First train rolls from Old Fort to Asheville after Hurricane Helene repairs

A Norfolk Southern freight train rolled through Black Mountain and Old Fort on Saturday, restoring the Asheville rail link that Hurricane Helene shattered in September 2024 and giving Western North Carolina businesses a route that had been out of service for months. The first through freight run departed Asheville around 8 a.m. and passed through Old Fort by midmorning, a moment that drew residents, rail fans and local leaders to the depot for safety presentations and community outreach.

For Buncombe County, the restart matters far beyond the tracks. Norfolk Southern said the restored line is a vital transportation connection for local communities and businesses, and the return of service also lets Watco’s Blue Ridge Southern Railroad resume operations on its 87.83-mile network connected at Asheville Yard. That means freight can move again through a more efficient corridor, helping supply chains regain steadier footing after months of disruption and giving businesses from Asheville to the Swannanoa Valley a more dependable rail option as rebuilding continues.

The repair effort was extensive. Norfolk Southern said its engineering teams rebuilt 128 locations totaling more than 13 miles of track between Newport, Tennessee, and Asheville, using more than 160,000 tons of aggregate material and clearing more than 2,000 trees. The company said the restoration was privately funded. Before the train moved, a geometry train inspected the route on April 7, 2026, a final check before through freight returned to the corridor.

The broader restoration still has another major piece ahead. Norfolk Southern said it will rebuild the 16-mile Old Fort-to-Grovestone section, including the historic Old Fort Loops, with completion expected this winter. That stretch, completed in 1880, includes seven tunnels, about 9 miles of track and an 1,100-foot climb from Old Fort into eastern Buncombe County, making it one of the most difficult rail segments in the Southeast.

The line’s return also closed a symbolic loop in the region’s recovery. Norfolk Southern had already resumed freight service between Eastern Tennessee and Asheville in May 2025 after replacing the Pigeon River bridge in Newport in March. North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein called the restored freight service a positive step toward reconnecting Western North Carolina economically, while NCDOT Rail Division director Jason Orthner said it was a return many had been looking forward to. After months of uncertainty over whether the storm-damaged corridor would come back, the first train marked a practical and visible sign that daily commerce is moving again.