168:. It’s been more than 50 years since passenger rail linked Wilmington and Raleigh, but there’s a renewed push to bring back a passenger route between the two cities. The latest feasibility study, prepared by Florida-based firm WGI Inc., compares two potential route options linking Wilmington with Raleigh: a western route through Fayetteville and an eastern route through Goldsboro.
403:
and it was built by its parent company, the
Midland North Carolina Railway. It was acquired by the W&W in 1885. It was named the Midland Branch after the Midland North Carolina Railway. The branch closely paralleled the
688:
385:
west of
Tarboro (which continued to Norfolk via the former Norfolk and Carolina Railroad). East of Tarboro, it was known as the Plymouth Branch. The branch is still in service today.
678:
206:
was rebuilt, which reconnected the line to
Wilmington. By 1869, the W&W and other railroads in the Carolinas were purchased by a group of Baltimore capitalists including
718:
713:
698:
224:(ACL) on April 21, 1900. The ACL established its headquarters in Wilmington. The Wilmington and Weldon Railroad's main line from Weldon to Contentnea (just south of
708:
693:
20:
607:
703:
683:
214:
229:
128:
in 1834. When it opened in 1840, the line was the longest railroad in the world with 161.5 miles (259.9 km) of track. It was constructed in
428:. The Clinton Branch (known today simply as the Clinton Spur) is still in service today and it is partially operated by the Clinton Railroad.
571:
180:. The future Civil War general began his railroad career in 1858. From 1854 to 1871 S.L. Fremont was Chief Engineer and Superintendent.
308:
after W&W was merged into the
Atlantic Coast Line. Today, the branch is still in service from Parmele to just north of Kinston.
278:
In addition to the main line between its namesake cities, the
Wilmington and Weldon Railroad also operated a number of branch lines.
503:
400:
394:
317:
583:
70:
262:. The CSX Corporation initially operated the Chessie and Seaboard Systems separately until 1986, when they were merged into
300:) and ran southeast to Scotland Neck. In 1883, it was acquired by the W&W and by 1890, it had been extended south to
192:
145:
382:
349:
247:
221:
80:
647:
445:
367:
355:
329:
321:
520:
266:. The ex-ACL main line is still in service as CSX's A Line. The former W&W from Contentnea south is now CSX's
251:
239:
In 1909, the ACL realigned the track in
Goldsboro to bypass the center of town in conjunction with the opening of
199:. The cities of Wilmington and Goldsboro fell in 1865 at the end of the war, and the railroad was badly damaged.
325:
161:
33:
Original route of the
Wilmington and Weldon Railroad main line (red) and branches (dark red). Click to enlarge.
399:
The
Midland Branch ran from the main line at Goldsboro west to Smithfield. It was originally chartered as the
375:
337:
97:
425:
409:
405:
359:
301:
297:
240:
181:
165:
421:
225:
210:. This group of lines were advertised as the Atlantic Coast Line, but were still operated independently.
141:
333:
157:
149:
619:
196:
153:
263:
207:
188:
267:
233:
468:
381:
After the W&W was merged into the
Atlantic Coast Line, the branch was part of the ACL's
177:
259:
203:
479:
490:
305:
287:
255:
672:
371:
195:
for transporting troops and supplies. The railroad also played a key role in the
137:
92:
202:
The railroad managed to rebuild after the war. By 1866, the bridge over the
469:
UNC University
Libraries: This Month in North Carolina History - March 1840
547:
243:. The line's original alignment along Center Street was removed in 1925.
124:(W&W) name began use in 1855, having been originally chartered as the
164:, the midpoint of the W&W RR and the railroad intersection with the
254:. In 1980, the Seaboard Coast Line's parent company merged with the
378:. The W&W acquired the Albemarle and Raleigh Railroad in 1885.
420:
The Clinton Branch was built in 1887 and ran from the main line at
354:
The Tarboro Branch was built in 1850 and ran from the main line at
176:
Among the early employees of the W&W RR was assistant engineer
217:, but this lease ended in 1878 when the WC&A went bankrupt.
