of the trip to Asheville. Norfolk Southern suspended freight traffic between East Flat Rock, North Carolina and Landrum, South Carolina in December 2001, thus ceasing operations on the Saluda Grade. In April 2003, Norfolk Southern severed the line from the rest of its system by placing mounds of dirt over the tracks and disconnecting the rails at mile posts 26 and 45. The signal system is not in use, and grade crossings have had their arms removed and signals covered. Norfolk Southern has inspected and maintained the right-of-way since placing the segment out of service, removing fallen trees and spraying herbicide on encroaching vegetation, but at least four washouts of the roadbed have occurred between Saluda and South Carolina, rendering the line impassable. Talks of a passenger train excursion and a Rails-to-trails conversion have made no headway in recent years, and Norfolk Southern states it does not intend to abandon the line. However, in 2014, Norfolk Southern sold a portion of the W Line south of Asheville between mile posts 1 and 26 to Watco, a Class III shortline railroad operator. Watco operates the line as the Blue Ridge Southern Railroad. Norfolk Southern still retains ownership of the out-of-service segment over the Saluda Grade. On July 20, 2022, Upstate Forever announced its intent to turn the portions of the abandoned Saluda Grade into a rail trail. However, the conversion to a trail is contingent on a purchase agreement from Norfolk Southern. See also List of steepest gradients on adhesion railways Reuben Wells References Bibliography Further reading External links Saluda Historic Depot - Official website Southern Railway (U.S.) Norfolk Southern Railway Rail infrastructure in North Carolina Railway inclines in the United States