New Hope Valley Railway
Encyclopedia
The New Hope Valley Railway is a heritage railroad
in Bonsal, North Carolina
operated by the North Carolina Railway Museum, Inc., an all-volunteer, nonprofit, and tax exempt educational and historical organization.
The railroad consists of 6 miles of track between the communities of Bonsal, North Carolina
and New Hill, North Carolina
.
on the evening of the last Saturday in October, and with other themes throughout the year.
and the East Carolina Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society
(NRHS).
, and served the communities of Bonsal, North Carolina
where it had a junction with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad
(now part of CSX), Beaver Creek, North Carolina, Seaforth, North Carolina
, Farrington, North Carolina
, Blands, North Carolina
, Penny, North Carolina, and Durham, North Carolina
.
The line was extended south between 1911 and 1913 from Bonsal, North Carolina
to Duncan, North Carolina
where it joined the Norfolk Southern Railroad. The D&SC line was lased by the Norfolk Southern Railroad in 1917 to provide the larger railroad with access to the City of Durham, North Carolina
. In 1925 a spur was built at Durham, North Carolina
to serve the new plant of the American Tobacco Company
in that city. The line was rebuilt on a new alignment in the 1970s by the US Army Corps of Engineers when the B. Everett Jordan
Dam was constructed, impounding the valley of New Hope Creek
to form Jordan Lake
. The line eventually became (briefly) part of the Southern Railway
, and a 6-mile section was sold to the East Carolina Chapter, NRHS
in 1983. This organization was subsequently re-named as the North Carolina Railway Museum, Inc. early in 2008.
The northern portion of the original railroad, from the community of New Hill, North Carolina
north to Durham, North Carolina
has been converted into the American Tobacco Trail
. To the south, the railroad is part of the Shearon Harris nuclear power plant and its surrounding land.
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
in Bonsal, North Carolina
Bonsal, North Carolina
Bonsal is an unincorporated community in the New Hill, North Carolina postal district, part of the Extra Territorial Jurisdiction of Apex, North Carolina, in extreme southwestern Wake County, North Carolina...
operated by the North Carolina Railway Museum, Inc., an all-volunteer, nonprofit, and tax exempt educational and historical organization.
The railroad consists of 6 miles of track between the communities of Bonsal, North Carolina
Bonsal, North Carolina
Bonsal is an unincorporated community in the New Hill, North Carolina postal district, part of the Extra Territorial Jurisdiction of Apex, North Carolina, in extreme southwestern Wake County, North Carolina...
and New Hill, North Carolina
New Hill, North Carolina
New Hill is an unincorporated community located in southwestern Wake County, North Carolina, at the crossroads of old U.S. 1, New Hill-Olive Chapel Road and New Hill-Holleman Road...
.
Excursion trains
The railroad operates passenger excursion trains on the first Sunday of each month from May to November and both Saturday and Sunday during the first two weekends in December. Special trains are operated for HalloweenHalloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
on the evening of the last Saturday in October, and with other themes throughout the year.
Organization
The railroad is operated by an all-volunteer crew, and it is a member of the Association of Railway MuseumsAssociation of Railway Museums
The Association of Railway Museums is an organization dedicated to promoting the interests of railway preservation across North America in museums and other non-profit organizations.ARM publishes a quarterly newsletter, Railway Museum Quarterly...
and the East Carolina Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society
National Railway Historical Society
The National Railway Historical Society is a non-profit organization established in 1935 in the United States to promote interest in, and appreciation for, the historical development of railroads. It is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and organized into 16 regions and...
(NRHS).