572:
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Northern Division Timetable (1949)
584:"The Night the Tracks Came Up (after two decades of fighting)"
446:"North Carolina Railroads - Wilmington & Raleigh Railroad"
412:). Atlantic Coast Line abandoned the Midland Branch in 1930.
521:"North Carolina Railroads - Wilmington & Weldon Railroad"
232:. The remaining line south to Wilmington becoming the ACL's
296:. It connected with the main line at Pender (just south of
270:(named in reference to the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad).
648:"North Carolina Railroads - Atlantic Coast Line Railroad"
548:"Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company Records, 1892-1963"
250:in 1967 after merging with their former rival, the
110:
91:
86:
76:
66:
43:
38:
292:The Scotland Neck Branch was built in 1882 by the
689:Predecessors of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
320:was built in 1887 and ran from the main line at
480:Confederate Railroads - Wilmington & Weldon
160:). The railroad also gave rise to the city of
21:Battle of the Weldon Railroad (disambiguation)
679:4 ft 8 in gauge railways in the United States
8:
366:was built which extended the branch east to
26:
552:University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
336:in 1985. It was sold again in 2011 to the
220:The W&W was officially merged into the
515:
513:
504:"passenger_rail_study_picks_eastern_route"
719:American companies disestablished in 1900
215:Wilmington, Columbia and Augusta Railroad
714:1900 disestablishments in North Carolina
699:Railway companies disestablished in 1900
19:For the American Civil War battles, see
437:
213:In 1872, the W&W was leased by the
191:, the railroad was used heavily by the
25:
709:1855 establishments in North Carolina
694:Railway companies established in 1855
542:
540:
7:
374:. It was extended again in 1890 to
304:. The branch was then known as the
246:The Atlantic Coast Line became the
16:American railroad line (1855-1900)
14:
401:Smithfield and Goldsboro Railroad
395:Smithfield and Goldsboro Railroad
228:) would become part of the ACL's
704:Defunct South Carolina railroads
684:Defunct North Carolina railroads
126:Wilmington and Raleigh Railroad
71:Wilmington and Raleigh Railroad
620:"Atlantic Coast Line Railroad"
364:Albemarle and Raleigh Railroad
332:. CSX sold the branch to the
122:Wilmington and Weldon Railroad
27:Wilmington and Weldon Railroad
1:
146:Seaboard and Roanoke Railroad
248:Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
222:Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
81:Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
408:(which was operated by the
114:161.5 miles (259.9 km)
735:
608:CSX Florence Sub Timetable
502:Dill, Emma (May 3, 2024).
392:
347:
285:
252:Seaboard Air Line Railroad
234:Contentnea–Wilmington Line
18:
340:, who operates it today.
184:, is named in his honor.
162:Goldsboro, North Carolina
31:
383:Norfolk—Rocky Mount Line
350:Norfolk—Rocky Mount Line
338:Carolina Coastal Railway
144:, it connected with the
130:4 ft 8 in
99:4 ft 8 in
588:The Cromulent Manifesto
406:North Carolina Railroad
241:Goldsboro Union Station
182:Fremont, North Carolina
166:North Carolina Railroad
294:Scotland Neck Railroad
226:Wilson, North Carolina
142:Weldon, North Carolina
140:. At its terminus in
334:Nash County Railroad
282:Scotland Neck Branch
158:Petersburg, Virginia
150:Portsmouth, Virginia
268:W&W Subdivision
197:Siege of Petersburg
154:Petersburg Railroad
