North Carolina Railroads - Passenger & Freight Lines
Name of Known Railroads Within North Carolina AAR Reporting Mark Year Chartered or Incorporated Year Construction Complete Original Length Year Service Ended Original Route Starting Point Original Route Ending Point Notes
Aberdeen & Asheboro Railroad   1897 1899 ~13 mi 1911 Troy, NC Mt. Gilead, NC Built first line in 1899, second line in 1911. Acquired by the Raleigh, Charlotte & Southern Railroad in 1911 (set up by Norfolk Southern).
Candor, NC Ellerbe, NC
Aberdeen & Rockfish Railroad AR   1892 27 mi   Aberdeen, NC Fayetteville, NC  
Aberdeen & Star Railroad   1887 1888 33 mi 1893 Aberdeen, NC Star, NC Logging line only.  Reorganized in 1893 as Aberdeen & West End Railroad.
Aberdeen & West End Railroad   1893 1897 38 mi 1897 Aberdeen, NC Troy, NC Extended the existing line from Star to Troy in 1897. Merged into Aberdeen & Asheboro Railroad in 1897.
Aberdeen, Carolina & Western Railway   1987 - 160 mi   Gulf, NC Charlotte, NC Purchased from Norfolk Southern in 1987.
Aberdeen, NC Charlotte, NC
Albemarle & Pantego Railroad     1887 38 mi 1891 Mackeys Ferry Pantego, NC Originally owned by Roper Lumber Company.  Acquired by Norfolk & Southern Railroad in 1891.
Albemarle & Raleigh Railroad   1873 1882 31 mi 1900 Tarboro, NC Williamston, NC Owned by the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad.  Merged into the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1900.
Air Line Railroad of South Carolina <1870 1870 Atlanta, GA Charlotte, NC Merged with the Georgia Air Line Railroad to form the Atlanta & Richmond Air Line Railway.
Alexander Railroad ARC 1946 1946 20 mi   Statesville, NC Taylorsville, NC Acquired by local interests from Southern Railway.
Alma & Southbound Railroad     <1883 ~18 mi <1900 Alma, NC Plain View, NC aka Alma & Little Rock Railroad, never went to LR.  Apparently abandoned prior to 1900.  Reinvigorated in early 1900s as the Maxton, Alma & Southbound Railroad.
Appalachian Railway     1908 10 mi 1935 Ela, NC Ocona Lufty, NC  
Asheboro & Montgomery Railroad     1896 25 mi 1897 Star, NC Asheboro, NC Merged into Aberdeen & Asheboro Railroad in 1897.
Asheville & Craggy Mountain Railroad   1890 1906 7 mi 1970s Asheville, NC Craggy Mountain, NC Acquired by Southern Railway in 1906.
Asheville & Southern Railroad       5 mi 1906 Asheville, NC ? Acquired by Southern Railway in 1906. 
Asheville & Spartanburg Railroad   1881 1886   ~1900 Asheville, NC Spartanburg, SC Was the Spartanburg & Asheville Railroad, it was managed by the Richmond & Danville Railroad, which was ultimately purchased by the Southern Railway.
Asheville & Tennessee Railroad   Never Never   Never in Ops Asheville, NC NC/TN Line Proposed route found on 1917 map. Never built. aka Asheville & Northern Railroad.
Asheville Loop Line Railroad   1906 1906   1906 Asheville, NC Asheville, NC Inter-city loop line from the Golf Club to the River.  Acquired by the Asheville Rapid Transit Railroad later same year.
Asheville Rapid Transit Railroad   1906     Unknown Asheville, NC Asheville, NC Bought out the Asheville Loop Line and expanded it.
Atlanta & Charlotte Air Line Railway   1877     1894 Atlanta, GA Charlotte, NC Was the Atlanta & Richmond Air Line Railway.  Merged into the Southern Railway in 1894.
Atlanta & Richmond Air Line Railway   1870 1873 53 mi 1874 Atlanta, GA ? A merger of the Air Line Railroad and the Georgia Air Line Railroad (never laid any tracks) - owned by the Richmond & Danville Railroad.  Built 53 miles north from Atlanta. In Bankruptcy in 1874, reorganized as the Atlanta & Charlotte Air Line Railway in 1877.
Atlanta, Knoxville & Northern Railroad   1896 1896   1902 Atlanta, GA Knoxville, TN Was the Marietta & North Georgia Railroad, and purchased in 1902 by the Louisville & Nashville Railroad.
