R.J. Corman Railroad will receive a $600,000 grant from the N.C. Department of Transportation (DOT) to re-establish rail service to the Southeast Regional Industrial Park between Whiteville and Chadbourn, including service to the former Georgia-Pacific plant site that is now owned by Corman.

Corman is one of 14 short line railroads in the state receiving a total of $7 million in matching grand funds as part of the DOT’s short line improvement program.

“We look forward to seeing the positive impact these grant funds have on North Carolina’s short line rail infrastructure, which plays a key role in our economy,” said Julie White, DOT deputy secretary for multimodal transportation. “These improvements not only spur economic development, but also enhance the safety and reliability of rail operations across the state.”

The short line improvement program supports short line rail infrastructure health and performance throughout the state and enables DOT to partner with short line rail companies on rail improvement projects. This partnership helps the short lines meet customer needs in an efficient and cost-effective manner while also preparing them for growing service demands and partnerships with potential customers, according to a DOT news release.