Watco approached Murphy on rail line
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Murphy – Local officials believe they are one step closer to reinvigorating Cherokee County’s economy through use of the Andrews-to-Murphy rail line.
Several local dignitaries recently met with representatives from Watco rail services, which owns Blue Ridge Southern Railroad and operates more than 5,500 miles of short line track in North America and Australia. The parties met to discuss the possibility of constructing a transload facility in Murphy that will be used to transfer freight between trucks and trains.
“Watco came to us,” Mayor Rick Ramsey said. “We didn’t chase them down, they asked me for the meeting.”
During the meeting, Watco agreed to conduct an economic analysis to determine whether it would be profitable for the company to use the Andrews-to-Murphy rail line to haul freight. Essentially, Watco will meet with industries in western North Carolina, east Tennessee and north Georgia to assess whether businesses in the region would save money by delivering goods via freight train, at least part of the distance, as opposed to using a truck for the entire length of delivery.
“If it turns out to be profitable for Watco and they identify customers, then the state will provide funds to repair the track,” Ramsey said, adding that more industries are turning to rail freight as the country’s roads and bridges deteriorate. “Rail freight in this country is on the uptick.”
Not only are more than 47,000 of America’s bridges “structurally deficient,” according to federal data, the trucking industry is struggling to find drivers. Researchers say hundreds of thousands of truck drivers are needed to meet demand, and some carriers have announced pay hikes to retain or recruit drivers.
“We want truckers to succeed because that is the lifeblood of getting things moved in this country, but this generation is not going to drive a truck,” Ramsey said. “There are more than 900,000 openings for drivers in the country, and it is now impacting delivery schedules.”
A 2015 study estimates that it would cost about $10.3 million to repair the Andrews-to-Murphy rail line. Officials say that figure remains about the same. However, Andrews, Murphy and Cherokee County are no longer required by law to contribute 10 percent of repair costs thanks to House Bill 1168, which was signed last June, ending a years-long debate over the width of the rail line’s right of way.
“Taxpayers pay rail taxes every day (through the gas tax),” Ramsay said in explaining that the state will cover some of the rail repairs. “Since the 1980s, they could have rebuilt this track a dozen times for the money taxpayers have put in from this county.”
With Great Smoky Mountains Railroad being situated between Blue Ridge Southern Railroad and the Andrews-to-Murphy rail line, Watco would more than likely pay the excursion train company a fee to use their tracks. Officials say there’s even been discussion about the possibility of hosting excursion rides along the Andrews-to-Murphy rail line once the tracks are being used for freight.
“Once the track gets repaired and we’ve got freight on it, the excursion train becomes very doable,” Ramsey said. “Freight would justify the expense of bringing the track up to safety.”
Officials believe there’s also a possibility to place a train stop across from Casino Parkway, where busses can be stationed to shuttle visitors to and from Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel.
“I thought it was a positive meeting [with Watco],” Commissioner Gary “Hippie” Westmoreland said. “I committed to the mayor that I’d help him a little more than I have been, and we’re going to see if we can find some freight to put on the train. I really think it could help our community.”
State Sen. Kevin Corbin (R-Franklin) echoed those sentiments and said he is optimistic that a deal could be reached.
“The meeting was very productive, and I’m supportive of trying to get the train back up and running if it makes financial sense, not only for the railway but for the state,” Corbin said. “Looks like we have some folks who are interested in putting some money into |the repair and upkeep, which was news to me. This would be a public-private partnership, which is a good thing.”