On a recent trip to Wilmington, NC, I noticed that the southern part of the old ACL from Wilson to Wilmington was marked as something like "NC Trans dept" on the latest NC state map. I thought that the line had been abandoned south of Mt. Olive, Warsaw or Wallace. Has this line to Wilmington been re-juvinated?

Wes Woodruff Orlando, FL

-- Wes Woodruff (woodruff_wes@bah.com), February 05, 2001

Answers

There were a few passing sidings in place several years back, one being in Mount Olive, NC. I spent a few years in school there. Most of my favorite memories there was watching the local switch the caboose around the train as it readied itself for the backing move south of town.

-- Daniel T. Edwards (edwardtaylor@hotmail.com), December 30, 2001.

If the line from Wilmington is operational to Castle Hayne, does that mean that the old bridge over the Cape Fear just north of Castle Hayne is also still operational? Was any of this section from Wilson to Wilmington double tracked?

I'm designing a layout based on the Wilson to Wilmington line as it might be if ACL was still its own and if Wilmington became a very big intermodal port (lots of intermodal traffic and some passenger). Any thoughts?

Stephen Charest

-- Stephen Charest (sgcharest@aol.com), February 18, 2001.

As a Track Inspector on the W@w,The Track ends at the AC 208.1 in Downtown Wallace and the RW from there to the AC 256 or 257 is owned by the State of NC.There Ain't NO way the line could have been Abanoned South of Mt Olive,due to most of this line's revunue is around Warsaw with the Big four Grain Companies

-- Vic Lewis (angielewis20@hotmail.com), February 11, 2001.

I believe that the highway map is showing that the state has retained ownership of the old roadbed from just north of Castle Hayne at the Northeast Cape Fear River drawbridge to just south of Wallace. The state is keeping the "line of road" open just in case there may be a reason to re-open it someday. Local news has not reported any known plans to relay the rail. CSX runs switching moves several time a day from Davis Yard to industries on the southern bank of the river at Castle Hayne.

-- Tom Carver (trains46@aol.com), February 08, 2001.

There is a short section of it around Burgaw which has been removed. CSX operates the section to the north, and NCDOT to the south as part of their Wilmington ports operation. There is word on the street that the sections are to be rejoined, however. Stay tuned.

-- Pete Wenk (petewenk@nccoast.com), February 06, 2001.