Atlantic Coast Line
Richmond, VA to Rocky Mount, NC
Introduction
Historically, if a shipper had freight, and wanted to get it from, say, Miami to New York City, it had to travel on several different railroads. Today, CSX will do the entire job for you. This is the long-sought "seamless service" that CSX and NS used to justify much of the logic behind the break-up of Conrail. We're in the process of putting together a tour that you can use to follow the rails all the way from the Shared Assets Area in northern New Jersey to Florida. Twelve major segments are now complete, and the overall tour site is here.
For information about the Other Tours within Frograil, go to the Frograil Tour Guide. If this will be your first tour using data within the Frograil system of tours, you really should explore the Tour Guide thoroughly before venturing forth -- there is a lot of good, basic information contained therein, which could save you some serious grief, while increasing the overall enjoyment of your outing.
The tour segment contained on this page is from the south bank of the ex-ACL bridge over the James River in Richmond, VA, to Charlie Baker Interlocking in Rocky Mount, NC, a distance of about 120 miles. So far, 87 miles are completed from the James River, thru Petersburg, to just north of Halifax, NC. If you want to just quickly drive the route and hit some highlights, you can do it in several hours. However, if you want to see some trains and enjoy yourself, it's easily an all day tour. For lots more info about this piece of railroad, check out the Supplemental Data below.
Contents And Navigation
Other Tours
For information concerning the other Frograil tours which have been put together, go to the Tour Guide. A comprehensive packing list and other advice are also in the Tour Guide -- these will save you time and grief.
Contributors To This Tour
Dave Sharpe. All content, Petersburg depot (in Ettrick, VA) to Halifax, NC.
Peter Furnee, CSX logo
Tony Hill, Webmaster, content provider and owner. Any first person singular pronoun refers to Tony, unless specifically otherwise mentioned.
Train Gif Artists. Train gifs add life and color to this page, and take almost no time to load. I stick these gifs in whenever I get the urge -- there is no rhyme or reason, I just like them. You can see hundreds and hundreds of train gifs by clicking on the Train Gifs navigation button at the top of each Frograil page.
Help
If you'd like to contribute to this, or any other tour, please contact me at webmaster@frograil.com, and let me know what you'd like to do. We'll work together: You supply the data/info, and I'll do the HTML stuff and upload it. You'll get a chance to review the fruits of your efforts before the general public sees the finished product, so you can let me have your corrections, additions and changes.
Supplemental And Back-Up Data.
Life Support. You'll be close to I-95 all the way between Richmond and Rocky Mount, and life support is not at all a problem. It's not like you're in the middle of nowhere, about to starve, run out of gas, and die of dehydration.
The Railroad -- Background. This complete segment is part of the CSX main line from the northeast to Florida. It was the Atlantic Coast Line's main line, now referred to as CSX's A-Line, and carried many passenger, perishable and time freights in years gone by. It still does. Mile points start at the south bank of the James River in Richmond at A 0.0, and extend continuously numbered all the way into Florida.
The Railroad -- Geography. [NOTE: This discussion is limited to the currently completed portion of this segment, which is Richmond to Halifax.] Like New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington and Richmond, this tour takes place west of, or at, the fall zone. The "fall zone" is that part of the eastern seaboard east of which is the coastal plain to the ocean, and west of which is a series of rocky falls that do not allow coastal boats to continue upstream. These cities sprang up because the goods coming overland from west of the fall line had to be trans-loaded into coastal "packet" boats to continue down to tidal waters. Expect Piedmont hills, curves, and anything but flat, straight, easy to fan train chasing (although south of Petersburg, some significant stretches of tangent track begin to appear). You are well in the east of our country, but you are not east of the Piedmont.
The Railroad -- Physical Plant. For the long term survival and growth of CSX, this route is vital. The physical plant is in very good to fair condition -- not just the track work, but everything is obviously well maintained, and the right-of-way is cleared of brush and grass. When CTC was installed, the Atlantic Coast Line left several miles of double track, then several miles of single, etc., so rather than lots of single track with some sidings, you actually are touring a railroad which might be considered a 1 1/2 track main line. Capacity-wise, that was a smart decision, because this road can handle a lot more traffic than it's seeing today. Trains run fast, and they can be easily fleeted, because of the large amount of double trackage available to the dispatcher in Jacksonville.
During this entire segment, the ex-ACL main between Acca Yard north of the James River, and Collier Yard south of Petersburg is double track, with the 1 mile exception being the bridge over the Appomattox River at Petersburg. Beyond Petersburg, Dave Sharpe keeps us abreast of the start and end of double track sections.
The A-Line mile points start at A 0.0 which is the south end of the James River Bridge in Richmond. They continue unbroken all the way to Jacksonville.
The Railroad -- Traffic. You can, and will, see almost anything on the line. Remember that this is the I-95 of the railroad world, and it serves to connect the northeast metropolitan areas with the southeast and Florida. As you would expect, there are several Amtrak trains a day, as well as CSX's intermodal fleet. Manifest freight trains and unit coal trains round out the basic traffic, but unit grain trains and other non-regular movements will be seen.
As far as the number of trains, the numbers are pretty consistent between the 2 end points of this tour. Figure on 30-50 trains per day, and you'll probably not be far off or disappointed.
Another thing you should remember: This railroad is fairly flat, and has few major curves, especially south of Petersburg. Therefore, expect the trains to be fast and quiet. Be ready and be alert at all times.
Mapwork: Much of the tour is not easy if you have no detailed map for back country roads. I definitely recommend you get a DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer, study it before your trip, and copy pertinent pages for your field work. You can find information here about Railfan Maps that are available.
Photographic Considerations. Most crossings' photo ratings between Richmond and Petersburg will be described in a standardized method as in the following example: NE3, SE1, SW4, NW4. This means that going clockwise from the northeast quadrant of the crossing, each quadrant is rated, with 1 being excellent, and 4 being non-existent. Note that this refers to the relative field of view, not the photogenic quality of the location (which is a personal decision). A quadrant with a rating of 1 is "wide open" for photos. Note that a 4 may mean that the quadrant is solid trees right up to the ROW, there's a severe drop-off trackside, there's a farmer's field snug against the tracks, etc. In the example given, you'll note that this is definitely a morning site, as both western quadrants are bad.
Abbreviations. I try to limit the number of abbreviations to very common terms, such as CSX and NS. However, some terms get used repeatedly and are given here to help you understand them.
ACL. Atlantic Coast Line. A major predecessor of the Seaboard Coast Line and, later, CSX; we are following its mainline from Richmond to Rocky Mount.
AG. "At-grade" -- It may or may not be a railfan location, but you can be assured that the tracks and street/road are on the same level.
NAG. "Not at grade" -- Usually, a NAG crossing is a poor place to take pix, but not always. However, you should be warned if a crossing isn't at grade, and that's why I try to always clue you in.