Collection
The North Carolina Railway Museum also displays a collection of historic railroad equipment used in North Carolina at the railroad's Bonsal terminal. This is a primarily outdoor exhibit, and is open to the public from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekends only throughout the year.Locomotives
- 5 General ElectricGeneral ElectricGeneral Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
diesel locomotives, obtained from the United States NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and United States Marine CorpsUnited States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States... - 1 WhitcombWhitcomb Locomotive WorksWhitcomb Locomotive Works was founded by George Dexter Whitcomb , of Chicago, Illinois, who started a modest machine shop in 1878, and began the manufacture of coal mining machinery, laying the foundation for the concern that became known as The Whitcomb Locomotive Company.-Beginnings:Mr. Whitcomb...
diesel locomotive - 1 Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton diesel locomotive
- 1 0-4-0ST steam locomovive built by Vulcan Iron WorksVulcan Iron WorksSince Vulcan was the Roman god of fire and smithery, the name was an obvious choice for an iron foundry or mechanical engineering works in the nineteenth century, both in England, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, and in the United States.-England:...
in 1941 for New York ShipbuildingNew York ShipbuildingThe New York Shipbuilding Corporation was founded in 1899 and opened its first shipyard in 1900. Located in Camden, New Jersey on the east shore of the Delaware River, New York Ship built more than 500 vessels for the U.S...
of Camden, New JerseyCamden, New JerseyThe city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
, and is in operation on most excursion trains.
Rolling stock
- 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...
#5228: Wooden Caboose - Aberdeen and Rockfish RailroadAberdeen and Rockfish RailroadThe 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:...
#308: Wooden Caboose - Norfolk Southern Railroad #335: Wooden Caboose built in 1913 for the original NS. (Last surviving Norfolk Southern wooden caboose)
- Norfolk Southern Railroad #711 Crane boom tender and camp car
- 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...
Combine baggage car and Railway Post OfficeRailway post officeIn the United States a railway post office, commonly abbreviated as RPO, was a railroad car that was normally operated in passenger service as a means to sort mail en route, in order to speed delivery. The RPO was staffed by highly trained Railway Mail Service postal clerks, and was off-limits to...
#188 - 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...
Baggage Car #1665 (not currently on public display) - ex-USMCUnited States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
flatcars (3) converted to open excursion cars for passengers - ex-USMCUnited States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
flatcars (2) on display - Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad cushion-underframe boxcar (not currently on public display)
- US Army Transportation Corps Tool Car #87109 (houses museum gift shop and exhibits)
- Swifts Premium Refrigerator car (Reefer)
- 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...
boxcars (2) - Pullman CompanyPullman CompanyThe Pullman Palace Car Company, founded by George Pullman, manufactured railroad cars in the mid-to-late 19th century through the early decades of the 20th century, during the boom of railroads in the United States. Pullman developed the sleeping car which carried his name into the 1980s...
passenger sleeper Calley (not currently on public display) - Norfolk Southern Railroad #910 camp car (not currently on public display)
- Boston & Maine Railroad RDC1 self-propelled passenger car (on loan to the Tennessee Valley Railroad MuseumTennessee Valley Railroad MuseumThe Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum is a railroad museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee.The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum was founded as a chapter of the National Railway Historical Society in 1960 by Paul H. Merriman and Robert M. Soule, Jr...
in TennesseeTennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
) - Boston & Maine Railroad RDC9 trailer passenger car (on lease to the Red Springs & Northern Foundation in Parkton, North CarolinaParkton, North CarolinaParkton is a town in Robeson County, North Carolina, in the Lumberton metro area, in the United States. The town was named because it was a place where farmers tied up their horses while waiting for the train...
) - Various other examples of railroad and construction equipment
History
The railroad line operated as the New Hope Valley Railway was originally constructed as the Durham & South Carolina Railroad (D&SC) in 1905-1906 to tap the timber resources of the valley of New Hope CreekNew Hope Creek
New Hope Creek is a watercourse that rises in rural Orange County, North Carolina, in the United States. It drains the western portion of Orange County and the southern half of Durham County and flows into the northern end of Jordan Lake reservoir. The drainage area encompasses urban, suburban and...
, and served the communities of Bonsal, North Carolina
Bonsal, North Carolina
Bonsal is an unincorporated community in the New Hill, North Carolina postal district, part of the Extra Territorial Jurisdiction of Apex, North Carolina, in extreme southwestern Wake County, North Carolina...
where it had a junction with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad
Seaboard Air Line Railroad
The 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...
