Aberdeen and Rockfish Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Aberdeen and Rockfish Railroad is a shortline
operating in North Carolina. At one time the AR was a Class 2 railroad. The railroad has 47 miles (75.6 km) of track that runs from Aberdeen to Fayetteville, North Carolina
.
The AR was incorporated
in 1892 by businessman John Blue. He built the railroad to get his timber
and turpentine
products to market. On June 30, 1895, the first stretch of road was opened from Aberdeen to Endon. In 1898 the company added a line from Ashley Heights to Raeford which soon became the main line with the Endon line as a branch. Shortly thereafter, the Endon branch was extended to Juniper. The main line was extended to Dundarrach in 1900, Rockfish in 1902, Fenix in 1904 and a branch from Rockfish to Hope Mills was added in 1905. For a while, Aberdeen–Hope Mills became the main line, with branches to Juniper and Fenix.
On November 14, 1909, another branch from Raeford to Wagram was opened. In 1912, the company abandoned the Endon branch and used the rails to construct an extension from Fenix to Fayetteville which opened on December 23 that year. At the same time the line to Hope Mills was abandoned, as it became unnecessary with the new link to the main line of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
in Fayetteville. Over the years the railroad's traffic has shifted from lumber to agriculture products. The AR is still owned by the Blue family and operates freight trains from Aberdeen to Fayetteville. The Wagram branch was sold to the Laurinburg and Southern Railroad
in 1921.
There was one scheduled freight train (train numbers 21 and 22), which ran between Aberdeen and Fayetteville Monday - Saturday; it departed Aberdeen at 7:45 am, and arrived at Fayetteville at 11:45 am. It returned from Fayetteville at 12:15 pm, and arrived back in Aberdeen at 4:05 pm.
ShortLine
Short Line is a brand name for three different Coach USA companies, Hudson Transit Lines, Hudson Transit Corporation, and Chenango Valley Bus Lines that provide local, commuter and intercity bus service in lower New York State, primarily along the Route 17 and Southern Tier corridor.-Service...
operating in North Carolina. At one time the AR was a Class 2 railroad. The railroad has 47 miles (75.6 km) of track that runs from Aberdeen to Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....
.
History
Incorporation (business)
Incorporation is the forming of a new corporation . The corporation may be a business, a non-profit organisation, sports club, or a government of a new city or town...
in 1892 by businessman John Blue. He built the railroad to get his timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
and turpentine
Turpentine
Turpentine is a fluid obtained by the distillation of resin obtained from trees, mainly pine trees. It is composed of terpenes, mainly the monoterpenes alpha-pinene and beta-pinene...
products to market. On June 30, 1895, the first stretch of road was opened from Aberdeen to Endon. In 1898 the company added a line from Ashley Heights to Raeford which soon became the main line with the Endon line as a branch. Shortly thereafter, the Endon branch was extended to Juniper. The main line was extended to Dundarrach in 1900, Rockfish in 1902, Fenix in 1904 and a branch from Rockfish to Hope Mills was added in 1905. For a while, Aberdeen–Hope Mills became the main line, with branches to Juniper and Fenix.
On November 14, 1909, another branch from Raeford to Wagram was opened. In 1912, the company abandoned the Endon branch and used the rails to construct an extension from Fenix to Fayetteville which opened on December 23 that year. At the same time the line to Hope Mills was abandoned, as it became unnecessary with the new link to the main line of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was an American railroad that existed between 1900 and 1967, when it merged with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, its long-time rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad...
in Fayetteville. Over the years the railroad's traffic has shifted from lumber to agriculture products. The AR is still owned by the Blue family and operates freight trains from Aberdeen to Fayetteville. The Wagram branch was sold to the Laurinburg and Southern Railroad
Laurinburg and Southern Railroad
The Laurinburg and Southern Railroad is a short-line railroad operating in North Carolina. The railroad has of track that runs south from Raeford to Laurinburg, North Carolina. In the past the Laurinburg and Southern controlled a number of other small railroads in North Carolina and Virginia...
in 1921.