Atlantic & Carolina Railroad     <1920 23 mi <1980 Warsaw, NC Chinquepin, NC Not much info available.
Atlantic & Danville Railroad     <1896   1906 Milton, NC Dennison, VA Acquired by Southern Railway 1906.
Atlantic & East Carolina Railway AEC 1939 1939 95 mi 1958 Goldsboro, NC New Bern, NC When launched, used existing tracks leased from the older Atlantic & North Carolina Railroad, which was in dire financial conditions. 1958 became subsidiary of Southern Railway.
Atlantic & North Carolina Railroad   1854 1858 96 mi 1989 Goldsboro, NC Beaufort, NC Owned by North Carolina Railroad Company. Leased by Norfolk & Southern in 1904, which defaulted in 1932. Newly-created Atlantic & East Carolina Railway leased this line in 1939. Merged into the North Carolina Railroad in 1989.
Atlantic & Western Railroad   1899 1913 22 mi 1961 Sanford, NC Lillington, NC Sanford towards Broadway still in service.
Atlantic & Yadkin Railway   1900 1900   1950 Mt. Airy, NC Sanford, NC Cape Fear & Yadkin Valley Railroad sold at auction to Southern Railway in 1899, split up and set up a portion as the Atlantic & Yadkin Railroad in 1900.  As separate company, it was dissolved in 1950 and absorbed into the Winston-Salem division of Southern Railways.  Most later abandoned, but from Mt. Airy to Rural hall is still intact and merged into the Yadkin Valley Railroad.
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad ACL 1889     1967     Owners of the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad purchased the Wilmington & Manchester Railroad after the Civil War and they reorganized it as the Wilmington, Columbia & Augusta Railroad.  In 1871, they began marketing their two lines as the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad.  Incorporated in 1889.  Able to cross state lines, the companies of this name in VA, NC, and SC finally merged in 1900.  Merged with Seaboard Air Lines in 1967 to form Seaboard Coast Line.
Atlantic, Tennessee & Ohio Railroad   1855  1863 41 mi 1881 Charlotte, NC Statesville. NC Charlotte to Davidson opened 1861.  Davidson to Statesville opened 1863.  Destroyed in Civil War.  Rebuilt and reopened along entire line in 1871. In 1881 leased by the Charlotte, Columbia & Augusta Railroad.
Beaufort & Morehead Railroad BMH 1937 1937 3.1 mi 1990 Morehead City, NC Radio Island, NC Acquired line from Southern Railway in 1937.  Sold property to North Carolina Ports Railway Commission, who leased it to Morehead & Southfork Railroad in 1990.
Beaufort & Western Railroad     1905   1906 Beaufort, NC Morehead City, NC Acquired by Norfolk & Southern Railway (first) in 1906.
Bee Tree Lumber Company and Railroad     1912   1916 Swannanoa, NC Bee Tree, NC Flood destoyed the Bee Tree Mill in 1916.
Black Mountain Railway     1913 23 mi 1951 Kona, NC Eskota, NC Owned by the Clinchfield Railroad after private ownership of a couple of years.  Sold to local interests in 1951 and renamed the Yancey Railroad in 1955.
Blue Ridge & Atlantic Railroad   1887 Never 21 mi 1892 Savannah, GA Knoxville, TN First action was to purchase the line from Cornelia to Tallulah Falls (21 mi) from Northeastern Railroad of Georgia.  In bankruptcy by 1892, was re-incorporated as the Tallulah Falls Railway in 1897.  NC portion not built under BR&A - built under Tallulah Falls Railway - see below.
Buffalo & Snowbird Railroad   1920s  1920s   1978 Several Logging Camps in Graham Co., NC  Robbinsville, NC Used Graham County RR's equipment on B&S lines.
Caldwell & Northern Railway   1891 1893 11 mi 1910 Lenoir, NC Collettsville, NC Owned by Caldwell Land & Lumber Company.  1910 merged into the Carolina & North-Western Railway.
Caldwell County Railroad   1994   22.1 mi   Lenoir, NC Hickory, NC Purchased from Norfolk Southern by the Caldwell County Economic Development Commission in 1994.
Camp LeJeune Railroad CPLJ     30 mi 1999  Havelock, NC Camp Lejeune, NC Wholly owned subsidiary of Norfolk Southern Railway.  Very little info available.
Cape Fear & Northern Railway   1901 1904   1904 Durham, NC Dunn, NC Changed name to the Durham & Southern Railroad in 1904.  Never in operation under this name.
