Photo & Info Request On Certain ACL Depots

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Does anyone have photos or other info on the following ACL depots? Parmele, NC (photos, dates of closure, disposition of station, other structures, Parmele had to be one busy place in its time!!), HObgood, NC, New Bern, NC, Holly Ridge, NC, Castle Hayne, NC, Atkinson, NC, Garland, NC, Cerro Gordo, NC, Fair Bluff, NC, Robersonville, NC, Pikeville, NC, Nichols, SC. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Also do any of these stations still exist but have been moved?? drs

-- David R. Smith, Jr. (smithtrains@coastalnet.com), August 09, 1998

Answers

I have a pamphlet from the Columbus County Tourism Bureau, PO Box 1352, 104E. Walter St., Whiteville, NC 28472, 1-800-845-8419, that gives a brief history of the depots at Fair Bluff,NC, Chadbourn,NC, East Columbus,NC, and Lake Waccamaw,NC. The descriptions also list the structures current uses, and there's a map on the back. I've been to the fully restored Chadbourn depot ( about a 1/4 mile west of the freight house used by the Carolina Southern), and found it to be well worth the stop! My only beef was the SAL 5700 series caboose lettered for ACL! The seller had assured the ,museum that it was an ACL cab. Happy hunting.

-- Russell Underwood (Jay611@home.com), November 13, 1999.

The depot at Garland, NC is still standing. It is on US 701 on the southern edge of "downtown" Garland. It is privately owned and appears to be used for storage. The gable end closest to 701 still has a round SCL herald and a Railway Express sign over the door. The far end, away from the highway, still has the rectangular station name sign in the old dark blue sheet metal.

-- Sandy Bridges (smb@bridgeslaw.com), January 24, 1999.

I have a black and white negative of the depot in Nichols, SC. Nothing spectacular, but it makes a decent print. Let me know if you're interested in a copy. WM

-- Will Martin (martin@hartcom.net), November 09, 1998.

On my last station hunt (Feb 98) I was unable to find anything in Parmele. I am told that ACL used New Bern's brick "Union" station, which still stands, but is in poor shape. I've never been able to find Castle Hayne(moved?, private house??) or Holly Ridge, which was reportedly moved to Surf City. Atkinson stands on a farm just outside of town, visible from the road. Due to a group of rather hostile dogs on the property, I had to settle for a crummy telephoto shot from down he road. Cerro Gordo is probably the sheet metal-sided building sitting just north of Hwy 74/76 on Rt 242. Robersonville is moved about a block south of tracks and in poor shape . Fair Bluff (built 1897) is beautifully restored as a museum at 339 Railroad St. aprox 100 ft from tracks (open Tues 10-4, Sun 2-4). Hobgood exists but in bad shape on former r/w. I have shot Garland but I can't recall its condition or location. I didn't find any depot in Pikeville, or Nichols, SC. I can send you photos if needed, let me know.

-- bob venditti (bobvend@bellsouth.net), September 30, 1998.

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