-Division-Resources/Documents/2015%20Comprehensive%20State%20Rail%20Plan-%20Full%20Report.pdf |publisher=NCDOT Rail Division |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811073733/https://connect.ncdot.gov/resources/Rail-Division-Resources/Documents/2015%20Comprehensive%20State%20Rail%20Plan-%20Full%20Report.pdf |archive-date=2023-08-11}}</ref>

As part of Atlantic Gateway, Virginia sought to take control of the abandoned [[S-Line Corridor|S-Line]] right-of-way between [[Petersburg, Virginia|Petersburg]] and the North Carolina border.<ref name="wp">{{cite news |last=Thomson |first=Robert |date=July 8, 2016 |title=What to expect from Virginia’s Atlantic Gateway projects |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr-gridlock/wp/2016/07/08/what-to-expect-from-virginias-atlantic-gateway-projects/ |url-status=live |work=The Washington Post |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160708232353/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr-gridlock/wp/2016/07/08/what-to-expect-from-virginias-atlantic-gateway-projects/ |archive-date=2016-07-08 |url-access=limited}}</ref> In late 2019, negotiations were concluded and CSX, Virginia, and North Carolina reached separate deals that called for the two states to acquire the portions of the [[S-Line Corridor|S-Line]] within their respective boundaries. Virginia will acquire {{convert|65|mi}} of the S-Line between the North Carolina-Virginia line and Petersburg, while North Carolina will acquire {{convert|10|mi}} of the line between [[Ridgeway, North Carolina|Ridgeway]] and the North Carolina-Virginia line. North Carolina officials said that the Virginia deal will boost their efforts to acquire the remainder of the [[S-Line Corridor|S-Line]] to Raleigh, which remains in light service as the [[Norlina Subdivision]] of CSX carrying some freight traffic.<ref name="CSXVirginia">{{cite news |last=Stradling |first=Richard |date=December 23, 2019 |title=High-speed rail from Raleigh to Richmond just got a little closer to reality |url=https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article238656743.html |url-status=live |work=The News & Observer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191226223554/https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/article238656743.html |archive-date=2019-12-26 |url-access=limited}}</ref> The [[North Carolina Department of Transportation]] (NCDOT) was awarded a $47.5 million federal grant in 2020 to purchase the line.<ref name="Duncan2020">{{cite news |last1=Duncan |first1=Charles |date=September 21, 2020 |title=High-Speed Rail Between Raleigh and Richmond Takes "Critical Step" with $47 Million Funding |url=https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2020/09/21/raleigh-to-richmond-high-speed-rail-line-gets-new-funding |url-status=live |work=<!--Website name same as publisher.--> |publisher=[[Spectrum News 1 North Carolina]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201002003305/https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2020/09/21/raleigh-to-richmond-high-speed-rail-line-gets-new-funding |archive-date=2020-10-02}}</ref>

In early June 2022, a $58 million federal grant under the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements program to fund the initial engineering work necessary for rebuilding the [[S-Line Corridor|S-Line]] between Raleigh and Richmond was announced. NCDOT projected a service begin on the route between 2025 and 2029.<ref name=R2R-Grant-Announced>{{cite news |last=Stradling |first=Richard |date=June 2, 2022 |title=Feds provide another big chunk of money for Raleigh-Richmond high-speed rail |url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article262034537.html |url-status=live |work=[[The Charlotte Observer]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221028214704/https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/state/north-carolina/article262034537.html |archive-date=2022-10-28 |url-access=limited}}</ref>

On December 5, 2023, [[United States Secretary of Transportation]] [[Pete Buttigieg]], [[United States Senate|U.S. Senator]] of [[North Carolina]] [[Thom Tillis]], and [[Governor of North Carolina]] [[Roy Cooper]] announced the state will be receiving a $1 billion federal grant to develop the S-Line between Raleigh and [[Wake Forest, North Carolina|Wake Forest]] for high-speed passenger rail service.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Robertson |first1=Nick |title=Tillis touts $1B for Richmond-Raleigh rail line, thanks Buttigieg |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/4343138-tillis-touts-1b-richmond-raleigh-rail-line/ |access-date=July 11, 2024 |work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |publisher=[[Nexstar Media Group]] |date=December 5, 2023}}</ref> On July 1, 2024, Buttigieg and Cooper, along with various state and local officials, participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for the project, marking the official start of construction.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stradling |first1=Richard |title=USDOT’s Pete Buttigieg helps kick off $1.1 billion passenger rail project in Raleigh |url=https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article289654840.html |access-date=July 11, 2024 |work=[[The News & Observer]] |publisher=[[McClatchy|The McClatchy Company]] |date=July 1, 2024}}</ref>

