South End Neighbors Concerned About Rail Maintenance Facility Expansion

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Neighbors in South End are hoping to derail plans to expand a train maintenance facility near their homes.

Opponents worry it would bring noise, light, and air pollution and deter other development.

“When we were looking to buy, we didn’t want to go any further than Wilmore, Dilworth,” says resident Sarah Sovchen.

She and her family just moved into a new home in the Wilmore neighborhood.

She’s excited about future plans in this area for the light rail and new businesses in the soon-to-be Iron District.

But she’s not excited about the planned expansion of an NCDOT maintenance facility for Amtrak trains.

It would be located across the street from her home.

“I think the concerns are you have noise, you have congestion, you have… it’s dirty,” she says.

An existing maintenance yard built a few years ago on one side of Summit Avenue isn’t being used yet.

The expansion would be in an empty lot across the street, that backs up to the homes.

“I mean we just purchased this house here, and we know that the property value could be significantly affected if you build a maintenance facility right next to it,” Sovchen says.

NCDOT says the facility is needed to service trains going to the Gateway Station, a future transportation hub in Uptown.

Rail division director Jason Orthner tells WCCB Charlotte it’s still early in the process and plans aren’t finalized.

“We have a number of elements that we need to do, including working with the communities, working with the stakeholders, the business community, to make sure that we develop this project correctly and with their input,” Orthner says.

He says some of the worries might not be warranted.

“This is a modern, passenger rail facility, for modern passenger rail trains, so it’s not like, a fright yard,” he says.

Rusty Ranson moved into the area at the end of May.

He’s gotten used to train noise, but understands the concerns his neighbors have.

“I’d imagine just from hearing the word maintenance yard, that it would cause a lot of commotion,” Ranson says.

Concerned neighbors plan to hold a community meeting on Thursday.

It starts at 5:30 p.m. at Frothy Beard Brewing on South Graham Street.