Alexander Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Alexander Railroad is a short line operating in North Carolina. The railroad has 20 miles (32 km) of track that runs northwest from Statesville to Taylorsville
, North Carolina
.
, so local investors and businessmen stepped in, purchasing the 18-mile branch line from Statesville to Taylorsville. The railroad is named after Alexander County, North Carolina
, although it serves both Alexander
& Iredell
Counties.
The railroad was originally chartered and built in 1887 as the Statesville & Western, a subsidiary of Atlantic, Tennessee & Ohio which ran between Charlotte
and Statesville North Carolina. The AT&O was purchased by the Richmond & Danville, and eventually came under the Southern Railway
.
, #6 and #7 - ALCO S-3
's, and #8 - EMD SW9
. As of late 2008, the Alexander Railroad also added two EMD SW1500's, #9 and #10 to their lineup.
Taylorsville, North Carolina
Taylorsville is a town in Alexander County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,799 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Alexander County.Taylorsville is part of the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
History
The Alexander Railroad Company began operations in 1946. The line was marked for abandonment by the Southern RailwaySouthern Railway (US)
The Southern Railway is a former United States railroad. It was the product of nearly 150 predecessor lines that were combined, reorganized and recombined beginning in the 1830s, formally becoming the Southern Railway in 1894...
, so local investors and businessmen stepped in, purchasing the 18-mile branch line from Statesville to Taylorsville. The railroad is named after Alexander County, North Carolina
Alexander County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 33,603 people, 13,137 households, and 9,747 families residing in the county. The population density was 129 people per square mile . There were 14,098 housing units at an average density of 54 per square mile...
, although it serves both Alexander
Alexander County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 33,603 people, 13,137 households, and 9,747 families residing in the county. The population density was 129 people per square mile . There were 14,098 housing units at an average density of 54 per square mile...
& Iredell
Iredell County, North Carolina
Iredell County, along with Moore County in the eastern Piedmont, are among a very few counties in the United States sharing borders with nine adjacent counties.-Demographics:...
Counties.
The railroad was originally chartered and built in 1887 as the Statesville & Western, a subsidiary of Atlantic, Tennessee & Ohio which ran between Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
and Statesville North Carolina. The AT&O was purchased by the Richmond & Danville, and eventually came under the Southern Railway
Southern Railway (US)
The Southern Railway is a former United States railroad. It was the product of nearly 150 predecessor lines that were combined, reorganized and recombined beginning in the 1830s, formally becoming the Southern Railway in 1894...
.
Roster
The Alexander Railroad currently has four operating diesel-electric locomotives. The roster includes: #3 - GE 44 tonnerGE 44-ton switcher
The GE 44-ton switcher is a 4-axle diesel locomotive built by General Electric between 1940 and 1956. It was designed for industrial and light switching duties, often replacing steam locomotives that had previously been assigned these chores...
, #6 and #7 - ALCO S-3
ALCO S-1 and S-3
The ALCO S-1 and S-3 were switcher diesel-electric locomotives produced by ALCO and their Canadian subsidiary Montreal Locomotive Works . Basically, the two locomotives differed only in trucks, with the S-1 using ALCO's own Blunt trucks, and the S-3 riding on standard AAR type A switcher trucks...
's, and #8 - EMD SW9
EMD SW9
An EMD SW9 is a diesel switcher locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division between December 1950 and December 1953. Power was provided by an EMD 567B 12-cylinder engine, producing ....
. As of late 2008, the Alexander Railroad also added two EMD SW1500's, #9 and #10 to their lineup.