Cape Fear & Yadkin Valley Railroad   1879     1883 Fayetteville, NC Mt. Airy, NC In 1879 merger of the Western Railroad with the Mt. Airy & Ore Knob Railroad, this merger was reorganized as the Cape Fear & Yadkin Valley Railroad.  In 1881, it purchased the Fayetteville & Florence Railroad.  In 1883, it was reorganized as the Cape Fear & Yadkin Valley Railway #2.
Fayetteville, NC Bennettsville
Mt. Airy, NC Ore Knob
Cape Fear & Yadkin Valley Railway #1   1834 - - - Fayetteville, NC Yadkin Valley Company formed, but never had enough funds to move forward.  Project abandoned primarily because those in the western section would not put up any money.
Cape Fear & Yadkin Valley Railway #2   1883 1884   1900 Fayetteville, NC Mt. Airy, NC In 1879 merger of the Western Railroad with the Mt. Airy & Ore Knob Railroad, this merger was reorganized as the Cape Fear & Yadkin Valley Railroad.  In 1881, it purchased the Fayetteville & Florence Railroad. In 1883, it was again reorganized into the Cape Fear & Yadkin Valley Railway. Made agreement with South Carolina Pacific Railroad to meet at State Line and go on to Bennettsville, completed by late 1884.    It was acquired by Atlantic Coast Line (when?).  Assume 1900.
Fayetteville, NC Bennettsville
Mt. Airy, NC Ore Knob
Cape Fear Railway CF   ~1926     Fort Bragg, NC Skibo, NC Owned by the US Army at Ft. Bragg. Aberdeen & Rockfish Railroad connected to it in 1926.
Carolina & Georgia Railroad   1919 1919   1922 Andrews, NC Hayesville, NC Reorganized as Tennessee & North Carolina Railroad (#2) in 1922, when it acquired the Hiwassee Valley Railroad.
Carolina & North-Western Railway CRN 1897     1938     Originated as the Chester & Lenoir Narrow Guage Railroad and the Carolina Railroad, which merged in 1874, and when it went bankrupt in 1897 it was reorganized with new name.  This new railway gained control of the Caldwell & Northern Railway in 1905 and it was merged into the Carolina & North-Western Railway in 1910.  Went bankrupt in 1938.  Absorbed by Southern Railway (when?).  (Assume 1940)
Carolina & Yadkin River Railroad   1913  1914   1923 High Point, NC High Rock, NC Reorganize as the High Point, Thomasville & Denton Railroad.
Carolina Central Railroad   1880 1873   1892 Wilmington, NC Rutherfordton, NC Was the Carolina Central Railway.  Bought by Seaboard Air Line Railway in 1892.
Carolina Central Railway   1873 1873   1876 Wilmington, NC Rutherfordton, NC Was the Wilmington, Charlotte & Rutherford Railroad. Bankrupt in 1876, reorganized in 1880 as the Carolina Central Railroad.
Carolina Coastal Railway CLNA  1989 1907 17 mi   Pinetown, NC Belhaven, NC Leased tracks from Norfolk Southern Railway.  This line was built in 1907 by Norfolk Southern.
Carolina Narrow Gauge Railroad   1873     1873     NC only. Merged into the Chester & Lenoir Narrow Gauge Railroad same year as chartered.  Minutes of company exist from 1872 to 1899.
Carolina Northern Railroad   1899 1901 40 mi 1941 Lumberton, NC Marion, SC In receivership by December 1902, purchased by the Raleigh & Charleston Railroad in 1905.
Carolina Railroad   1872 Never   1874 Lenoir, NC Chester, SC Merged with Chester & Lenoir Narrow Guage Railroad in 1874 during construction. 
Carolina Southern Railroad   1995   76.5 mi   Whiteville, NC Mullins, SC Purchased two lines from CSX in 1995.
Chadbourn, NC Conway, SC
Carolina Southern Railway   1927 1927  22 mi 1980s Windsor, NC Ahoskie, NC Was the Wellington & Powellsville Railroad. Freight only
Carolina, Atlantic & Western Railroad   1914     1915     Acquired the Georgetown & Western Railroad in 1915. Absorbed by Seaboard Air Line later in 1915.  Also acquired the North & South Carolina Railway in 1914.  Built line from Andrews to Charleston in 1915.  Also took control of the Charlotte, Monroe & Columbia Railroad in 1915 (McBee to Jefferson).  In 1918 (as Seaboard Air Line) built a line from Charleston to Savannah to serve as an alternate route between those cities.
