I will be vacationing in the Carolinas. I understand the following stations have been rehabbed. Are any worth visiting? Do they have railroad information in them. Roland, NC; Fayetteville, NC; Pollockville, NC; Stedman, NC; Ayden, NC; Spring Hope, NC; Rockingham, NC; Cherryville, NC; or McBee, SC; Blackville, SC; Kline, SC; Denmark, SC. Did I miss any? Do you have any others to suggest other than Spencer? Many thanks!

-- Richard H Kearns (Kearnsrh@aol.com), January 16, 2002

Answers

Norlina junction, where the main SAL/SCL line diverged from its secondary Portsmouth branch around a sharp and banked curve to the north, has a museum although the depot itself was demolished long ago. The museum is situated inside a retired SAL diner. All, or most of SAL/SCL's passenger trains passed through here on their way between New York, Miami and other points. ***Interesting note:The main line is being reactivated as a high- speed rail line between Richmond and points south and west.

-- Jasper McMillan (JasandRos@aol.com), October 16, 2004.

I am the trk insp on the old kinston sub,and the station at Ayden NC has been torn down.I believe it has been mistaken for the station at Grifton NC.It has been restored and is currently being used as a community center.

-- V.L.Lewis (sclrr@hotmail.com), January 22, 2002.

If you care to look at stations other than SAL/ACL, there's Beaufort, NC, with its original Norfolk Southern design and tile roof, as well as another example still standing at Elizabeth City. Union Station in New Bern served NS, A&EC and ACL. Wilmington still stands as a Rail Museum... Selma is at the junction of the Atlantic & North Carolina and ACL... And has anyone mentioned Hamlet, which is also a very interesting train watching spot.

-- Pete Wenk (petewenk@nccoast.com), January 22, 2002.

Mr. Kearns: Here is the status of the depots you mentioned. Rowland, N.C. ACL Depot, Museum Maxton Alma & Southbound Depot Apartments pollocksville, N.C. ACL Community Use Fayetteville, N.C. ACL Amtrak Use Stedman, N.C. ACL Public Library Ayden, N.C. ACL Demolished Spring Hope, N.C. ACL Commercial Use Rockingham, N.C. SAL Vacant Cherryville, N.C. SAL Being Restored.

-- Bill Sellers (was2nd@charter.net), January 19, 2002.

Ayden NC keeps popping up on existing depot lists, in use as a community center, but I've yet been able to locate it. A clerk at the city hall told me there was no such depot in town. My guess is that Ayden is being mistaken for nearby Grifton, which does indeed have its ex-ACL depot in use as a community center. Also nearby and worth a visit is the Winterville ACL depot which is now located in the Village of Yesteryear at the Pitt County Fairgrounds in Greenville. Access is uaually Sat. and Sunday, but only if there's another event going on such as a swap meet. Otherwise it's not accessable without prior arrangements. If interested, call the Greenville-Pitt visitors bureau.

A lot less trouble is the ACL passenger and freight depot complex in Washington, NC., well worth a visit. Bethel NC is well preserved as the town library. Pinetops NC is the town hall. You may also want to check out Faison (town library) Mt. Olive (community center) Burgaw (beatuifully preserved), Clinton had a restaurant and other business, but I don't know if they're currently open. Lake Waccamaw's depot has a nice museum and houses the police station also. Nearby is Fair Bluff, another beautifully restored museum. Don't miss Wilmington RR Museum! If I remember correctly, Cline (Sou RR) an archetecural gem, sits roadside in a field. McBee (SAL) is a library-museum, but It's always closed when I'm there, as is Rowland NC. Branchville SC (Sou) is famous for being the first railroad junction in the U.S. The depot was a museum, not sure if it still is open. Happy travels!

-- Bob Venditti (bobvend@bellsouth.net), January 19, 2002.

Another one I thought to mention in response to your original question was the Rowland, NC depot. It is in great condition and serves as a museum. I have been thru there twice in the past 4 years and have not been able to catch anyone there. It is totally a volunteer situation I believe. I understand that the display is not bad at all; lots of ACLRR stuff. I can't recall the name of the person that oversees the site but a call to the town hall could supply that name. rs

-- Raymond Smith (aclrr7@hotmail.com), January 17, 2002.

Go below to the Depots category, and scroll down to the bottom. You'll see an entry about "certain ACL Depots". That is where the info for those depots is listed.

-- Russell Underwood (Jay611@home.com), January 17, 2002.

The ACL passenger station at Chadbourn, NC has been restored, using authentic colors and items for display inside. It is located a couple of blocks West of the wooden freight staion, which is what you will see as you arrive in town. It sits back in the trees, on the North side of the tracks. When you visit, they have a brouchure on 4 other ACL wooden depots in the area that have been preserved. I have the flyer here, but can't find it at the moment. Search in the archives below, as I'm sure I have lised it here before. I seem to recall the names Whiteville and Lake Waccamaw, if that helps.

-- Russell Underwood (Jay611@home.com), January 17, 2002.

THe Pollocksville depot is in the early stages of rehab. It sits on the right hand side of US Hwy 17 North at the Trent River Bridge. It is not open to the public yet. Again, it is in the very early stages of rehab. Stedman is a library; a good job of rehab has been done on it. Another depot not far from Stedman is Roseboro. It is a daycare. They will allow you to go in and look around. As far as museums in eastern North Carolina, don't miss out on the Wilmington RR Museum. It is a jewel dedicated to the ACL and SAL.

rs

-- Raymond Smith (aclrr7@hotmail.com), January 17, 2002.

The Rocky Mount and Wilson stations still fuction as stations and have been rebuilt within the last couple of years. The Rocky Mount station just being finished last summer. The Spring Hope station is I believe a library and the Nash County RR had an office there also.

-- Eric Corse (acleric@mindspring.com), January 16, 2002.