===Raleigh–Charlotte===
The segment of the corridor between Raleigh and Charlotte travels along currently operational lines of the [[North Carolina Railroad]] (NCRR), roughly parallel to [[Interstate 85|I-85]]. The portion of the route between Raleigh and Greensboro is over the H-line, while the Greensboro–Charlotte section travels along [[Norfolk Southern]]'s [[Washington to Atlanta Main Line|main line]]. (While the lines are owned by the North Carolina Railroad, Norfolk Southern has an operational contract for [[arrangements between railroads|trackage rights]].) Both see current freight and passenger traffic (Amtrak's ''[[Carolinian (train)|Carolinian]]'' and ''[[Piedmont (train)|Piedmont]]''), with freight traffic along the main line particularly heavy. However, double-tracking was removed from several sections of the Greensboro to Charlotte main line since its heyday, and significant signal upgrades, curve straightening, super-elevation, and restoration will be required to support high-speed passenger service along the corridor without interfering with freight operations.

[[North Carolina Department of Transportation|NCDOT]] has worked with Norfolk Southern, CSX, and the NCRR to restore the double-tracking and make other incremental upgrades, a process that reduced the travel time between Raleigh and Charlotte by 35 minutes from 2001 to 2010. Additional work began in 2010  under the Piedmont Improvement Project (PIP), funded by a $520 million grant under the [[American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009|2009 ARRA stimulus]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ncdot.gov/divisions/rail/projects/Pages/piedmont-improvement-program.aspx |title=Piedmont Improvement Program |author=<!--No author name given.--> |date=October 27, 2020 |publisher=NCDOT |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230627034103/https://www.ncdot.gov/divisions/rail/projects/Pages/piedmont-improvement-program.aspx |archive-date=2023-06-27}}</ref> The PIP projects included restoring complete double-track between Greensboro and Charlotte, adding passing sidings between Raleigh and Greensboro, straightening several curves, closing crossings, and building bridges to separate train and highway movements, all of which were completed by January 2018.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2018/Largest-Program-of-Improvements-to-State’s-Rail-Infrastructure-Complete.aspx |title=Largest Program of Improvements to State’s Rail Infrastructure Complete |author=<!--No author name given.--> |date=January 10, 2018 |publisher=NCDOT |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725033143/https://www.ncdot.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/2018/Largest-Program-of-Improvements-to-State’s-Rail-Infrastructure-Complete.aspx |archive-date=2018-07-25}}</ref> The ARRA funds, along with funds from the city of Raleigh and NC DOT, also constructed [[Raleigh Union Station]], a replacement train station located at the Boylan Wye intersection of the H-line and S-line. The station opened in July 2018 with a concourse and platform along the H-line only, but space is reserved for future construction of a northern concourse and platform along the S-line for future SEHSR trains.

===Charlotte–Atlanta===
{{Atlanta–Charlotte HSR|collapsed=y}}
Added to the SEHSR Corridor in 1998, a feasibility study was completed in August 2008 on the further extension from Charlotte through [[Spartanburg, South Carolina|Spartanburg]] and [[Greenville, South Carolina]] to [[Atlanta]] and then [[Macon, Georgia]].<ref name="gdot-ATL-CLT-Rail"/> Further extensions to [[Savannah, Georgia]], along with an extension from Raleigh through [[Columbia, South Carolina]] to Savannah and on to [[Jacksonville, Florida]] are also part of the federally designated SEHSR corridor, but those extensions have not yet been studied. All feasibility studies have suggested that synergy between parts of SEHSR and the neighboring Northeast Corridor is important. The Charlotte to Raleigh portion is predicted to be much more profitable with the corridor connected to D.C. and the Northeast Corridor. Similarly, the feasibility study found it much easier to justify the Charlotte to Atlanta and Macon route if the Charlotte to D.C. portion was completed. Atlanta is also the connecting point between SEHSR and federally designated [[Gulf Coast Corridor]].<ref>{{cite report |author=Volpe National Transportation Systems Center |author-link=John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center |date=August 2008 |title=Evaluation of High-Speed Rail Options in the Macon-Atlanta-Greenville-Charlotte Rail Corridor |url=https://www.dot.ga.gov/InvestSmart/Rail/AtlChar/VolpeCenterFeasibilityStudy2008.pdf |publisher=GDOT Office of Intermodal Programs |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221028064652/https://www.dot.ga.gov/InvestSmart/Rail/AtlChar/VolpeCenterFeasibilityStudy2008.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-28}}</ref>