NARL. "Not a railfan location" -- In my humble opinion, this location is not worth the visit; indeed, it is probably to be avoided. NARL's result from no photo access, dangerous conditions, or personal security considerations.
NFOG. "Not found on the ground" -- Some roads that went thru during the 1930's, 1970's, etc., are still shown on some maps. During the research for this tour, if we couldn't find such and such a road, it gets a NFOG rating, and you should probably not waste your time looking for it.
WEBMASTER'S NOTE: I do not recommend or condone walking along the tracks, as this means trespassing or exposing yourself to danger. You may have to be creative, in some instances, to avoid trespassing while getting to the detailed locations included herein, but you will either have to be creative or not visit those sites. At no point in this tour guide, or any other tour which is part of Frograil, is it recommended that you trespass or expose yourself to danger. If you are a fool and have a leg cut off (or worse), don't come crying to me: You have been warned. Trains are big, powerful, and often surprisingly quiet. Don't end up being a statistic.
Richmond, VA - Rocky Mount, NC -- Railfan sites:
The Tour
Richmond -- James River Bridge South End. Follow the signs to VA-161 south, and go thru the parks and over the James River. I think the bridge toll is about 50 cents. You'll go far over the CSX ex-C&O James River Line on the north bank of the river, and the NS line up from Burkeville on the south. Go to the major intersection with Forest Hill Avenue, and take a right.
Just before the overpass of the CSX tracks (now, technically, part of the ex-ACL A-Line to Florida), go right onto Dorchester Road. You'll head downhill to an intersection with New Kent Street. Park on Dorchester and walk down to the end of New Kent, and a path towards the tracks. About 1/4 mile north of this place is the south end of the CSX James River Bridge. While the dirt road along the tracks will easily take you there, it is obviously trespassing. However, if you're an engineer or construction expert and really want to see the bridge, you can go down to it and get off to either side. I'm neither engineer nor expert, and do not feel this spot to be a railfan location.
You have about an E3 photo rating to the south and perhaps an E2 to the north, but the big trees cast shadows over both tracks virtually all day. There is little or no access from the west side of the tracks.
Richmond -- Forest Hill Avenue Overpass. Go back up Dorchester Road and park in the vicinity of Forest Hill Avenue. Walk west to the overpass. Both sides of the overpass have good sidewalks across the bridge itself, but only the north side has sidewalks next to Forest Hill on the way up to the bridge itself. This street is extremely busy, even on weekends, and you will not be able to casually walk from one side of the bridge to the other. The view to the south is obscured by heavy wires, but that to the north is clear: N2. The cut is a little too narrow to rate an N1. Shadows will definitely be a problem in the morning and evening.
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Richmond -- Jahnke Road. Get back on Forest Hill and head southeast. The first right past the overpass is Dorchester, but if you miss it, just keep going to Jahnke Road and then take that right. Dorchester dead ends at Jahnke, anyway, so it's 6 of one, and a half-dozen of the other. Jahnke crosses the tracks at grade just a block and a half beyond the point where Dorchester met Jahnke. Just before crossing the tracks, park on the left (there's room on the right, too, but it's pretty small). Here are the photo ratings: NE4, SE1, SW3, NW3. Obviously, this isn't an ideal location, but viewing is excellent from the southeast. Otherwise, the sun will fight you most of the day, and shadows may be a minor problem.
Richmond -- Meadow. Finally! A timetable location. Meadow is the site of a set of crossovers, and trains waiting to enter the Richmond Terminal will often be held here. There are no grade crossings for what appears to be at least 2 miles to the south, so almost any train can be held. From the Jahnke Road crossing, continue west to a left onto Byswick Lane. Go south a few blocks to another left onto Bassett Road. Bassett is AG, and the crossing is immediately south of the crossover itself, and immediately north of the electronic tower controlling the switches. The tower is identified as "Meadow", and is at MP A1.0.
Photo ratings are NE3, SE2, SW2, NW3, which are not very good, but you're in a big city, and you just have to take what you can get. At least you're trackside!
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Richmond -- Broad Rock Boulevard. Go back east and take a right onto VA-161/Westover Hills Boulevard. Go past US-360/Hull Street, as the US-360 overpass is NAG/NARL, as it is a very busy thoroughfare. VA-161 will run into VA-10/Broad Rock Boulevard. Take a right on the latter to go south to the tracks. Actually, as you turn right, you join VA-161, and both Virginia state roads run together for several blocks. They will then separate at a fairly confusing intersection, with VA-161 going off to the southeast, and VA-10 continuing to the southwest. Just after this separation, VA-10/Broad Rock Boulevard crosses the A-Line at a good railfan location.
Parking is a bit of a problem, but if you can walk a hundred feet or so, there are plenty of opportunities. Just bear in mind that the area is very busy with street traffic, and a guy running around with an expensive camera, crossing the tracks repeatedly, and dodging cars while going back and forth will not be enshrined as a monument to sensible railfanning. Use some judgement and prior planning. That said, photo locations rate an NE1, SW3, NW2, and another to the north and east is rated 1. When you visit the location, you'll see why the cookie cutter compass location ratings don't work here. This is a fairly complicated and challenging place for a photographer, but there are some pretty wide open avenues, also. Do a little prior planning, and I think you'll be happy with the result.
This is MP A 3.08.
Richmond -- Terminal Road. Go back to VA-161/Belt Boulevard, and head further southeast. MapQuest shows Hopkins Lane crossing the tracks (which you are now paralleling to the east), but it is NFOG. Hopkins Road comes off of VA-161 just south of the vestigial Hopkins Lane, and it does cross the tracks, but it is NAG/NARL. You can go over the tracks on Hopkins Road, and double back towards the tracks on Terminal Avenue, per MapQuest, but Terminal is cut well west of the tracks, so you have no access. To avoid all this frustration, just continue south on VA-161/Belt Boulevard until you see Terminal Road going off to the west (this is a very minor road here, so be alert).
The remains of what was Terminal Road will cross the tracks, with photo ratings of NE3, SE3, SW4, NW1. Obviously, you'll not want to spend a lot of time here, but it will get you trackside if you need to catch an imminent movement. MP A 3.87.
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Richmond -- FA Junction. From back out on VA-161/Belt Boulevard, go south once again to a T with Warwick Road/Bells Road. Along the way, pass up Platinum Drive, as the road is severed well east of the long-gone crossing. At Bells, take a left and drive across the industrial track to Castlewood Road, and take a right. Go all the way to VA-647/Walmsley Boulevard, and take a right. This will take you to a crossing at what historically was FA Junction. This location used to be an all-ACL spot whereby the A-Line coming up from the south split to go: 1. Straight north thru the industrial area of Clopton, and then on to cross the James River and end at the long gone 8th Street/Byrd Avenue station; or, 2. Northwest to cross the James River and then to RF&P's Acca Yard (the line we are following on our tour). Trackage on the old north track is still intact thru today's industrial customers, and the wye at Clopton is still intact, also. Aerial images of the area show plenty of railroad cars, so the industrial activity seems to be alive and well.
