The western north carolina railroad, 18551894 by william abrams, jr. Rail transportation, faster and more efficient than other methods of the era, opened new markets for the products of north carolinas farms, factories, and mines. According to a 1905 usgs publication on place names. According to the north carolina history project, the town was named for its location as the highest point on a portion of the chatham railroad which ultimately extends between richmond, virginia and jacksonville, florida. Humphreys of granite falls for his work in placing this supplement on the. The following list is a supplement to the railroad companies illustrated and described in railroads of north carolina, published by arcadia publishing as part of its images of rail series in march 2008. Alan colemans exploration of the railroads of north carolina is a fascinating journey through the history of rail. In the mid 1800s, north carolina had a proliferation of plank road building. Entered according to act of congress, july 10th, 1839, by david h. Railroad station historical society depot email list page. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your. Encyclopedia of north american railroads, 2007 online. One of these roads was the western turnpike, which north carolina state legislators first discussed during their 1848 and 1849 session.
The railroad carries over seventy freight trains offered by the norfolk southern railway and eight passenger trains amtrak s carolinian and piedmont daily. The freight railroad station originally built by the sal here still stands, owned by csx. Pfeiffer table stripedtrue responsivetrue exterior photo of camden station taken in 1921. Railroads of north carolina by alan coleman arcadia. The new hope valley railway is the triangles train, offering excursion rides on vintage equipment at the north carolina railway museum. Records of the interstate commerce commission, rg 4, textual reference division.
In colson whiteheads latest, the underground railroad is more. Books marked oop out of print can sometimes be found at hobby shops, used book dealers, model train shows, railroadiana shows, or through online book auctions. Early on, in addition to passengers, the train brought significant shipments of freight into andes and. Aug 12, 2011 construction on this line began in 1907, with the intent to connect the richmond and danville railroad in elkin, nc, with the norfolk and western line at jefferson, nc, 60 miles away. Railroads in western north carolina digital heritage. Extensive appendices provide data regarding weight, fuel, statistical trends, and more, as well as a list of vital railroad books. The first spike in the coffin, so to speak, came in 1917, when the nco sold 64 miles of its line from rayl herlong to reno to the western pacific railroad. Addison railroad history of a 15mile branch of the rutland railroad in vermont. Pictorial history of north american railroads walter p. The north carolina railway museum is a private, educational, taxexempt 501c3 organization dedicated to preserving and sharing north carolinas railroad history. Crumley was my good friend from my childhood until his death in 1978. On 1 january 1893 the name of the railroad changed again, this time to the nevadacaliforniaoregon, a name that would stick with the company through the rest of its existence. The society is an educational and research organization collecting data and preserving it for the future.
The railroad carries over seventy freight trains offered by the norfolk southern railway and eight passenger trains amtraks carolinian and piedmont daily. The north carolina railroad ncrr, under lease since 1999 to the norfolk southern corporation, was chartered in 1849 and completed in 1856 from goldsboro through raleigh, greensboro, and salisbury to charlotte, a distance of 223 miles. Think of a plank road as a wooden highway for wagons and coaches. The society attempts to accomplish this mission through acquisition of maps, photographs, drawings. The floods of july 1916 foreward by matthew bumgarner this reprint of a historic southern railway publication details the tragedy of july, 1916 across the american southeast and the epic heroism of the railroads response. This volume, like its predecessors, is an instant reference classic for the historian, railfan, and modeler alike.
It seeks to preserve the rich and diverse heritage of redwood empire railroading and to keep abreast of the patterns of change as they evolve. The doe river gorge provided passage through the first range but not without serious challenge. Learn more about railroad history with this selection of books available in the museum store. At crossings, locate the blue emergency sign for the correct emergency number. The andes branch of the delaware and northern railroad originally the delaware and eastern, was a 9. The early history of apex stems from a railroad station that was chartered in 1854, although the first train did not pass through town until 1869. Mar 03, 2008 since the opening of the first permanent railway in 1833, hundreds of railroad companies have operated in north carolina. Riding the rails up paper mountain national archives.
