Hi, I need a little help. Our Model Railroad Club is building a HO layout for our county museum.

We are in Jacksonville, NC. And the layout we are building is the route the ACL took from Wilmington, NC to Jacksonville,NC. And Camp LaJuene. the 1940's to the 1950's.

The help we need is.

(1)- What type of locomotives (steam locomtives or diesels) were use to pull fright to and from Jacsonville, NC?

(2)- What type of fright came into and out of Jacksonville, NC?

(3)- If steam locomotives were use, Where were the water towers locations along the Wilmington - Jacksonville, NC. Route?

(4)- We know we are asking a lot! Any help you can give us, would be very much appreciated.

Thank you, for your help and time.

Joe Brown Jacksonville Model Railroad Club.

-- Joe Brown (railroad_joe@yahoo.com), September 06, 2004

Answers

Joe Brown: As a former locomotive fireman on the ACL during steam days, perhaps I can be of help to you as to the types of steam locomotives used on the Wilmington-Newbern branchline. Since this was light rail territory, most local passenger and/or freight service on the line was assigned to 4-6-0 copperhead locomotives in the 200, 900, and 1000 class. Most regular freight and passenger service was of the light local variety. The exception to this rule was the operation of troop trains between Wilmington and an army installation located at Holly Ridge on this line. For this service, a locomotive with better tractive effort was required. This assignment went to the 700 class 2-8-0 light consolidation locomotives which were limited to eight standard heavyweight Pullman sleeper cars. There was a "wye" track located at Holly Ridge. We would pull the empty sleepers to Holly Ridge, turn the locomotive only, wait for the troops to be loaded, and would couple to the south end of the train for the run back to Wilmington. If you model this branch, you would be justified in running 8 car Pullman trains part way out the branch with a 2-8-0 steam locomotive and return to Wilmington. During the advent of diesel locomotives, ACL GP-9's filled the bill for local service to Newbern, N.C. I hope this will be of help to your group.

-- Bill Sellers (was2nd@charter.net), September 07, 2004.

Joe,

I have an ACL 1944 employee timetable which should list some of the information you're looking for. If you don't have any luck finding out from the guys in the Society, let me know and I'd be happy to scan and send you some copies.

John

John Golden O'Fallon, IL

-- John Golden (Golden1014@yahoo.com), September 06, 2004.