(now part of CSX), Beaver Creek, North Carolina, Seaforth, North Carolina
Seaforth, North Carolina
Seaforth is an unincorporated community in Chatham County, North Carolina, U.S. on U.S. Highway 64. It lies at an elevation of 210 feet .-External links:...
, Farrington, North Carolina
Farrington, North Carolina
Farrington is an unincorporated community in Chatham County, North Carolina, United States.- Geography :Farrington is located at about 8 miles southeast of Chapel Hill on Farrington Point Road. It is to the north of Jordan Lake, a surrounding placemark....
, Blands, North Carolina
Blands, North Carolina
Blands is an unincorporated community in southwestern Durham County, North Carolina, on the intersection of North Carolina Highway 751 and Stagecoach Road, at an elevation of 236 feet ....
, Penny, North Carolina, and 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...
.
The line was extended south between 1911 and 1913 from Bonsal, North Carolina
Bonsal, North Carolina
Bonsal is an unincorporated community in the New Hill, North Carolina postal district, part of the Extra Territorial Jurisdiction of Apex, North Carolina, in extreme southwestern Wake County, North Carolina...
to Duncan, North Carolina
Duncan, North Carolina
Duncan is an unincorporated community located in the Buckhorn Township of Harnett County, North Carolina .Duncan was used as major source of inspiration for the fictional town of Missing Mile, North Carolina in Poppy Z. Brite's novel Drawing Blood....
where it joined the Norfolk Southern Railroad. The D&SC line was lased by the Norfolk Southern Railroad in 1917 to provide the larger railroad with access to the City of 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...
. In 1925 a spur was built at 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...
to serve the new plant of the American Tobacco Company
American Tobacco Company
The American Tobacco Company was a tobacco company founded in 1890 by J. B. Duke through a merger between a number of U.S. tobacco manufacturers including Allen and Ginter and Goodwin & Company...
in that city. The line was rebuilt on a new alignment in the 1970s by the US Army Corps of Engineers when the B. Everett Jordan
B. Everett Jordan
Benjamin Everett Jordan was a Democratic U.S. Senator from the state of North Carolina from 1958 until 1973. He lived most of his life in Alamance County, North Carolina....
Dam was constructed, impounding the valley of New Hope Creek
New Hope Creek
New Hope Creek is a watercourse that rises in rural Orange County, North Carolina, in the United States. It drains the western portion of Orange County and the southern half of Durham County and flows into the northern end of Jordan Lake reservoir. The drainage area encompasses urban, suburban and...
to form Jordan Lake
Jordan Lake
B. Everett Jordan Lake is a reservoir located west of Raleigh and south of Durham in Chatham County, North Carolina, in the United States of America. The northernmost end of the lake actually reaches into southwestern Durham County...
. The line eventually became (briefly) part of 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...
, and a 6-mile section was sold to the East Carolina Chapter, NRHS
National Railway Historical Society
The National Railway Historical Society is a non-profit organization established in 1935 in the United States to promote interest in, and appreciation for, the historical development of railroads. It is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and organized into 16 regions and...
in 1983. This organization was subsequently re-named as the North Carolina Railway Museum, Inc. early in 2008.
The northern portion of the original railroad, from the community of New Hill, North Carolina
New Hill, North Carolina
New Hill is an unincorporated community located in southwestern Wake County, North Carolina, at the crossroads of old U.S. 1, New Hill-Olive Chapel Road and New Hill-Holleman Road...
north 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...
has been converted into the American Tobacco Trail
American Tobacco Trail
The American Tobacco Trail is a long Rails-to-Trails project located in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina, running along an abandoned railroad bed originally built for the American Tobacco Company in the 1970s. The route crosses through the City of Durham, Durham County, Chatham...
. To the south, the railroad is part of the Shearon Harris nuclear power plant and its surrounding land.