Carolina, Clinchfield & Ohio Railroad   1908   42 mi 1924 NC/TN Line Marion, NC Was the South & Western Railroad, changed its name in 1924 to the Clinchfield Railroad Corporation.
Marion, NC Spartanburg, SC
Carthage & Pinehurst Railroad     1907   1922 Carthage, NC Pinehurst, NC Operated by Aberdeen & Asheboro Railroad in 1907.  Lease transferred to Norfolk Southern in 1913.  Abandoned in 1922.
Champion Fibre Company Railroad         1941 Junction, NC Bear Pen, NC 3 locations in NC.
Charleston, Cincinnati & Chicago Railroad   1886 1891 40 mi 1893 Marion, NC Rutherfordton, NC Also, from Shelby to NC/SC State Line. 1893 sold to Ohio River & Charleston Railroad, which reorganized in 1902 as the South & Western Railroad.
Charlotte & Columbia Railroad   1847  1852   1852 Charlotte, NC Columbia, SC 1852 renamed to the Charlotte & South Carolina Railroad.
Charlotte & South Carolina Railroad   1852  1852   1869     Became Charlotte, Columbia & Augusta Railroad in 1869; acquired by Richmond & Danville Railroad in 1878; became Southern Railway in 1894.
Charlotte, Columbia & Augusta Railroad   1869     1878 Charlotte, NC Augusta, GA A merger of the Charlotte & South Carolina Railroad and the Columbia & Augusta Railroad in 1869.  Part of the Richmond & Danville Railroad from 1878 to 1894, when it became part of the Southern Railway.
Chatham Railroad   1855 1870   1871 Raleigh, NC Gulf, NC Merged into Raleigh & Augusta Air Line Railroad 1871.  Intersected with the Western Railroad near Jonesboro.
Cheraw & Darlington Railroad   1849 1853   1898 Cheraw, SC Wadesboro, NC Acquired by ACL of SC in 1898.  Abandoned in 1970s.
Cheraw & Salisbury Railroad     <1870   1892 Cheraw, SC Wadesboro, NC Acquired by the Cheraw & Darlington Railroad in 1892.  Later acquired by ACL in 1898.  Abandoned in 1970s.
Chesapeake & Albemarle Railroad CA  1990       Chesapeake, VA Edenton, NC 1990, leased line from Norfolk Southern.
Chester & Lenoir Narrow Guage Railroad   1873 1884   1897 Chester, SC Lenoir, NC Merged with the Carolina Railroad in 1874. Reorganized in 1897 as the Carolina & North-Western Railway
Shelby, NC
Chowan & Southern Railroad   1887  Never - Never Suffolk, VA Tarboro, NC Renamed as the Norfolk & Carolina Railroad during construction.
Cincinnati, Cumberland Gap & Charleston Railroad     1867   ~1883 Cincinnati, OH Charleston, SC Acquired by the East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia Railroad Company (when?) (~1883)
Cliffside Railroad CLIF 1905 1905 3.8 mi 1980s Cliffside Junction Private Mill  
Clinchfield Railroad CRR 1924 1909   1980s Marion, NC Spartanburg, SC Originally chartered as the Charleston, Cincinnati & Chicago Railroad. 1893 sold by bond-holders to the Ohio River & Charleston Railroad, which reorganized in 1902 as the South & Western Railroad, and in 1908 changed its name to the Carolina, Clinchfield & Ohio Railroad. In 1924 it again reorganized with the final name of the Clinchfield Railroad Corporation.  Ultimately bought by CSX Transporation Corporation (when?).  Assume 1980s.
Shelby, NC Camden, SC
Edgefield, SC Aiken, SC
Clinton & Faison Railroad     <1900   1900 Clinton, NC Faison, NC Owned by the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad.  Merged into Atlantic Coast Line by 1900.
Clinton & Warsaw Railroad     ~1886 13 mi 1900 Clinton, NC Warsaw, NC Owned by the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad.  Merged into Atlantic Coast Line by 1900.
Clinton Terminal Railroad   1995 1994 3.5 mi   Clinton, NC Clinton, NC Originated in 1994 as Waccamaw Coast Line.
CSX Transportation, Inc. CSXT 1986           Renaming of Seaboard Coast Line Railroad when it merged with Chessie System Railroad.