In May 2013, the [[Federal Railroad Administration]] (FRA), in cooperation with the [[Georgia Department of Transportation]] (GDOT), initiated a Tier I [[Environmental impact statement|EIS]] for passenger rail service between Charlotte and Atlanta. During the scoping phase, the six possible routes from the feasibility study were reduced to the following three:

* '''Alternative 1: Southern Crescent'''
:Using the existing [[Norfolk Southern Railway|Norfolk Southern]] right-of-way, coextensive with the middle leg of Amtrak's ''[[Crescent (train)|Crescent]].'' The estimated {{convert|237|mi|km|adj=on}} route would have an estimated travel time of 4:35~5:34 hours, train speed between {{convert|79|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}} to {{convert|110|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}}, with four round trips per day. The route has the lowest capital expenditure cost at $2 billion to $2.3 billion, but is also the least competitive compared to auto and air travel.

:Potential stations would be at: [[Charlotte Gateway Station|Charlotte Gateway]] → [[Charlotte Douglas International Airport|Charlotte Airport]] → [[Gastonia station|Gastonia]] → [[Spartanburg station|Spartanburg]] → [[Greenville station (South Carolina)|Greenville]] → [[Clemson station|Clemson]] → [[Toccoa station|Toccoa]] → [[Gainesville station (Georgia)|Gainesville]] → [[Suwanee, Georgia|Suwanee]] → [[Doraville station|Doraville]] → [[Atlanta Multi-Modal Passenger Terminal|Atlanta MMPT]] → [[Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport|Atlanta Airport]].<ref name=ATL-CLT_Scope>{{cite report |author=<!--No author name given.--> |date=October 2015 |title=Atlanta to Charlotte Passenger Rail Corridor Investment Plan – Alternatives Development Report |url=https://www.dot.ga.gov/InvestSmart/Rail/Documents/Atl-Char/AtltoCharPRCIPAlternativesDevelopmentReport.pdf |publisher=GDOT & FRA |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611101616/https://www.dot.ga.gov/InvestSmart/Rail/Documents/Atl-Char/AtltoCharPRCIPAlternativesDevelopmentReport.pdf |archive-date=2016-06-11}}</ref><ref name=CLT-HaveYourSay>{{cite news |last=Henderson |first=Bruce |date=October 18, 2019 |title=High-speed rail could link Charlotte to Atlanta in 2 hours. Have your say next week. |url=https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article236401808.html |url-status=live |work=The Charlotte Observer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021235649/https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/article236401808.html |archive-date=2019-10-21 |url-access=limited}}</ref>

* '''Alternative 2: Interstate 85'''
:Using the existing [[Interstate 85]] right-of-way. The estimated {{convert|244|mi|km|adj=on}} route would have an estimated travel time of 2:42~2:50 hours, train speed between {{convert|125|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}} to {{convert|180|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}}, with 14 round trips per day. The route has the highest capital expenditure cost at $13.3 billion to $15.4 billion, but would be competitive against auto travel.

:Potential stations would be at: [[Charlotte Gateway Station|Charlotte Gateway]] → [[Charlotte Douglas International Airport|Charlotte Airport]] → [[Gastonia station|Gastonia]] → [[Spartanburg station|Spartanburg]] → [[Greenville station (South Carolina)|Greenville]] → [[Anderson, South Carolina|Anderson]] → [[Commerce, Georgia|Commerce]] → [[Suwanee, Georgia|Suwanee]] → [[Doraville station|Doraville]] → [[Atlanta Multi-Modal Passenger Terminal|Atlanta MMPT]] → [[Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport|Atlanta Airport]].<ref name=ATL-CLT_Scope/><ref name=CLT-HaveYourSay/>

* '''Alternative 3: Greenfield'''
:The Greenfield alternative is a dedicated-use alternative primarily on new right-of-way. The estimated {{convert|267|mi|km|adj=on}} route would have an estimated travel time of 2:06~2:44 hours, train speed between {{convert|125|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}} to {{convert|220|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}}, with 16-22 round trips per day. The route would have a capital expenditure cost at $6.2 billion to $8.4 billion, but would be competitive against both auto and air travel, when access and security clearance times are included.

