The Atlantic & North Carolina Railroad was formed in 1854 and by 1858 had completed the line form Morehead City to Goldsboro where it joined with the North Carolina Railroad and the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad.

In 1904, operation of the A&NC was leased to the Norfolk & Southern Railroad. In 1932, the bankrupt N&S defaulted on the lease payments so the A&NC withdrew the lease in 1935 and began operating itself again. In 1939, operations were again leased, this time to the newly-formed Atlantic & East Carolina Railway Co. headquartered in Kinston, NC.

In July of 1946, the A&EC became the shortest railroad in North America to operate mainline diesel power, and by 1951 had completely dieselized its locomotive fleet. In 1958, the A&EC became a subsidiary of the Southern Railway. Today, the line is still owned by the Atlantic & North Carolina which is 70% owned by the State of North Carolina, and merged into the North Carolina Railroad in 1989.

Towns on Route:

Goldsboro

La Grange

Kinston

Dover

Clark

New Bern