The actual junction is just south of Walmsley Boulevard, and the crossing is NE1, SE3, SW2, NW2. Be aware that the street is very busy and noisy, so stay alert. This is a pretty good fan location. MP A 5.52.
Richmond -- Cogbill Road Trestle. Ok, here's one for the true photographers out there. Plenty of challenges, but ample rewards for those talented with a shutter. South of Walmsley, you're in Chesterfield County, not Richmond, by the way. You are entering a pretty suburban to almost country area, with hills and curving roads, so slow down and enjoy the drive.
From FA, go east back to Caldwell Avenue and turn right. This will take you down to Castlewood Road, and a right turn. You'll go over the A-Line on a NAG/NARL, and will very shortly after turn left onto what is still called Castlewood Road. This will T at Cogbill Road, and you should turn left to head back to the tracks. Scenic Falling Creek will be on your right as you round a curve and suddenly see the railroad trestle going over the road and creek. The railroad is almost dead north-south, and viewing is W1, E4. Depending on the time of year and time of day, you can get excellent shots of trains on the bridge in the afternoon.
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Drewrys Bluff. South of the Cogbill Road trestle, the railroad is in the wilds, and a fairly significant detour is in order. Continue east on Cogbill Road, and it will take you out to US-1/US-301/Jefferson Davis Highway. Take it south, go past Chippenham Parkway, and then take a right onto Dundas Road. This will take you via a NAG/NARL over the tracks where they begin to form the border with the Defense Supply Center (DSC) to the east and Chesterfield County to the east. There is no public access to DSC.
Once over the tracks, Dundas Road becomes South Beulah Road, and it will curve 90° to the south. Finally, take a left onto Dalebrook Drive, which will bend due southeast to very closely parallel the tracks. In fact, it parallels them so closely that there is no room for trees and shrubs. Therefore, you've got a pretty long stretch of wide-open viewing. W1/E4. Keep a low profile, as the DSC is a sensitive area.
Centralia -- Kingsland Road. Bluffside Drive will go west from Dalebrook Drive, and to leave the DSC area, you should take it out to a right onto Conifer Road. At South Beulah Road, take a left and go all the way to Hopkins Road, and take another left. At the intersection with Kingsland Road, take a 3rd left, and scoot east towards the tracks. The crossing is rated NE3, SE2, SW1, NW3. The tracks are dead north-south. MP A 9.38.
Centralia -- Thurston Road. From the Kingsland Road crossing, turn around and go back west to Hopkins Road. Take a left to head south, and be on the look out for Laurel Oak Road on the right. Just past this, look for an oblique turn on the left at a very minor road. This is Thurston Road, and it will take you to a pretty decent crossing: NE2, SE2, SW1, NW2. The MP A 10 market is just south of the crossing. To the south, you can see the signals for "Centralia", almost a mile away.
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Centralia -- Centralia Junction. Once again, turn around and get back to Hopkins Road, take a left, and head further south. You'll go under VA-288, a beltway-like expressway, and then will come to a sort of T, with Hopkins going right and Old Lane going left. Take the left to get to a crossing: NE4 (structure in the way), SE4, SW2, NW3. This is the poorest crossing in the area, in terms of photo field availability, but is interesting because of what railroad activity happens here. By the way, Old Lane, contrary to what its name might indicate, is a very busy road.
Just north of the crossing is Centralia Junction, at MP A 10.7. The track diverging to the northeast goes up to Bellwood, which has a yard servicing the extensive chemical and other industrial industries in the Bellwood, Bermuda Hundred and Hopewell areas. This is a very important source of car origination and termination for CSX.
Centralia -- Centralia Road. Continue east on Old Lane to a right on Chester Road, a major area highway. The first intersection you'll encounter is Centrailia Road, and you should take a right, which will very shortly yield a very nice crossing. NE1, SE1, SW2, NW1. As you can see by the photo ratings, this is the best photo location so far south of the James River. The MP A 11 marker is just north of the street. Centralia Road is a major thoroughfare in the area, so be very careful. Just south of this point, the railroad will begin to get away from the dead north-south bias we've been struggling with (photographically, i.e.) for several miles.
Chester -- Curtis Street. The tracks are to the west and inaccessible for some distance, so just drive on south via Chester Road into Chester. The main drag thru Chester is VA-10/Hundred Road, but the downtown area is exploding with new condos, commercial properties, etc, and access to the tracks is non-existent. Instead, stay on Chester Road to cross Hundred, and the street becomes Winfree Street. In three blocks, take a right onto Curtis Street, which will reach the tracks and snake around to go over them via an at grade crossing. The crossing is pretty good at NE2, SE1, SW4, NW2. Railroad Street parallels the tracks south of the crossing, but the tracks are treed in. Further south one block, West Street also crosses at grade, but the viewing is not nearly as good as Curtis Street.
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Chester -- Old Fuel Company. When you are west of the tracks on Railroad Street, go north for two blocks. Dodomeade Street will come in on your left, and many years ago it used to cross the tracks at grade. You crossed Dodomeade on the east side of the tracks when you came south on Winfree Street. In this area there was apparently a coal and fuel oil facility, and the remains of the coal unloading station and some derelict, rusty equipment are evident today. Look for the remains of Dodomeade (?...this may just be the long ago entrance to the fuels company) to the right, and take it across a concrete pad and a large gravel parking area.
To the north, the Centralia Junction approach signals can be seen under the VA-10/Hundred Street overpass, and trains coming from the south can be seen at least 1 mile away. The signals will help you with northbounds, but not for southbounds. For the latter, you should hear them blow for the Old Lane and Centralia Road crossings.
Photo ratings are W 1/2 and E 4, as there is no access from the east. This is an afternoon location, as the tracks are on a northwest - southeast bias here. Do not cross the tracks, as the track speed is 60MPH here, and with the ambient noise from the commercial activity and VA-10 traffic to the north, those trains can be in your lap in a hurry. Just sit well back from the tracks, set your scanner up, and get out the cooler and lawn chairs.
Frograil gives a tip 'o the hat to Dave Sharpe, who contributed this site to the tour.
Walthall -- Ruffan Mill Road. Leave Chester via VA-10/Hundred Road heading east, and go all the way to US-1/Jefferson Davis Highway. The railroad will be in the wilderness for several miles, and we'll be going all the way to the Walthall area. Just north of the latter, US-1/301/ Jefferson Davis Highway goes under the tracks on a NAG/NARL, and the next real road to the left is VA-746/Ruffan Mill Road. Take the left and park in the vicinity of the overpass.