Damascus Lumber Company Railroad     1905   1940s Laurel Bloomery, TN Hemlock, NC Only used as a logging line.
Dan Valley & Yadkin River Narrow Gauge Railroad   1880  1883   1883 Danville, VA Leaksville, NC As most of the line became operational in 1883, it was reorganized as the Danville & Western Railroad. 
Danville & New River Railroad   1873  Never in Ops   1880 Danville, VA Leaksville, NC Reorganized during construction as the Dan Valley & Yadkin River Narrow Gauge Railroad. 
Danville & Western Railroad   1883  1884 27.8 mi <1920 Danville, VA Leaksville, NC Acquired by Southern Railway. (When?)  Assume <1920. On 1917 map with this name. aka Danville & Western Railway.
Deep Gap Tie & Lumber Company     <1916 5 mi 1940s Deep Gap, NC Fleetwood, NC Logging line from Watauga Co. to Ashe Co.
Dismal Swamp Railroad   - - - - Dismal Swamp Dismal Swamp Several logging lines from late 1800s to mid-1900s.
Dunn & Erwin Railroad       5.6 mi 1976 Dunn, NC Erwin, NC Owned by the Durham & Southern Railway. Acquired by Seaboard Coast Line in 1976.  Acquired by the Aberdeen & Rockfish Railroad in 1987.
Durham & Charlotte Railroad   1893     1911 Glendon, NC Gulf, NC Glendon, NC Gulf, NC Cumnock, NC Star, NC Acquired the Glendon & Gulf Railroad in 1896.  Acquired by Raleigh, Charlotte & Southern Railroad in 1911 (set up by Norfolk Southern).  Built Glendon to Star line in 1900.  Built Gulf to Cumnock line in 1910.
Durham & Northern Railroad     1889 40 mi 1900 Durham, NC Henderson, NC Acquired Seaboard Air Line Railway in 1900.
Durham & South Carolina Railroad   1905 1906 31 mi 1957 Durham, NC Moncure, NC Began as New Hope Valley Railroad.  In 1920, leased to Norfolk Southern Railroad for 99 years.  Purchased by NS in 1957.
Durham & Southern Railroad   1904 1904 59 mi 1979 Durham, NC Dunn, NC Launched by B.N. Duke as the Cape Fear & Northern Railway, changed name when opened in 1904. Acquired by Seaboard Coast Line in 1979.
East Carolina Land & Railway Company   1887 1893 37 mi 1893 New Bern, NC Jacksonville, NC In 1893, merged with the Wilmington, Onslow & East Carolina Railroad to form the Wilmington, Newbern & Norfolk Railway Company.
East Carolina Railway/Railroad     1901 26 mi 1965 Tarboro, NC Farmville, NC Extended to Hookerton before 1917.
East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad   1866 1881 3 mi in NC 1950 Johnson City, TN Cranberry, NC Owned by the Cranberry Iron & Coal Company.  Affectionately called the "Tweetsie RR."  NC construction completed between 1880-1881.
East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia Railroad/Railway   1869 1886 in NC   1892 Salisbury, NC
Asheville, NC 		 Murphy, NC
NC/TN Line		 1886 merger of Western North Carolina Railroad and part of the Richmond & Danville Railroad. Bankrupt in 1892. 1894 became part of Southern Railway.
Egypt Railway   1890 1891 10 mi 1907 Colon, NC Cumnock, NC Leased to the Raleigh & Western Railroad in 1893, entered receivership in 1907, reorganized as the Sanford & Troy Railroad in 1910. 
Elizabeth City & Norfolk Railroad   1870 1881   1883 Berkely, VA Edenton, NC 1883, named changed to Norfolk Southern Railroad (first with that name).  In receivership in 1889, re-emerged in 1891 as Norfolk & Southern Railroad, and also acquired the Albemarle & Pantego Railroad.
Elkin & Alleghany Railroad     1911 18 mi 1931 Elkin, NC Thurmond, NC Only 18 miles of track laid by convicts, ending at Veneer, NC
Fayetteville & Florence Railroad   1875 Never 0 Never Fayetteville, NC Florence, SC First owned by Wilmington & Weldon Railroad. Acquired by the Cape Fear & Yadkin Valley Railroad in 1881.  Survey and Layout done, but no track laid under this name. Built from Fayetteville to Bennettsville, SC by 1884 under the name of Cape Fear & Yadkin Valley Railway.  aka Florence Railroad.
Fayetteville Cutoff    1885