:Potential stations would be at: [[Charlotte Gateway Station|Charlotte Gateway]] → [[Charlotte Douglas International Airport|Charlotte Airport]] → [[Gastonia, North Carolina|South Gastonia]] → [[Greenville–Spartanburg International Airport|Greenville–Spartanburg Airport]] → [[Anderson, South Carolina|Anderson]] → [[Athens, Georgia|Athens]] → [[Suwanee, Georgia|Suwanee]] → [[Doraville station|Doraville]] → [[Atlanta Multi-Modal Passenger Terminal|Atlanta MMPT]] → [[Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport|Atlanta Airport]].<ref name=ATL-CLT_Scope/><ref name=CLT-HaveYourSay/>

All three options would be able to substitute the [[Suwanee, Georgia|Suwanee]] and [[Doraville station|Doraville]] stations with ones in [[Lawrenceville, Georgia|Lawrenceville]] and [[Tucker, Georgia|Tucker]] in Georgia, should [[CSX Transportation|CSX]] right of way be used for the final approach into Atlanta rather than the [[Norfolk Southern Railway|Norfolk Southern]] right of way that the former two cities are located on.<ref>{{cite report |author=<!--No author name given.--> |date=March 2019 |title=Atlanta to Charlotte Passenger Rail Corridor Investment Plan: Alternatives Considered |url=https://www.dot.ga.gov/InvestSmart/Rail/EIS/04-Alternatives%20Considered.pdf |publisher=GDOT & FRA |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201018041025/http://www.dot.ga.gov/InvestSmart/Rail/EIS/04-Alternatives%20Considered.pdf |archive-date=2020-10-18}}</ref>

The Tier I EIS was completed in September 2019, and in June 2021 the FRA and GDOT published a [[record of decision]] that identified the Greenfield corridor as the preferred alternative.<ref>{{cite report |author=<!--No author name given.--> |date=June 2021 |title=Atlanta to Charlotte Passenger Rail Corridor Investment Plan: Tier 1 Combined Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision |url=https://www.dot.ga.gov/InvestSmart/Rail/EIS/Atlanta-Charlotte%20FEIS-ROD%20SIGNED.pdf |publisher=GDOT & FRA |pages=17–18 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221028064503/https://www.dot.ga.gov/InvestSmart/Rail/EIS/Atlanta-Charlotte%20FEIS-ROD%20SIGNED.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Luczak |first=Marybeth |date=July 19, 2021 |title=Atlanta-Charlotte High Speed Rail Project Moving Forward |url=https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/intercity/atlanta-charlotte-high-speed-rail-project-moving-forward/ |url-status=live |work=Railway Age |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210719174059/https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/intercity/atlanta-charlotte-high-speed-rail-project-moving-forward/ |archive-date=2021-07-19}}</ref> Determination of a specific alignment, station locations, and service levels was deferred to the Tier II EIS.<ref name="usdot-ATL-CLT-Rail"/> In December 2023, the Greenfield corridor was selected as part of the FRA's [[Corridor Identification and Development Program]]. It was granted up to $500,000 toward engineering and feasibility studies and is prioritized for future federal funding.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hale |first1=Jack |date=December 5, 2023 |title=Thom Tillis Announces $3.5 Million In Grants For NC Rail Identification And Development |url=https://www.wccbcharlotte.com/2023/12/05/thom-tillis-announces-3-5-million-in-grants-for-nc-rail-identification-and-development/ |website=<!--Website name same as publisher.--> |publisher=[[WCCB]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231206120452/https://www.wccbcharlotte.com/2023/12/05/thom-tillis-announces-3-5-million-in-grants-for-nc-rail-identification-and-development/ |archive-date=2023-12-06 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://railroads.dot.gov/sites/fra.dot.gov/files/2023-12/FY22%20CID%20Project%20Summaries-Map.pdf |title=FY22 Corridor Identification and Development Program Selections |publisher=Federal Railroad Administration |access-date=December 8, 2023 }}</ref>

===Atlanta and further south===
There are three routes out of [[Atlanta]] being considered for high/higher speed rail. In 2012, during the study for the Tier I [[Environmental impact statement|EIS]], two main alternatives for [[higher speed rail]] have been considered. The first alternative is called Shared Use with top speeds of {{convert|90|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}} to {{convert|110|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}}. The second alternative is called Hybrid High Performance with top speeds of {{convert|130|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}}. There are also high-speed rail alternatives in the same study with top speeds of {{convert|180|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}} to {{convert|220|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}} or higher.<ref>{{cite report |author=HNTB |author-link=HNTB |date=March 29, 2012 |title=High Speed Rail Planning Services: Final Report |url=https://www.dot.ga.gov/InvestSmart/Rail/Rail/High%20Speed%20Rail%20Planning%20Rail-Final%20Report.pdf |publisher=GDOT |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926190619/https://www.dot.ga.gov/InvestSmart/Rail/Rail/High%20Speed%20Rail%20Planning%20Rail-Final%20Report.pdf |archive-date=2020-09-26}}</ref>