28:
264:CSX Transportation
208:William T. Walters
189:American Civil War
44:Dates of operation
118:
117:
726:
663:
662:
660:
658:
644:
638:
637:
635:
633:
624:
616:
610:
605:
599:
598:
596:
594:
580:
574:
569:
563:
562:
560:
558:
544:
535:
534:
532:
531:
517:
508:
507:
499:
493:
488:
482:
477:
471:
466:
460:
459:
457:
456:
442:
410:Southern Railway
362:. In 1882, the
318:Nashville Branch
312:Nashville Branch
178:William G. Lewis
135:
131:
105:
100:
62:
60:
54:
52:
29:
734:
733:
729:
728:
727:
725:
724:
723:
669:
668:
667:
666:
656:
654:
646:
645:
641:
631:
629:
622:
618:
617:
613:
606:
602:
592:
590:
582:
581:
577:
570:
566:
556:
554:
546:
545:
538:
529:
527:
519:
518:
511:
501:
500:
496:
491:About Goldsboro
489:
485:
478:
474:
467:
463:
454:
452:
444:
443:
439:
434:
418:
397:
391:
352:
346:
314:
290:
284:
276:
260:CSX Corporation
258:, creating the
204:Cape Fear River
174:
133:
129:
103:
98:
58:
56:
50:
48:
34:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
732:
730:
722:
721:
716:
711:
706:
701:
696:
691:
686:
681:
671:
670:
665:
664:
639:
611:
600:
575:
564:
536:
509:
494:
483:
472:
461:
436:
435:
433:
430:
417:
416:Clinton Branch
414:
393:Main article:
390:
389:Midland Branch
387:
345:
344:Tarboro Branch
342:
313:
310:
306:Kinston Branch
288:Kinston Branch
286:Main article:
283:
280:
275:
272:
256:Chessie System
173:
170:
116:
115:
112:
108:
107:
95:
89:
88:
84:
83:
78:
74:
73:
68:
64:
63:
45:
41:
40:
36:
35:
32:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
731:
720:
717:
715:
712:
710:
707:
705:
702:
700:
697:
695:
692:
690:
687:
685:
682:
680:
677:
676:
674:
653:
649:
643:
640:
628:
621:
615:
612:
609:
604:
601:
589:
585:
579:
576:
573:
568:
565:
553:
549:
543:
541:
537:
526:
522:
516:
514:
510:
505:
498:
495:
492:
487:
484:
481:
476:
473:
470:
465:
462:
451:
447:
441:
438:
431:
429:
427:
423:
415:
413:
411:
407:
402:
396:
388:
386:
384:
379:
377:
373:
372:Roanoke River
369:
365:
361:
357:
351:
343:
341:
339:
335:
331:
327:
323:
319:
311:
309:
307:
303:
299:
295:
289:
281:
279:
273:
271:
269:
265:
261:
257:
253:
249:
244:
242:
237:
235:
231:
227:
223:
218:
216:
211:
209:
205:
200:
198:
194:
190:
185:
183:
179:
171:
169:
167:
163:
159:
155:
151:
147:
143:
139:
134:1,422 mm
127:
123:
113:
109:
104:1,422 mm
101:
96:
94:
90:
85:
82:
79:
75:
72:
69:
65:
46:
42:
37:
30:
22:
655:. Retrieved
652:Carolana.com
651:
642:
630:. Retrieved
626:
614:
603:
591:. Retrieved
587:
578:
567:
555:. Retrieved
551:
528:. Retrieved
525:Carolana.com
524:
497:
486:
475:
464:
453:. Retrieved
450:Carolana.com
449:
440:
419:
398:
380:
363:
353:
315:
293:
291:
277:
245:
238:
219:
212:
201:
186:
175:
125:
121:
119:
657:18 December
632:10 December
593:18 December
557:18 December
368:Williamston
356:Rocky Mount
330:Spring Hope
322:Rocky Mount
193:Confederacy
187:During the
93:Track gauge
67:Predecessor
55:–1900
673:Categories
530:2020-12-18
455:2021-01-16
432:References
348:See also:
152:) and the
326:Nashville
230:main line
87:Technical
77:Successor
424:west to
376:Plymouth
358:east to
324:west to
274:Branches
39:Overview
627:LaBelle
426:Clinton
370:on the
360:Tarboro
302:Kinston
298:Halifax
172:History
57: (
49: (
422:Warsaw
111:Length
623:(PDF)
138:gauge
659:2020
634:2020
595:2020
559:2020
328:and
316:The
156:(to
148:(to
120:The
59:1900
51:1855
47:1855
675::
650:.
625:.
586:.
550:.
539:^
523:.
512:^
448:.
236:.
136:)
661:.
636:.
597:.
561:.
533:.
506:.
458:.
132:(
106:)
102:(
61:)
53:)
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.