Fanning is fairly safe, as this is a modern bridge with wide walkways. The tracks are on a northwest-southeast bias, so photos should be OK just about any time of day. N2/S1. That said, however, there is a mesh screen above the walkway railings that is harder to shoot thru than chain link. You might try shooting from either end of the bridge.
Walthall -- Woods Edge Road. Just south of Ruffan Mill Road, Indian Hill Road shows on some maps. Today, however, it appears vestigial and cut on the aerials, and I passed it up. So, go back to US-1, take a left and head south. At Woods Edge Road, take a left, and go to the tracks. The crossing is NE1, SE1, SW2, NW4, and the tracks are once again dead north-south, so this is definitely an all day location for southbounds, and always problematic for northbounds.
The crossing is MP A 17.4, and a talking detector, "Petersburg", is visible in the area of the signals to the south, at A 17.4. If you continue east on Woods Edge Road, you'll come to I-95's exit 58.
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Colonial Heights -- Pine Forest Drive. Continue south on US-1, and just past the point where Happy Hill Road comes in at a very oblique angle on the left side of the road, look for Pine Forest Road, also on the left. Take it and drive to the crossing. Ratings are NE1, SE4, SW3, NW1, and the MP is A 18.33.
Colonial Heights -- Ellerslie Avenue. The railroad now ducks back into the swampy wilderness, so go back to US-1/301/Jefferson Davis Highway, take a left, and drive south all the way into the built-up area of Colonial Heights. We will encounter several locations in a short distance, and each will be quite different. Look for East Ellerslie Avenue going off to your left; take it and park in the vicinity of the overpass. This is a NAG and viewing is so-so, at N3/S2, but the railroad has now swung to a northeast-southwest bias, and photos that might not work in the past few locations to the north might work fine here. Screening above the walkway railings is a problem for picture takers.
Colonial Heights -- US-1. If you don't like shooting or viewing from an overpass, go back up to US-1, take a left to go south, and you'll soon come to an underpass of the tracks. As underpasses go, this one is fairly open, as the road is rather broad, and photos from the north will be 2-3, but I don't think shooting from the south is any good. You'll want to scout this location out before you hear a horn, because it's not really a simple area.
Ettrick -- Branders Bridge Road. Following via US-1/301/Jefferson Davis Highway further south, a progression of small side streets will be on your right: F Avenue, E Avenue, etc, until you pass A Avenue. Then, at James Avenue, take a right and follow the main flow of traffic as it becomes Branders Bridge Road, and enters the town of Ettrick. The crossing is not bad at all, at NE3, SE2, SW2, NW2. Signals are visible just to the north.
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Ettrick -- Dupuy Road. The easiest way to get to our next railfan location is to backtrack down Branders Bridge all the way to US-1. Take a right on the latter, and go about 4 blocks to a right on Piedmont Avenue. This will head west, re-enter the town of Ettrick, and then take a sharp turn to the southwest. At Dupuy Road, take a right and proceed to the crossing, which is rated at NE2, SE3, SW4, NW1 -- a real mixed bag of values. This is MP A 21.5.
Ettrick -- Station Area. Ettrick is the location of the Petersburg passenger station, and has been since the ACL days. Cross the tracks heading west on Dupuy, and take your first left onto Laurel Road. This will take you along the tracks, but they are treed in. When you reach the southern end of Laurel, work to the west to get onto Chesterfield Avenue/VA-36 (you may have to drive around behind a shopping area), which is a major road that will take you over the tracks and to a left onto Granger Street. Just before Granger swings 90° to the northeast, take a left onto River Road, and then slop to the right into Bessie Lane. Drive to the big, modernistic station and park well north of this station.
There are actually two stations at this site. The older one is the Atlantic Coast Line station, which has a fence around it. The big, newer one was built by Seaboard Coast Line or the Chessie System, after ACL merged with the Seaboard Air Line. These stations are not actually in Petersburg, they're in Ettrick, just north of the Appomattox River and Petersburg. There is a paved platform on the east side of the tracks, and it's a humdinger -- it must be a quarter mile long, stretching from well north of the new station to beyond the old one to the south.
There are light poles along the platform area, but you can walk to the north beyond the poles. This is a northeast-southwest railroad here, so the east side platform is definitely a morning location. For shots from the west, there is a small grassy area south and opposite from the old station.
Across the tracks to the west, off Laurel Avenue, is a large recreation area, so the family can enjoy themselves while you watch the railroad action. To get to the park, go back out East River and take your first right onto Granger, and then another onto VA-36/Chesterfield. The park/rec area is just a short way beyond the railroad overpass.
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Webmaster's Note: Between the station in Ettrick,VA, and Halifax, NC, a distance of about 65 rail miles, the text of this tour is courtesy of Dave Sharpe, a local who definitely knows the area. Text is from his research done in 2008.
Petersburg -- Lincoln Street. These directions are for those who are continuing their tour from the station in Ettrick. For those who are starting the tour in Petersburg, go here for directions from I-85.
To the immediate south of Ettrick station on the west side of the A-Line, there is a large agricultural facility -- Randolph Farm -- which is operated and supervised by Virginia State University. The university is located in Ettrick. There is NO public access to the north end of the big Appomattox River bridge. Indeed, the entire area has been perimeter fenced. On the east side of the mainline, the property is also perimeter fenced to the river, and is also controlled by the University. The bottom line here is that there is no public access to the A-Line north of the Appomattox River.
On the south side of the river, Frograil previously had a railfan location for the vicinity of Battersea Lane, but that area is now posted by CSX, and the area is more than a little rough. This is definitely now NARL.
Petersburg is a very old city, and is really kind of neat. These driving instructions take you from the station, across the river, thru Petersburg, and then to the first accessible grade crossing south of the station. Get back on Chesterfield Avenue/VA-36, and head south (left). This will take you across the river (where the name changes to Fleet Street), and then the old main line of Norfolk Southern (ex-N&W), and then you should take a slight right onto Canal Street. At North South Street, take a slight left, which will take you to US-1/460Business.
Take a right, and after 0.3 miles, turn left onto South West Street, and when you get to Lincoln Street, take a right, and the crossing is a half mile or so ahead. All these directions take longer to type than to drive, as it's a distance of only 3.05 miles, according to MapQuest.
From I-85: Take exit 65 for Squirrel Level Road, and take a right (north) at the stop sign. Continue on (Squirrel Level is now Youngs Road) to the first major right, which is Lincoln Street. The crossing is about 1/4 mile ahead.
The crossing itself offers limited accessibility, and the community to the east is rough. Photo ratings are in the 3's at most, so it's not too bad, but there are much better locations not far to the south. The crossing is at MP A 24.50.
