What are the ex-SAL freight and passenger stations in Roanoke Rapids, NC being used for these days? I remember when the Tidewater would come through Roanoke Rapids twice a day going to/from Portsmouth, and I believe the passenger station has been closed since the late 60s. Is the freight station across the road still in use?

Wes Woodruff

-- Wes Woodruff (wes.woodruff@ftiorlando.com), August 18, 1999

Answers

The station(brick) you referred to was used in the late 60's and early 70's as the Trainmaster's Office, J K Sammons and the Road Master's Office, J F Watson. Both men used the same desks that were there when the Passenger Station was in use. Mr. Watson did retire from CSX at the station and Mr. Sammons went on to be one of the Terminal Trainmasters at Hamlet.

I have original drawings for the station and the reworked area of the passenger station. It was sold to a private individual who was to open an eating establishment there, but was injured and has never proceeded further on this project.

As to Bill Maness, he started as an operator at Suffolk, VA. and moved to Roanoke Rapids in the 1970's.

-- Larry Denton (saled@3rddoor.com), February 06, 2003.

The freight building was (to have been, and I belive, has been) torn down late in 1998. Former Rocky Mount/Jacksonville train dispatcher Don Sasser is now trainmaster there, and I am told has his office in a trailer type configuration. When my son Ryan and I visited there in late 1997, trainmaster Bill Maness, who had been in Rapids his entire railroad career, as about to retire and told me that the freight house was to be demolished at about he same time, so we shot pictures of its exterior (I wish I had taken some of the interior also) and the former passenger depot, which was in good shape, but not in use.

-- Doug Riddell (railroaddoug@erols.com), August 19, 1999.

On my last trip through the area in Feb, 98, the brick passenger depot didn't seem to be in use for any purpose, but appeared to be taken care of and in good shape. My guess is it was being used for storage, as a great many are these days. The "new" freight depot to the west was still operational, with CSX vehichles parked there. BTW, does anyone have construction dates for either of these? The freight appears to be a late fifties-early sixties design.

-- Bob Venditti (bobvend@bellsouth.net), August 18, 1999.