The three routes are:
* Atlanta – [[Macon, Georgia|Macon]] – [[Jacksonville, Florida|Jacksonville]] 
* Atlanta – [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga]] – [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]] – [[Louisville, Kentucky|Louisville]]
* Atlanta – [[Birmingham, Alabama|Birmingham]]

For the Louisville route, a feasibility study indicated that the high-speed trains for this link would be economically feasible. The stations along the route could include [[Cartersville, Georgia|Cartersville]] and [[Dalton, Georgia|Dalton]] in Georgia; [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga]], [[Murfreesboro, Tennessee|Murfreesboro]] and [[Nashville]] in Tennessee; and [[Bowling Green, Kentucky|Bowling Green]] and [[Elizabethtown, Kentucky|Elizabethtown]] in Kentucky.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--No author name given.--> |date=June 21, 2012 |title=Study: High-speed trains across South are feasible |url=https://www.onlineathens.com/story/news/state/2012/06/21/study-high-speed-trains-across-south-are-feasible/15606321007/ |url-status=live |work=[[Athens Banner-Herald]] |agency=Associated Press |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230811075913/https://www.onlineathens.com/story/news/state/2012/06/21/study-high-speed-trains-across-south-are-feasible/15606321007/ |archive-date=2023-08-11}}</ref> Although the Atlanta–Louisville high-speed rail link is not federally designated, the link will connect two federally designated corridors, SEHSR and [[Chicago Hub Network]]. The same route has been included in the US High Speed Rail Network of the US High Speed Rail Association, a non-profit advocacy group.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ushsr.com/hsrmap/ |title=High Speed Rail Vision Map |author=<!--No author name given.--> |date=<!--No date given.--> |publisher=U.S. High Speed Rail Association and Coalition |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230608140136/http://www.ushsr.com/hsrmap/ |archive-date=2023-06-08}}</ref>

In June 2012, a feasibility study report presented to the State Transportation Board of Georgia indicated that a high-speed rail between Atlanta and Jacksonville would be economically feasible. Fares between Atlanta and Jacksonville would range between $119.41 and $152.24. The construction for that route would cost from $5 billion to $16 billion.<ref>{{cite news |last=Jones |first=Walter C. |date=June 20, 2012 |title=High-speed rail from Atlanta to Jacksonville feasible, study says |url=https://www.jacksonville.com/story/business/transportation/2012/06/21/high-speed-rail-atlanta-jacksonville-feasible-study-says/15863180007/ |url-status=live |work=[[The Florida Times-Union]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130192115/https://www.jacksonville.com/story/business/transportation/2012/06/21/high-speed-rail-atlanta-jacksonville-feasible-study-says/15863180007/ |archive-date=2023-01-30}}</ref>

===Western Virginia===
Another proposed rail project, known as the [[Transdominion Express]], would connect to SEHSR and extend from Richmond west to [[Lynchburg, Virginia|Lynchburg]] and from Washington, D.C. ([[Alexandria, Virginia|Alexandria]]) south via an existing [[Virginia Railway Express]] route to [[Manassas, Virginia|Manassas]], extending on south to [[Charlottesville, Virginia|Charlottesville]], Lynchburg, [[Roanoke, Virginia|Roanoke]] and [[Bristol, Virginia|Bristol]] on the [[Tennessee]] border.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tdxinfo.org |title=TransDominion Express |author=<!--No author name given.--> |date=<!--No date given.--> |publisher=The Committee to Advance The TransDominion Express |access-date= |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801092533/http://www.tdxinfo.org/ |archive-date=2023-08-01}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[High-speed rail in the United States]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.southeastcorridor-commission.org Southeast Corridor Commission]
*{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216195127/http://www.sehsr.org/ |date=December 16, 2014 |title=Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor}}
*[https://www.vhsr.com Virginians for High Speed Rail]
*[https://drpt.virginia.gov Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation]
*{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160110221351/http://rich2hrrail.info/ |date=January 10, 2016 |title=Richmond/Hampton Roads Passenger Rail Study}}
*[https://www.ncbytrain.org/Pages/default.aspx North Carolina DOT Rail Division]

{{High-speed rail in the United States}}
{{High-speed rail}}

[[Category:High-speed railway lines in the United States]]
[[Category:Passenger rail transportation in Virginia]]
[[Category:Passenger rail transportation in North Carolina]]
[[Category:Transport corridors]]