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Petersburg -- Boydton Plank Road. Just east of the tracks, go south on Montgomery Avenue. Take a right at the T with Boydton Plank Road/Halifax Road/VA-142, and park at the convenience store 0.1 mile from the overpass. The overpass itself is fairly narrow, and carries a lot of traffic, so use your judgement. Again, the neighborhood to the east is rough, so you should be circumspect with regard to flashing around a lot of expensive photographic or communications equipment.
One interesting thing about the overpass is that you can see the Appomattox River bridge and the A-Line for a full three miles to the north. Photo ops are definitely best to the north, as the sun fights you to the south.
Petersburg -- Grimes Road. One block west of the crossing, take a left to follow Halifax Road south. We will see a lot of Halifax Road. Take a left at Grimes (before going under the interstate) and park in the vicinity of the crossing. This is an AG crossing, and is rated: NE 1-2, SE 1-2, SW 2, NW 3. The rating for the eastern quads is dependent upon lighting, with mornings usually best.
The neighborhood in the area is relatively safe. MP A 25.07.
Petersburg -- Halifax Road Overpass. From Grimes Road, continue south on Halifax Road, go under the interstate bridges, and stay hugging the tracks until you get to a rather new overpass that goes up and over the tracks to the left. The overpass is very busy, including a trash container on flatbed semi every few minutes or so! The new construction did, thankfully, provide for wide shoulders. We do not recommend you spend more than a few minutes on the bridge, as you might draw some unwanted attention upon yourself.
Lighting and viewing to the north are very good, but the south view will fight the sun virtually all day.
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Petersburg -- Vaughn Road. If there is only one spot you can visit in the Petersburg area, this is perhaps the best. It's easily accessible from I-85, offers a fine view of Collier Yard to the south, and viewing from the west side of the tracks is unimpeded by trees. Including Richmond, this is probably the most popular railfan area in the central Virginia area. From the foot of the Halifax Road Overpass on the west side of the tracks, go south on Vaughn Road. The two main tracks will be hard on your left. When Vaughn goes over the NS Norfolk - Roanoke main (correctly known as the NS Petersburg Beltline), and the road approaches a curve to the west, park on the right side of the road, if possible. Recently, CSX (or the city) has put up no parking sawhorses on the east side of the road, which has been the traditional parking area.
If you're not following the tour south from Petersburg and wish to see some trains, as my wife and I do every time we go up and down I-85 to visit our kids and grandkids in the DC area, take exit 65 from I-85, and go south on Squirrel Level Road. When Squirrel Level goes 90° to the southwest, continue on via Wells Road. This will take you up to a T with Halifax Road. Bear right, and continue straight south at the Halifax Road Overpass.
At Vaughn Road, you'll be able to see 30-50 CSX trains per 24 hours. This is a fine railfan location. A must see. But as a huckster on the info-mercials would tell you -- "But wait, there's more!" Indeed, the "more" is the main line of the Norfolk Southern (referred to as the Beltline) which is immediately north of the curve to the southwest on Vaughn Road. It's in a fairly deep cut under Vaughn. Step over the guard rail on the western edge of the road -- you'll see a manhole cover surrounded by a concrete pad about 12'x4'. Standing on that pad gives an outstanding morning southwestern view of the NS main, which is single track here. A Frograil Tour of the NS line heading westward is here.
Petersburg -- Vaughn Road Crossing. If you continue a little further southwest on Vaughn Road, you come to a crossing. This is the connecting track between the NS Beltline and CSX Collier Yard. Autoracks are routinely interchanged through these tracks, as is scrap metal for nearby Chaparral Steel Works. There is an NS MOW office to the right, immediately south of the AG crossing, and the CSX entrance to Collier Yard is on the left. NE4,SE1,SW2,NW3. Don't even think about trespassing on railroad property.
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Petersburg -- Collier Yard. This is not a railfan location, but we include it to give you an idea of what Collier is all about. In early Seaboard Coastline days, Collier was an interchange and classification yard for traffic on the A-Line and the old Seaboard Air Line Hamlet - Petersburg "S-Line". With mergers, elimination of the Raleigh - Petersburg S-Line, and other consolidations in the Petersburg area itself, Collier Yard is a shadow of its former self. The first time I personally saw the yard was on a Silver Service Amtrak train going north towards Washington. Here was this very large yard, and seemingly nothing was in it. It was like being in Europe in the 1970's all over again. There was this big yard, and there was nothing there. That was probably in the mid-1990's. Trash now comes down in a seemingly endless stream from the northeast, and Collier is busier now. A lot busier.
As Dave Sharpe notes, the yard sees steady NS interchange traffic, scrap metal, autoracks, finished steel girders and beams, and lots and lots and lots of municipal trash from the northeast. The latter comes down in 20' containers that are trucked in and out of Collier almost constantly, in a never ending cycle of unloading and loading. The latter is great business for CSX in the 21st Century.
Petersburg -- South Collier Yard. From the Vaughn Road crossing of the spur coming up for the NS Beltline, continue south on Vaughn, and take a left onto Flank Road. You'll go under Collier Yard via a NAG/NARL, and come to a T with Halifax Road. Take a right, and Halifax will go up and over the tracks, a little south of the yard throat. The overpass is not brand new, but is modern enough to give you some access for photos, but BE CAREFUL, as the speed limit is 55mph, and you will have little extra room. Park near the bridge, walk up and take your shot, and then get off the bridge until the next train comes along.
To the north, the south yard operations and approach signals for the yard can be observed from the bridge. You have tangent track for quite a way here, and can see northbounds in Carson, ~ 5 miles to the south. To the northwest, the old SAL Raleigh - Pembroke connection can be seen at the south end of the yard, curving to the west. Double tracks to the south revert to single track about 1 mile south of the Halifax overpass.
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Reams -- Butler Branch Road. Continue south on Halifax Road to Butler Branch Road, take a left, and continue about 0.5 mile to a single track crossing. MP A 31.03. The crossing is pretty decent, at NE-4, SE-2, SW-2, NW-1, and there is adequate space to park on either side of it.
Reams -- Oak Grove Road. Go back the way you came, to Halifax Road, and turn left. After about a mile, you'll come to the crossing, which is still single track. Cross the tracks and park. MP A 32.41. Photo ratings are NE-4, SE-2, SW-2, NW-1, and there is a signal mast about 100 yards north of the crossing.
Reams -- Ellington Road. Once again, back out to Halifax Road, and take a left to head south. Take a left onto Ellington, and you come to the single track crossing in about one-half mile. MP A 33.62, and the photo ratings are not inspiring: NE-4, SE-4, SW-2, NW-2. Approximately 200 yards north of the crossing is a siding leading into the Ellington Substation for wide/tall/heavy loads of electrical apparatus. There is a dirt road on the NW quad that allows for parking and decent viewing.
Also here, and somewhat puzzling, is the defect detector at MP A 33.7, just a little south of the crossing. It's puzzling because it doesn't look like any others we've seen.