The road was completed to york al in december 1910. Researching railroad records in the national archives spring 1997, vol. The narrow gauge east tennessee and western north carolina railroad, completed in 1882, guaranteed johnson citys location as a strategic rail crossroads for the appalachian mountain region. Careful research reveals the early history of the cranberry mine area, how the old fields of the toe became newland, how pineola came to exist, and the coming of the railroad to boone. Book on apex history check out the holleman brothers local book about history of apex from when the town was established through 1941. This month, documenting the american south highlights the historical development of railroads in north carolina, beginning with several key events in 1828. Duke the company heavily promoted its carload freight business and became extremely successful. Tracks spanned 128 miles 206 km total between the two segments, with the northern division running 24 miles 39 km from charlotte, to gastonia, north carolina, including a threemile 5 km spur to belmont. The history of trains in america by christian wolmar, railroads and the american. After all, it was the nco railroad that created the town, and was pivotal in its demise. From a very young age julian holland has had a fascination with railways. Dec 28, 2017 researching railroad records in the national archives spring 1997, vol. A history of railroading in western north carolina, by c.
The railroad was largely responsible for the piedmont urban crescent that developed along its route, contributing to the growth of its towns and bringing into. Official facebook page for the east tennessee and western north carolina railroad historical society. To understand johnson city, tennessee and its heritage, you have to understand the railroads. Railroads in north carolina docsouth unc chapel hill. The western north carolina railroad, 18551894, by william abrams, jr. The northern pacific railroad, the sioux, and the panic of 1873 by m. The historical guide to north american railroads, 3rd edition trains books trains magazine on. George benton alford note that he was given the title colonel as an honorary title for his service in the confederate army from the state legislature. Surviving north carolina railroad stations aberdeen. Railroad history the andes branch of the delaware and northern railroad originally the delaware and eastern, was a 9.
The end of the century also brought the many railroad mergers and the conglomerates that continued to dominate the twentieth century. He was the conductor of the daily passenger train from johnson city to boone for many, many, years. The north carolina railroad reporting mark ncrr is a 317mile 510 km stateowned rail corridor extending from morehead city, north carolina to charlotte, north carolina. This expanded second edition includes a reprint of the original plus 39 new pages about the subsequent fate of the branch. It is managed by the north carolina railroad company and operated. By the end of the century, north carolina was proud to have over thirtyeight hundred 3,800 miles of railroads, crisscrossing almost every county within the state. Railroads of the southern appalachians by lou harshaw, 1977. The historical guide to north american railroads, 3rd edition.
The publication is available at the rusty bucket on salem street in historic downtown apex. Read the fulltext online edition of encyclopedia of north american railroads 2007. The united states was the first nation, outside of england, to enthusiastically build railways on a large scale. Railroad maps, 1828 to 1900, available online, new england. The johnson associates are grateful to ken riddle, who the crumley family entrusted to keep this historic. A history of railroading in western north carolina by c.
The community that sprang up around these rail car and track repair shops was known as company shops and later became the town of burlington, north carolina. A history of railroading in western north carolina. Since the opening of the first permanent railway in 1833, hundreds of railroad companies have operated in north carolina. Railroads of north carolina local and regional history books. From its earliest days under the direction of james b. East tennessee and western north carolina railroad. Anthracite railroads historical society authors, historians, railroad employees, photographers, model railroaders, and railfans interested in the railroads that served the anthracite coal mining region of eastern pennsylvania. Museums national toy train museum railroad museum of pennsylvania tennessee central railway museum. Trelease, the north carolina railroad, 18491871, and the modernization of north carolina 1991. The story of north carolinas first effort to establish an east and west trunk line railroad 1928. In the underground railroad, his new novel about american slavery. The passenger railroad station originally built by the acl here still stands, owned by. Construction on this line began in 1907, with the intent to connect the richmond and danville railroad in elkin, nc, with the norfolk and western line at jefferson, nc, 60 miles away.
The first settlers came to the area in the 1860s, and the town was incorporated in 1873. Amazing collection of photographs that give a real feel for a bygone era. The state of north carolina subscribed to twothirds of the stock in the railroad. Southern railways spencer shops were a major steam locomotive repair facility between. It touches on the historical novel and the slave story, but what it does with. History predecessors city point, southside and virginia and tennessee railroads. The northwestern pacific railroad historical society nwprrhs was founded thirty years ago. Intentions were to provide access to coal mines in the vicinity of newburgh, and to provide a short commuter service. He is a writer and photographer on many railway books, including the highly acclaimed.
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