Virginia Railroad Car Float $1-Million Repair May Boost Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport

The Bay Coast Railroad line is seeking $1 million for repairs to the railroad car float that links Virginia's Eastern Shore with the rest of the state -- and which some say could play a future role in developments at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport such as moving rocket boosters and large parts to the Virginia space launch facility from the port at Norfolk.

The $1 million is needed to make repairs to the railroad car float that links Virginia's Eastern Shore with the rest of the state. Both Accomack County and Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. Virginia has $700,000 in grant money to repair the float, which ceased operations last summer, but another $300,000 from a revolving loan fund administered by the Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission would need to be repaid over 10 years by some combination of the two Virginia Eastern Shore counties and the railroad.

The railroad line uses two tug boat guided rail barges (car floats) of 25 and 15 car capacity to link the 26 mile water route across the Chesapeake Bay between Cape Charles, Virginia and Norfolk — using the north and south terminals of the now defunct Little Creek-Cape Charles Ferry. The rail-to-car float operation of the Bay Coast Railroad has been in continuous service since April 1885 enabling the rail line connection between Pocomoke City, Maryland to Norfolk, Virginia, and is one of only two remaining in the United States.

Orbital Sciences Corporation's Taurus II booster, set to be used for re-supply and cargo missions to the International Space Station and to be launched from the Wallops Island, Virginia spaceport beginning in 2011. The Taurus II requires first-stage fuel tanks built in Ukraine and to be delivered to the port in Norfolk. Transport options include barge or the rail-barge combination. More detail from DelmarvaNow.