Norfolk Southern’s Charlotte Regional Intermodal Facility

The Norfolk Southern Intermodal provides a top-notch transportation opportunity for companies all across the eastern United States. The addition of the 200-acre Charlotte Regional Intermodal Facility in 2014 – located right next to the Charlotte Douglas International Airport – has not only bolstered the Charlotte economy, but also given local businesses the unique opportunity to connect with top-notch transportation options right here in the metro area.

Commercial real estate users located in and around metro Charlotte haven’t hesitated to capitalize on this prime situation. For industrial and warehouse users, real estate near the rail has become a top opportunity – one that saves businesses both time and money. Let’s find out more about the Charlotte Regional Intermodal Facility and its unprecedented benefits to industrial users in North Carolina.

What is the Norfolk Southern Intermodal?

The Norfolk Southern Intermodal is a transportation system that safely and reliably moves freight across the country. The rail operates across 22 states and the District of Columbia. It currently connects 800 industrial sites, 175 warehouses, and 43 ports, running over 19,500 route miles total.

The Norfolk Southern provides the opportunity for customers to easily ship large loads, “delivering the efficiency of rail and the simplicity of trucking“. As the most extensive intermodal network in the eastern United States, the Norfolk Southern Intermodal System provides reliable service all along the east coast seaports and the eastern half of North America.

In addition to providing reliable transportation for freight partnered with a better customer experience, the Norfolk Southern Corporation is also committed to sustainability and a long-term vision for growth. Just a few ways that Norfolk Southern achieves these goals are with their Inaugural Climate Transition Plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, environmental stewardship through sustainable land use, and a number of other sustainability initiatives.

And since intermodal train service only produces about 1/3 of the amount of CO2 emissions per ton-mile as trucks do, increased use of intermodal services in place of transportation by truck naturally leads to better sustainability across the country.

Charlotte Regional Intermodal Facility

In 2014, the Charlotte Regional Intermodal Facility was completed, located conveniently next to the Charlotte Douglas International Airport. This 200-acre terminal was built to replace the older, existing Norfolk Southern 40-acre facility located in downtown Charlotte, which didn’t have enough room to expand for the already increasing and anticipated growth of intermodal traffic. Planning for the new yard was achieved by the Federal Highway Administration, U.S. and North Carolina DOTs, and the city of Charlotte. Both federal funds and some financial support from the state of North Carolina helped to contribute to this $92 million intermodal service project.

This new intermodal hub in the city of Charlotte is part of Norfolk Southern’s Crescent Corridor – a branch of the intermodal line that stretches from New Orleans to Memphis to New Jersey. Positioned right next to the busy airport, this key hub provides a unique opportunity for industrial businesses in the metro Charlotte area. Its ideal location – just over 5 miles away from Uptown Charlotte, and conveniently close to the airport – offers easy access and reliable, affordable transportation for a plethora of industrial companies across the greater Charlotte area.

Since the intermodal line provides a freight link to both national and international locations, this new facility in Charlotte creates an ideal opportunity for Carolina companies, bolstering both local and regional economic activity. Just a few economic opportunities that are offered by the new interchange yard include new jobs for employees and welcoming more new businesses.

Norfolk Southern also partners with the North Carolina Railroad Company to provide rail solutions throughout the state of North Carolina.

Benefits of the Norfolk Southern Rail Intermodal Yard for Commercial Property Owners in Charlotte

For businesses, easy access and reliable transportation is everything. And the Norfolk Southern Intermodal Yard in the Airport neighborhood of Charlotte is one of the top transportation resources and a major container port for this busy city. The value of intermodal rail to the city of Charlotte has made a significant impact on the industrial community.

Between the Charlotte Douglas International Airport handling over 100,000 passengers each day, and the Norfolk Southern connecting over 1000 sites, warehouses, and ports across over 800 industries, the Airport neighborhood provides unmatched accessibility for North Carolina businesses.

The Norfolk Southern Intermodal provides transportation for businesses in nearly every category of industry. Some of the most popular industry users include:

• Agriculture and Forest
• Automotive
• Chemicals
• Coal
• Consumer Products
• Dimensional and Oversized
• Government and Military
• Intermodal
• Metals and Construction
• Renewable Fuels

In addition, rail users who work with Norfolk Southern have the benefit of working with a rail expert to iron out the details of shipping transfer and solutions for individual businesses. This very reliable rail option provides an efficient and accessible solution for businesses who are on the lookout for more affordable and sustainable transportation solutions.

Looking for more details about rail transportation? Find out about how to get started with rail shipping.

Commercial Real Estate Opportunities in the Airport Neighborhood

Many of metro Charlotte’s industrial submarkets are located close to the airport and the intermodal yard. In fact, a large concentration of industrial users exists within just 2-3 miles of these locations. The economic impact of the new rail yard has made a significant impact on the growth of the neighborhood.

It’s a very stable sector of the area, which also makes it a prime opportunity for investors around North and South Carolina and beyond. At Regent CRE, we’ve had the privilege of working with dozens of both national and international clients looking for commercial real estate around this economically strong area.

In addition to a vast number of lesser-known industrial companies, the Airport neighborhood of North Carolina is also home to a number of well-known, large distribution warehouses. Some of these include Amazon, FedEx, and UPS. Publicly traded real estate investment trusts fund many of these buildings. Because of the Charlotte Douglas International Airport and the Charlotte Regional Intermodal Facility, this area just west of Uptown Charlotte has become a steady, reliable place for industrial and warehouse businesses to plant their roots.