Carson. Not to be repetitious, but get back out to Halifax road and take another left. Continue south to an overpass of the tracks. This one is NAG/NARL, so continue until you enter Carson. As you approach the tracks (from the east) there will be a grain elevator and weigh station on the right, just before the grade crossing. There is a public library (with a Norfolk & Western caboose!! -- he is far from home) south of the crossing on a nearby knoll. The crossing itself is MP A 36.94, and there is plenty of parking and clear photo access in this quaint village. NE-2, SE-2, SW-2, NW-2.
One mile south of the crossing, the main line once again becomes double tracked, with the west main modern welded rail, and the east main "stick" rail, and treated like a long passing siding.
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Stony Creek -- St. John Church Road. East of the crossing, Rowanty Road bears right off of Halifax, and will take you very shortly to US-301, a highway well known to southern railfans. US-301 parallels the A-Line for approximately 2 miles. There are several access points to the tracks, but none of them offer fanning from off-railroad property, or photographically decent opportunities. Therefore, continue to St. John Church Road, go past Davis Truckstop (you are adjacent to I-95 here), and go west about one-half mile to the intersection with Galley Road.
St. John Church goes over the tracks on an AG crossing, and Galley continues south to hug the rails for about a mile. Photo ratings at the St. John Church crossing are E2/W4. The crossing is MP A 41.42, and the railroad becomes single track again at MP 42.2 southbound.
Stony Creek -- Halifax Road. Galley Road will take you to the point at which Halifax Road crosses the tracks from the northwest. Galley/Halifax (not sure what the correct name is, but it changes to Main Street in Stony Creek) continues to hug the rails on the east, and enters Stony Creek. Like the previous crossing, the Halifax Road crossing is E2/W4; it is MP 42.65.
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Stony Creek -- Flatfoot Road. When you cross Stony Creek and enter its namesake town, be careful to not exceed 25mph, as there is a $200 fine for doing so. Park off the street near the A-Line bridge across the creek. The bridge is a unique 3 panel truss with through girders under the roadbed. The east main across the bridge has been removed, but could be reinstalled if traffic and economic conditions mandate double tracking the line. Morning light is best for trains passing through the bridge. At Flatfoot Road (the first east-west road in town) turn right, cross the tracks, and park.
This is a railfan location, but not a good one, and is given for those who need to be trackside in a hurry. NE-3, SE-3, SW-4, NW-2. The railroad bridge described in the preceding paragraph is about 200 yards north of the Flatfoot Road Crossing. The crossing itself is MP A 43.23.
Stony Creek -- Lee Avenue. Go back across the tracks and take a right to go south on Main Street to a T at Lee Avenue/VA-40Business. The Lee Avenue crossing is just to the right, and is a "2" on all quads -- a much better fanning location than was Flatfoot Road. MP A 43.40.
Stony Creek -- VA-40 Bypass. Cross the tracks going west on Lee Avenue, take a left onto Palestine Road, and go south to a left onto VA-40 Bypass. The bridge over the A-Line is new and has wide shoulders, and gives good viewing to the north. You can see for about 3 miles north. To the south there is a tree-lined curve, and you a facing into the sun most of the day.
Be aware the VA-40 is a major highway in this area, carrying a lot of area traffic. Also, it is used by truckers as a connector between I-95 (just a half mile to the east -- lots of life support) and I-85 to the west. Get your pix and then get off the bridge until another train is imminent.
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Huske -- Huske Road. Leaving Stony Creek, proceed south on US-301 for approximately 2 miles to the Gee Farm Road overpass; just south of the overpass is Huske Road on the right. Turn right onto Huske Road and proceed up the exit ramp to the intersection with Gee Farm Road. Turn left on Huske, and follow it approximately 1 mile to an AG crossing (MP 46.46). There are limited parking options on the east side of track. [Webmaster's Note: For the sake of brevity, we are eliminating the "A" from the mile markers from here south.]
Note that the crossing is at a very acute angle with single track, restricting vision and photo access. The next location offers better parking and viewing, and is quite close.
Huske. From the Huske Road crossing, drive southwest on Huske approximately 0.5 miles to Hardaway Drive (private, AG, MP 46.87). This is the community of Huske, and there are very good photo opportunities and safe parking. Parking is in the corner where Huske Road turns hard right toward the west away from the mainline. The area is agricultural and safe.
Owens -- Green Church Road. Retrace Huske Road back to US-301, take a right, and head south for about 2.5-3 miles. Green Church Road will be on the right; take the right and follow Green Church for about one mile to an AG crossing (MP 48.88). The railroad appears as a laser cut: A single track knifing magically through the loblolly pine forest.
Visibility is excellent, at 2-3 miles in both directions, and there is plenty of parking adjacent to the crossing in the southeast quadrant. Photo ratings are 1's and 2's all around.
[Note: Maps show a roundabout way to another crossing south of here via Wyatt Road. You have to travel on private farm roads to get to it though, so it is NARL.]
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Jarrett. Return to US-301, take a right to head south, and follow it into the incorporated town of Jarrett. There are numerous private AG crossings throughout the Jarrett area that are not itemized on this tour, as there are plenty of public crossings where good pix are possible. That said, however, many of those private crossings offer excellent viewing and photo ops, but you must be discreet and park well away from private property.
When US-301 enters Jarrett, Halifax Road will bear off to the right. Take it, and be alert for signs of the ex-Virginian Railway's main line between Roanoke and Norfolk. Long abandoned, you have to know it was there to see any remnants of it, although it is quite obvious on aerial maps. At Jarrett Avenue/VA-139, take a right, and drive to the crossing. Excellent parking for cars/trucks/RV's is on the southeast quad. From the crossing (MP 53.38), two approach signals about 150 yards to the south give warning of impending southbound traffic. The railroad is pretty much north-south here, so northbounds will be tough to shoot. Photo ratings: NE2, SE1, SW4 (building), NW2. The crossing is more of an X than a +, however, so take these ratings with a grain of salt.
The railroad is double track thru the Jarrett area from north of town south to Country Club Lane -- about 5 miles, and trains often meet here at track speed, so be alert.
Jarrett -- Ridge Road. Go back to Halifax Road; turn right to head south. Between Jarrett Avenue and Ridge Road are numerous areas and crossings for fanning. In the Ridge Road area, find a place to park (which may not be easy). There are directional signals for both main lines about a mile to the south. The crossing (MP 54.69) offers excellent photo ops -- 1's and 2's all around.
[Note: Maps show a crossing at Lee Road, south of Ridge Road. It is a private road, however, and is NARL. Also, please note that from here south, we are no longer rating the quads of each crossing.]
