Durham and Southern Railway
Encyclopedia
The Durham and Southern Railway operated 56.8 miles (91.4 km) of railroad from Dunn
to Durham, North Carolina
, USA
. It was originally chartered as the Cape Fear and Northern Railway by Holly Springs resident George Benton Alford in 1892 and construction began in 1898. The name was changed to Durham and Southern in 1906. In 1979 it became part of the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
a predecessor to the
CSX
system. The tracks between Apex and Erwin Junction were removed in 1981 and the Dunn to Erwin segment (via Erwin Junction) was sold to the Aberdeen and Rockfish Railroad
who operated it as a separate entity, the Dunn-Erwin Railway, until merging it into their operations in 1990. The closure of the cotton and denim mill in Erwin in 2000 led to the abandonment of these tracks and the conversion of the right-of-way to a rail trail
. The Durham to Apex segment remains in use by CSX.
Dunn, North Carolina
Dunn is a city in Harnett County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 9,196 at the 2000 census.It is the birthplace of early an rock and roll guitar player, Link Wray, and General William C. Lee, father of the American Army Airborne. The city's slogan is "It's all right here." The...
to Durham, North Carolina
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was originally chartered as the Cape Fear and Northern Railway by Holly Springs resident George Benton Alford in 1892 and construction began in 1898. The name was changed to Durham and Southern in 1906. In 1979 it became part of the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
The Seaboard Coast Line Railroad was a former Class I railroad company operating in the Southeastern United States beginning in 1967. Its passenger operations were taken over by Amtrak in 1971...
a predecessor to the
CSX
CSX Transportation
CSX 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...
system. The tracks between Apex and Erwin Junction were removed in 1981 and the Dunn to Erwin segment (via Erwin Junction) was sold to the Aberdeen and Rockfish Railroad
Aberdeen and Rockfish Railroad
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 of track that runs from Aberdeen to Fayetteville, North Carolina.-History:...
who operated it as a separate entity, the Dunn-Erwin Railway, until merging it into their operations in 1990. The closure of the cotton and denim mill in Erwin in 2000 led to the abandonment of these tracks and the conversion of the right-of-way to a rail trail
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
. The Durham to Apex segment remains in use by CSX.
Stations
Timetable #20, dated September 20, 1959 listed the following stations:- DurhamDurham, North CarolinaDurham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
at Mile Post 0 (The D&S shared Durham's Union Station with several other railroads) - "East Durham" at Mile Post 2.3 (Interchanging with and crossing the Southern Railway)
- "D.& S.C. Junction" at Mile Post 3.8 (Interchanging with and crossing Norfolk Southern Railway's leased Durham & South Carolina Railroad)
- "Few" at Mile Post 5.7
- Genlee at Mile Post 10.4
- CarpenterCarpenter, North CarolinaCarpenter is a small community located in western Wake County, North Carolina. Carpenter is centered around the intersection of Carpenter-Upchurch Road and Morrisville-Carpenter Road just east of North Carolina Highway 55. Most of Carpenter has been annexed by the Town of Cary. The community was...
at Mile Post 14.2 - UpchurchUpchurch, North CarolinaUpchurch is a community within the Town of Cary in Wake County, North Carolina, United States.-Geography:Upchurch is located at , south of the community of Carpenter.-History:...
at Mile Post 16.7 - ApexApex, North CarolinaApex is a town in Wake County, North Carolina and a suburb of Raleigh. The population was 37,476 according to the 2010 census., wakegov.com-Geography:Apex is located at ....
at Mile Post 20.7 (Interchanging with and crossing the Seaboard Air Line RailroadSeaboard Air Line RailroadThe Seaboard Air Line Railroad , which styled itself "The Route of Courteous Service," was an American railroad whose corporate existence extended from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967, when it merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, its longtime rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line...
) - Holly SpringsHolly Springs, North CarolinaHolly Springs is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. As of 2009, the town population was estimated at 21,749, and it had gained the title of"The fastest growing town in North Carolina".-Geography:...
at Mile Post 26.9 - "Wilbon" at Mile Post 30.5
- Fuquay-VarinaFuquay-Varina, North CarolinaFuquay-Varina is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 7,898 at the 2000 census. In 2009, the population was estimated to be 17,910. The town is a 30-minute drive south of Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina...
at Mile Post 33.4 (Interchanging with and crossing the Norfolk Southern Railway) - KennebecKennebec, North CarolinaKennebec is a small unincorporated community in southern Wake County, North Carolina along the border of Harnett County. The community is situated along North Carolina Highway 55 and is the site of the Fuquay-Angier Airfield . Much of the area has been recently annexed by the Harnett County town...
at Mile Post 38.2 - AngierAngier, North CarolinaAngier is a town in the Black River Township of Harnett County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,350 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Angier is located at 35° 30’31" North, 78° 44’15" West ....
at Mile Post 40.4 (At one time the southern terminus of the Durham & Southern) - BarclaysvilleBarclaysville, North CarolinaBarclaysville is an unincorporated community located in Harnett County, North Carolina near the town of Angier. The community was a stop on the defunct Durham and Southern Railway and was formerly the site of Barclay-Barbee naval stores industry .-References:...
at Mile Post 44.5 - CoatsCoats, North CarolinaCoats is a town in Harnett County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,845 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Coats is located at ....
at Mile Post 48.8 - TurlingtonTurlington, North CarolinaTurlington is an unincorporated community in eastern Harnett County, North Carolina between the towns of Coats and Erwin, North Carolina. Other names for the community have previously included Slocumb Crossroads or Turlington Crossroads . An unsuccessful movement was undertaken in 1893 to have...
at Mile Post 51.8 - "Erwin Junction" at Mile Post 53.4, where a short branchline to Erwin began on the third leg of a wye track
- ErwinErwin, North CarolinaErwin is a town in Harnett County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,537 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Erwin is located at ....
(site of Erwin Mills #2 from 1903 - 2000) was on a branchline 2.0 miles from Erwin Junction - DunnDunn, North CarolinaDunn is a city in Harnett County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 9,196 at the 2000 census.It is the birthplace of early an rock and roll guitar player, Link Wray, and General William C. Lee, father of the American Army Airborne. The city's slogan is "It's all right here." The...
at Mile Post 56.8 (Interchanging with the Atlantic Coast Line RailroadAtlantic Coast Line RailroadThe 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...
)
External links
- History of the Durham & Southern Railroad
- History and photos of Durham's Union Station
- History of Angier, NC (a town that was an outgrowth of the D&S station house)
- Operations and Timetable of the Durham & Southern Railroad
- History of the Erwin Cotton Mills Company at Erwin, NC
- Rails-to-Trails Conservancy detail of Dunn-Erwin Rail-Trail