Palmetto Railways’ Camp Hall Rail Line is Underway
Jennifer McLawhorn — RT & S
SOUTH CAROLINA – Palmetto Railways Begins Construction on Camp Hall Rail Line in Berkeley County.
After an increased demand for rail service in South Carolina, Palmetto Railways begins construction on a 25-mile line near the Camp Hall Commerce Park and Volvo’s Plant and connect to a CSX line in Cross. With plans going back to 2016, the Camp Hall rail line is estimated to cost roughly $185 million, but it will not be visible from the roadways.
President and CEO Patrick McCrory commented on the line that it should take around two and a half years to complete and “is really intended to serve the U.S. domestic market, so from here to New York, New Jersey, from here to Los Angeles, across the country and all in between. . . That’s kind of our focus for the volumes. Capacity is – it’s a main line. It can be used for any levels of capacity”.
McCrory went on to say that there are investments from both Volvo and CSX, “who is the linking main line, the state, Palmetto Railways directly, so it’s a multitude of sources, and the USDOT”.
With an “initial estimate” of one train per day, five days a week, train cars will service industries at Camp Hall and Volvo’s plant. Construction has begun, and trees have already been cleared in the back of Volvo’s plant. There are additional plans to add crossings at Volvo Car Drive, Highway 176, and Mudville Road among others.
Spokesperson for Volvo Cars, Katherine Bergmann, also put out a statement on Palmetto Railway’s new line, commenting that an “addition of a rail line will be a great benefit to Volvo Cars and industries in the surrounding area. This project represents a key investment in advancing industrial transportation capabilities, streamlining logistics, and promoting economic growth.”
When officials stated that the addition of a new rail line would bring more investments to the area, McCrory said, “Roadway and rail is a utility in its form, and this is an addition to this particular site and area to adding to that package of what a customer might be looking for”.