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Emporia -- Country Club Lane. Continue south on Halifax Road, and you'll parallel the railroad much of the way. After the road turns to the southeast, it will join US-301. Go south on US-301, thru the intersection with I-95, and look for Country Club Lane on your right. The road will be named Lebanon Church Road on the left. Turn right and follow Country Club Lane to an AG crossing at MP 57.72. Excellent photo ops all around, as the railroad is now definitely northeast-southwest, so good photos can be had almost any time of day. The end of the double track and it's approach signals are visible 200-300 yrds to the south.
NOTE WELL: Country Club Lane's crossing is at a very acute angle over a double track main line, so vision of on-coming trains is restricted.
Emporia -- Crescent Road. Cross the tracks and continue southwest on Country Club Lane, as it hugs the tracks to the left, and Emporia Country Club to the right. About one-quarter mile south of the crossing, approach signals for the passing siding turnouts are visible. You'll come to US-301, passing its overpass of the tracks (NAG/NARL -- narrow, heavy truck traffic, highway speed). At the US-301 intersection, take a right to continue south, and on into Emporia.
At Otterdam Road, take a left, follow it to a T at Moonlight Road, and take a right. At Crescent Road, take a left and follow it to a NAG overpass. There is a wide area to park on the left side of the road approximately 100 yards from the overpass, allowing an excellent high elevation overlook of the tracks from the west side. This is a very good afternoon photo location.
The overpass itself is of recent construction, and is very wide. Traffic-wise, it's quite safe, since the road to the bridge is posted for 15 mph, due to a sharp, 90° curve leading to the bridge on the west side.
Emporia -- Junction. Reversing direction on Crescent Road, turn left onto Reigal Road, and follow it to US-301. Take a left to head south and pass up the US-58 East overpass, as it is NAG/NARL (heavy traffic, lots of trucks, highway speed), until you take a left onto East Atlantic Street/US-58Business. Follow East Atlantic to Halifax Street, and take another left. Follow Halifax until you are nearly crossing a Norfolk Southern AG single track crossing, and make an immediate right between the last building on your right and the NS tracks.
Follow the gravel road to the diamond, but first make sure you're not trespassing on railroad property. Also, be careful of road conditions, as the ballast appears to be deep, and hidden railroad "supplies" can be hazardous to your vehicle. The logical thing to do is park along Halifax and hoof it to an off-railroad property, easy access area. There are approach signals guarding all quadrants of the diamond.
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Emporia. There are several downtown crossings south of the junction in downtown Emporia. For the sake of brevity, they are summarized as follows:
| East Atlantic Avenue | MP 62.80 | ||
| Valley Street | MP 62.93 | ||
| Virginia/Park/Halifax | MP 62.99 | ||
| Brunswick Avenue | MP 63.42 | ||
| Greenville Avenue | MP 63.70 | ||
| Briggs Street | MP 63.81 | ||
| Low Ground Road | MP 64.09 |
Halifax Street parallels the 'A-Line' from Atlantic Avenue to Virginia Avenue. There is an old railroad depot which now houses the Emporia Chamber of Commerce, offering excellent access and parking on public property. Greenville Avenue and Briggs Street also have excellent public access (to within 40' of the tracks). The areas around Halifax Street and Atlantic Avenue may offer good interchange and switching opportunities for CSX and NS, as well as CSX through train photo ops. All of these AG crossings are east of US-301.
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Emporia -- Liberty Road. Return to US-301 and go south out of Emporia for approximately 2 miles to Liberty Road; take a left, and the AG crossing is only about 200 yards from the highway. With photo ratings barely in the 2's and 3's, better crossings coming up, and a pesky acute angle over the curving double track main line, this is only recommended as a place to get you trackside in a hurry if your scanner says a train is upon you. MP 65.82.
Emporia -- Trillium Way. Continue south on US-301 for about one mile to a left onto East Rockbridge Road. In the vicinity of the tracks, Rockbridge ends at Cedar Lane, the latter makes a 90° turn to go over the tracks, and Trillium Way goes off to the east. The crossing itself is MP 66.72, and is another with the road at an acute angle to the curving double track mains, seriously restricting visibility, so be careful. That said, overall photo ratings are 1's and 2's, and the location would probably be best in the afternoon. Park west of the crossing.
Skippers -- Bass Road. Cross the tracks heading east on Cedar Lane, and bear to the right to continue south on Cedar. After about one-half mile, meet Bass Road at a T, and take a right to the crossing. There is excellent parking, trackside access, and all quads rate solid 1's and 2's. This is a nice place in a picturesque agricultural setting.
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Skippers -- Wye Area. Cross the tracks going west on Bass Road, and take a left to continue south on US-301. Look for Williams Road going off to the left. Very shortly after you pass Williams, you'll cross the north leg, and then the south leg, of a wye. The westbound track coming out of the wye heads for a Vulcan aggregates quarry that supplies on-demand unit trains of ballast for the railroad and other customers. Road engines are needed to get the heavy trains out of the quarry area and over the main line. It is not unusual to see waiting engines in the vicinity of the wye. You can get pictures of quarry moves from either of the US-301 crossing areas.
Avoid the area north of the wye, which is a CSX Hazmat Response marshalling area, so it is obviously NARL.
Skippers. Once past the wye, take a left onto Zion Church Road, and drive to the crossing. There are three tracks: One is welded main line, one is sectional rail (a passing siding), and the third is a yard lead going up to the wye. The crossing is MP 68.71.
The Good Earth Peanut Company is on the east side of the crossing, there's plenty of parking area, and the crossing itself is all 1's and 2's for photos. WOW! Time to shell those peanuts and watch the parade! [Webmaster's Note: Good Earth is worth a visit just by itself, even if trains weren't running along their front yard. Get 10-20 pounds and bring them home to friends and family -- you can't buy better peanuts anywhere.] If provisions or other life support services are needed, go west on Zion Church Road to the I-95 interchange area.
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Dahlia -- Overlook. Continue south on US-301, and look for Dahlia Road on the right. If possible, slow down somewhat, and about 1/4 mile south of Dahlia Road, on the left between the highway and the tracks is a hill (the overlook) that allows watching northbound trains from the North Carolina state line to this location. Dave saw an SUV and railfan on the hill, so the spot is known to locals. Mapquest and Live Search maps show a road/trail curving to the top of the hill, but we advise you not try it in the family sedan.
[Webmaster's Note: Dave went back to this location to make sure the location is, indeed, a railfan location. He waxes eloquent about it, referring to it as one of those places to get out the coolers, set up the scanner, and sit back and enjoy the show -- and those Good Earth peanuts.]
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Dahlia -- Rolling Acres Road. Just a short distance south of the "overlook", take a left onto Rolling Acres Road. The crossing -- MP 71.92 -- is double track, with both tracks welded rail. There are signals at the end of double track to the north, about 300 yards. This is an excellent photo location, with 1's and 2's all around, and plenty of parking.
