Camp Hall

Palmetto Railways advances Camp Hall Rail Project

Palmetto Railways is developing an industrial rail line to serve the Camp Hall Commerce Park and other developable properties in Berkeley County.

The new rail line will connect Camp Hall Commerce Park to the existing railroad right of way near the Santee Cooper Cross Generating Station in Berkeley County. Palmetto Railways will construct, own and operate the rail line, which is expected to spur more significant economic development efforts to support the State of South Carolina.

The project team is set to begin construction on the rail line in April 2024.

Project overview

The Camp Hall Commerce Park is a new, 6,800-plus acre industrial park that offers designated sites with site-ready infrastructure for businesses.

The development within the commerce park has increased the demand for rail service to interconnect the commerce park with South Carolina’s rail network.

This is a logistically feasible way to better serve the needs of the future tenants and industry within the Camp Hall Commerce Park and Berkeley County for transportation, distribution and logistics.

Rail growth is needed to support the state’s infrastructure needs. It will provide Berkeley County with access to a statewide rail network.

This project will support future economic development opportunities for the area. More specifically, the project is needed to provide rail access for Volvo Cars and an alternate means of freight transportation for all tenants of Camp Hall Commerce Park.

Palmetto Railways is a division of the South Carolina Department of Commerce.

Construction

The Camp Hall Rail project has entered the construction phase. Construction is anticipated to occur from spring 2024 through spring 2026.

Camp Hall Rail construction is being completed in five phases. Phase 1 began at the Volvo Cars facility within the Camp Hall Commerce Park.

This construction phase is being completed entirely within the commerce park and does not impact the surrounding communities or roadways. Phase 1 is nearly complete.

The additional Camp Hall Rail construction activities will occur as follows:

Phase 2

This phase of the project makes an initial connection to the existing Santee Cooper-owned railroad track, which will, in turn, connect the Camp Hall Rail Line to the existing CSX rail network near the Santee Cooper Cross Generating Station.

Phase 2 will include:

  • A connection to the existing railroad track made just south of Springwood Road
  • Track installed adjacent to the existing track and moving south towards the future interchange yard (where CSX will exchange railcars with Palmetto Railways)
  • A public at-grade crossing at Viper Road
  • The continued track moving south will be raised to cross the Diversion Canal between Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie. This track will be constructed to provide full clearance to any boat traffic in the canal
  • Concludes just before the Ranger Road at-grade crossing

The at-grade crossing at Viper Road and all others will have lights and gates to notify passengers of the trains passing. This crossing will be constructed in coordination with local and Santee Cooper representatives to ensure that access is never cut off to the Generating Station and neighborhoods at the end of Viper Road.

Phase 3

This project phase picks up just before the Ranger Road at-grade crossing.

Phase 3 will include:

  • Track installed at the Ranger Road at-grade crossing and moving west from the Blacks Camp area
  • Track continuing west and south, crossing Old Highway 6 and Shortcut Road
  • Community coordination on the scheduled public road crossings

Palmetto Railways is committed to coordinating with the community on the construction schedule of the road crossings at Old Highway 6 and Shortcut Road. It also commits to ensuring that only one road crossing is detoured at the same time to limit the impacts on local traffic in the area.

Phase 4

This phase of the project continues southbound work to construct track.

Phase 4 will include:

  • Track installed moving south towards Highway 176 through the existing silviculture lands
  • At-grade crossings at State Road 311 and Mudville Road
  • Community coordination on the scheduled public road crossings

Palmetto Railways is committed to coordinating with the community to mitigate travel impacts near State Road 311 and Mudville Road.

Phase 5

The final phase of Camp Hall construction will connect the proposed track to the already constructed section of track within the Camp Hall Commerce Park.

Phase 5 will include:

  • Track connection to existing track at the Camp Hall Commerce Park (completed during phase 1)
  • Two major roadway at-grade crossings on Highway 176 and Volvo Car Drive

Construction of the at-grade crossing at Highway 176 will be scheduled so that there will be no impacts on its evacuation route status during hurricane season.

Project benefits

The Camp Hall Rail Project will bring numerous benefits to the surrounding area, including:

  • Access to major rail networks via CSX, the Class I freight carrier primary line connection
  • Connectivity to the Port of Charleston
  • Support all phases of the Volvo Cars site
  • Ample capacity to serve current and future service needs of industries at Camp Hall Commerce Park

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