Traffic
- Chemicals
- Animal Feed
- Grain
- Animal By-Products
- Building Supplies
- Fertilizer Solution
Route
- M.P. 00 Aberdeen, North CarolinaAberdeen, North CarolinaAberdeen is a town in Moore County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,400 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Aberdeen is located at ....
- interchangeInterchange stationAn interchange station or a transfer station is a train station for more than one railway route in a public transport system, and allows passengers to change from one route to another. Transfer may occur within the same mode, or between rail modes, or to buses...
with CSXCSX TransportationCSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
-SAL and Aberdeen, Carolina and Western RailwayAberdeen, Carolina and Western RailwayThe was incorporated in 1987 and operates on a former Norfolk Southern Railway branch line, running from Aberdeen to Star, North Carolina. It also leases track from Norfolk Southern between Charlotte and Gulf, North Carolina. It serves approximately 18 industries, mainly dealing in forest and...
(ACWR) and NSNorfolk Southern RailwayThe Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
Norfolk Southern. - Spivey Hill Siding
- M.P. 05 Ashley Heights, North CarolinaAshley Heights, North CarolinaAshley Heights is a census-designated place in Hoke County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 341 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ashley Heights is located at ....
(abandoned AR branch (8 miles) used to run east to Endon and Juniper) - McCain
- M.P. 10 Montrose
- M.P. 13 Timberland
- M.P. 19 Raeford, North CarolinaRaeford, North CarolinaRaeford is a city in Hoke County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,386 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Hoke County. The county was named after Confederate General Robert F. Hoke, as Tar Heel native....
- interchange with Laurinburg and Southern RailroadLaurinburg and Southern RailroadThe Laurinburg and Southern Railroad is a short-line railroad operating in North Carolina. The railroad has of track that runs south from Raeford to Laurinburg, North Carolina. In the past the Laurinburg and Southern controlled a number of other small railroads in North Carolina and Virginia...
(LRS) that runs over former AR track to Edinburgh, Purcell and Wagram, North CarolinaWagram, North CarolinaWagram is a town in Scotland County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 801 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Wagram is located at ....
(12 miles). - Upchurch Siding
- M.P. 24 Dundarrach, North CarolinaDundarrach, North CarolinaDundarrach is a census-designated place in Hoke County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 62 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Dundarrach is located at ....
- M.P. 26 Arabia, North Carolina
- M.P. 30 Rockfish, North CarolinaRockfish, North CarolinaRockfish is a census-designated place in Hoke County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,353 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Rockfish is located at ....
- M.P. 31 Hope Mills Junction (abandoned AR branch that used to run east to Hope Mills, NC)
- M.P. 34 Fenix
- M.P. 36 Cliffdale - AR branch to Clifbragg (former Cape Fear Railways route)
- M.P. 40 Skibo - former junction with abandoned track of Cape Fear Railways (CF)(Route to Fort Bragg)
- M.P. 42 Owens
- M.P. 45 South Fayetteville, North CarolinaFayetteville, North CarolinaFayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....
CSX-ACL AND NS-Norfolk Southern - River Terminal (on Cape Fear RiverCape Fear RiverThe Cape Fear River is a long blackwater river in east central North Carolina in the United States. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Cape Fear, from which it takes its name. The overall water quality of the river is continuously measured and monitored by and conducted by the , , and the...
)
Scheduled Service
In the August 1936 Official Guide, the Aberdeen and Rockfish Railroad operated one passenger round trip (train numbers 38 and 41) between Aberdeen and Fayetteville, departing Aberdeen at 8:50 am, and arriving at Fayetteville at 10:45 am; the return from Fayetteville at departed at 4:25 pm and arrived back in Aberdeen at 6:10 pm. The service ran Monday - Saturday, and Montrose, Dundarrach, Skibo, and Owens were flag stops.There was one scheduled freight train (train numbers 21 and 22), which ran between Aberdeen and Fayetteville Monday - Saturday; it departed Aberdeen at 7:45 am, and arrived at Fayetteville at 11:45 am. It returned from Fayetteville at 12:15 pm, and arrived back in Aberdeen at 4:05 pm.