Dahlia -- Forest Road. Following US-301 south to a stop light, turn left onto Forest Road, and drive to the AG crossing. Parking is a bit of a problem, as Forest is the entrance road to a very robust Georgia Pacific OSB plant, and there is heavy truck traffic -- even during the house building depression of 2008, the truck traffic can be very heavy. You are about 100 yards north of the VA/NC border at this point, and the crossing itself is at MP 73.76.
Photo ops are pretty good, but the trucks make it a weekend or late afternoon location.
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
NORTH CAROLINA
Pleasant Hill -- East Cornwallis Road. Almost immediately south of Forest Road you'll slip into the welcoming confines of North Carolina. Pass up Pleasant Hill Road and then turn left onto Cornwallis Road. Park on the east side of the AG crossing, inside the corner of the sharp curve towards the crossing. Good photo ratings, with 1's and 2's all around. MP 74.39.
Pleasant Hill -- US-301 Overpass. South of East Cornwallis Road, US-301 goes up and over the A Line on a recently rebuilt, widened bridge. Viewing is fine for a quick shot of an on-coming train, but the traffic is heavy, and the highway is posted for 55 MPH. Don't loiter -- get your shots and leave. From the bridge south, the railroad will be west of the highway.
Garysburg -- Macon Price Road. From the US-301 overpass, look for Macon Price Road about 1 1/2 miles further south via US-301. Take a right and drive to the crossing. It's wide open, with 1's and 2's all around, and there is excellent parking access. MP 76.98.
Garysburg -- Stephenson Road. Once again, head south on US-301, and after 1 1/2 miles, look for Stephenson Road. Take a right. The crossing has excellent parking access, and good photographic framing values on the south side quads. The north quads encounter a large ditch/ravine, and access is limited. There is a passing siding with its approach signals approximately 300 yards south of the crossing. The crossing is MP 78.39.
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Garysburg -- Oak Street. As you enter Garysburg via US-301, take a right onto Hickory Street, and then bend to the left onto Freeman Street. Park in the vicinity of the AG crossing of Oak Street. There is good viewing in the area, and even though you're in a town, it's a fairly quiet spot.This MP 80.10.
Garysburg -- NC-46. From Oak Street, continue southwest on Freeman Street to NC-46. Take a right and you'll come to an AG crossing of the double track A Line, at MP 80.42. There is good parking access on the west side of the crossing, and good photo framing values around all quads -- 1's and 2's. Afternoon shots on the west side of the crossing would be very good.
There is no railfan location in Garysburg south of NC-46. However, your humble Webmaster can detail the drive thru the cotton and peanut fields over to the southern leg of the wye joining the A-Line and the Portsmouth Subdivision. Unfortunately, any access must be made over private lands, and the resultant fact is that the entire area is NARL. Even if the area of the wye were not on private property, it is still close and treed, and definitely not a place for photos. It is, however, an excellent place to get shot during hunting season.
Weldon -- 1st Street Area. Weldon is a small town, but it's a little complicated. From the US-158/301 intersection on the northwest corner of town, take US-158 West to a right onto Washington Avenue, which is the main north/south street in town. Go one block north to 1st Street and park. The large bridge is the north/south main line for CSX, and it carries traffic over the broad Roanoke River. The lower track is for local and coal trains to the power plant and the mill in Roanoke Rapids.
Roanoke Rapids is a much larger town than Weldon, and a remnant of the ex-SAL line up from Norlina still exists to support those two major customers. Some additional details about the rail line and its customers can be found here (click on Roanoke Rapids in the Cities and Sites list), although you are cautioned that I wrote up that information back in 1996, so take it with a grain of salt. While Roanoke Rapids was always an industrial town, Weldon's history is that of a railroad town, and it's proud of it. There are murals on several buildings in town depicting earlier railroad glories.
Historically, Weldon was a junction between the ex-SAL Norlina, NC - Portsmouth, VA secondary main line, and the ACL's main north south line -- today's A-Line. Part of the Portsmouth line is still extant, and runs from the junction southwest of Garysburg to Tidewater; there is a beta version of Frograil's tour of that line here. As for the line from Norlina to Weldon, it is long gone, although there is the remnant that still exists from the A-Line in Weldon to Roanoke Rapids.
For your railfanning pleasure: Going west from Weldon on US 158, there are lots of motels, restaurants, and all the things you and your family will need. However, I'd strongly consider staying at the Weldon Place Inn in Weldon itself. This lovely Bed & Breakfast is only 1.5 blocks from the inactive yard and the main line: Believe me, you'll hear your share of trains, 24 hours a day. During the winter, late fall, and early spring, you can even see the trains on the main line from the house, and the street next to it. While B&B's are generally a little more expensive than motels, this one will cost you about 20 bucks more than a motel room, and you'll be glad you spent the money. The breakfast is superb, the home is welcoming and comfortable, and the folks who run the place are good, down-to-earth southerners. The particulars are as follows:
Weldon Place Inn 500 Washington Avenue Weldon, North Carolina 27890 1-800-831-447
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Weldon -- 10th Street. For quite a bit south of the 1st Street area, the railroad is elevated, and photo ops are therefore somewhat limited. From 1st Street west of the A-Line bridge, take a left on Elm Street and then a right on 10th Street, which leads to an AG crossing and some industrial property. There is adequate room for decent shots, and this can be a quiet area on weekends and in the evening.
Weldon -- Trueblood Road. Back on Elm Street, go all the way south until Elm veers away from the tracks. Pass up Caroline Avenue and Country Club Lane along the way, as we consider them NARL.Just after the veer, look for Green Street on the right, and turn onto it. Green will split to become Trueblood Road, which crosses the tracks AG, at MP 84.34, and Chantilly Road, which closely parallels the tracks to the south.
This is a good photo location, and there is good parking and access just west of the crossing.
Halifax -- Reese Store Road.East of the Trueblood Road crossing, the street continues south as Chantilly Road. It closely parallels the tracks for some distance, then veers and joins (and become called) Reese Store Road. It will then meander about a bit, and eventually come back to the railroad at an AG crossing, at MP 87.31.
Note that the name of the road shows variably as Reese or Reeses. Photographic ops are very good, with the southwest quad shoot to the south/southwest as 1's and 2's, and the northern two quads are 2' and 3's.
Back to the Top Back to the Site Listing
Unfortunately, this temporarily ends our tour of the A-Line between Richmond and Rocky Mount. If you would like to contribute to this tour, or perhaps create your own Frograil tour, contact me here, and we'll work together.
To get back to I-95 heading north, cross the tracks via Reese Store Road, and west of the crossing, turn right onto NC-125. This will take you to exit 171.
To get back to I-95 heading south, cross the tracks via Reese Store Road, and west of the crossing, turn left onto NC-125. This will take you to Halifax in about 2 miles. Take a right onto NC-903. This will take you to exit 168.