Folks,
I have a couple of friends who will be visiting the Carolinas and would like to go on a train ride and visit a railroad museum. Is there anything around there besides the Tweetsie Railroad tourist train?

Did Kalmbach or somebody do a railroad museum/tourist train directory this summer?

If you do not want to answer here than a direct e-mail would be welcome.

Ted Miles

Kalmbach did do a new Tourist Trains Guidebook edition this year; you can find it at www.kalmbach.com where they just re-opened their online store and may be offering free shipping as part of their relaunch; $19.95.

"The Carolinas" is a pretty broad area, as someone who has driven it from Ocracoke to Clemson and Beaufort to Spencer can attest. The pickings (not Pickens) are still somewhat slim, however:

Great Smoky Mountains RR, Dillboro
New Hope Valley RR , Bonsal
North Carolina Transportation Museum, Spencer (demonstration ride)
South Carolina RR Museum, Winnsboro
and the aforementioned Tweetsie.......

In addition, museums without rides in Wilmington, Greenwood, and maybe Hamlet (still up in the air over restoration of the relocated depot, I understand), plus the Charlotte Trolley operation........

There are quite a few options in North Carolina. This is by no means an exhaustive list:

I am quite fond of the New Hope Valley Railway (but I am very biased as my signature will no doubt reveal). The NHV does not have as extensive of a museum compared to Spencer or Wilmington, but they do have an operating steam locomotive and 4 miles of track through the piney woods south of Raleigh. More info: http://www.nhvry.org

If you are in the Charlotte area, you can check out the North Carolina Transportation Museum. See http://www.nctrans.org

Just south of Charlotte is the South Carolina Railroad Museum. http://www.scrm.org

Wilmington has a museum that is definately worth a visit:
http://www.wrrm.org

If you are going to be in Western NC, the Great Smoky Mountains Railway has diesel powered trips out of Bryson City. Not sure about Dillsboro these days, but the Bryson trip west through Nantahala has the better scenery, IMHO; http://www.gsmr.com

I hope your friends enjoy their visit,

Mike MacLean
Director, Steam Operations
New Hope Valley Railway

I'll do a brief overview of North Carolina, and someone else can chime in with South Carolina.

going west to east....

Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, http://www.gsmr.com. Running diesel out of Bryson City (about 1hr west of Asheville) through the Nantahala River Gorge. About 45 miles roundtrip, and very scenic.

Tweetsie Railroad, http://www.tweetsie.com, near Boone. The big thing is Railfan Weekend on September 12-13. Both engines will be steamed up with doubleheaders, photo specials, cabrides available, and a bunch of stuff. ex-ET&WNC #12 will be on the railfan train this year. Rumours are that it will be lettered for ET&WNC subsidiary Linville River Railway (the part of ET&WNC that went from Cranberry to Boone), but not sure if that is confirmed. That's the big railfan thing. Otherwise, moderate-sized amusement park, with a VERY popular Ghost train in October.

Also, not NC, but Doe River Gorge, http://www.doerivergorge.com, in Hampton, TN (about 1hr west of Boone) operates diesel on about 1.5 miles of relaid ET&WNC roadbed through the Doe River Gorge. Tunnels, rock walls--think TN's version of the Durango & Silverton high line. It's not a public operation per se, but a Christian Day Camp that opens to the public a few days a year.

North Carolina Transportation Museum, http://www.nctrans.org, near Salisbury (halfway between Charlotte and Greensboro). Located on the site of the former Southern Railway Spencer Shops. Lots of displays and rolling stock, and a diesel-powered train ride around the property. For those interested in model railroads, Little Choo Choo Shop is across the street, and has a bunch of stuff.

Handy Dandy Railroad, http://www.threshers.com, near Denton (about 35 minutes east of Salisbury). Horse & Mule Days on Saturday, October 10. Steam rides behind 0-4-0 on ~1.5mile loop. Also, 70-ton diesel on property, which may or may not run that day.

New Hope Valley Railway, http://www.nhvry.org, at Bonsal (30 minutes south of Raleigh). Operates steam (0-4-0T) and diesel generally on the 1st Sunday of the month--check website as the fall dates change a bit. Museum in Bonsal, and 8 mile roundtrip to New Hill. Big event is doubleheaded steam with Flagg Coal 75 visiting the weekend of Oct 31-Nov 1.

The Antique Barn, http://www.theantiquebarn.net, in Wilson (45 minutes east of Raleigh). Not a train ride or museum, but used to be maybe the biggest model railroad shop in the southeast. Now, a little smaller after the flood about 8 years ago, but still very nice and a HUGE HO-gauge layout upstairs, which is open on Saturdays.

Wilmington Railroad Museum, http://www.wilmingtonrailroadmuseum.org, in Wilmington (about 3hrs from Raleigh near the Atlantic Ocean). Haven't been there in a while, but museum with steam engine display, and USS North Carolina battleship nearby for the non-railroad interests.

That's pretty much everything in North Carolina. Both Dollywood and the Little River Railroad Museum, http://www.littleriverrailroad.org, are just over the state line in Tennessee, about 2hrs from the Great Smoky Mountains, if you are in that area. One thing to remember though is that North Carolina is very spread out, and you are looking at 7-8hrs to drive east to west from Wilmington to the southwest corner at Murphy. Where you will be coming into will probably determine where you go.

If you want anything more specific, just send me a private message, and I'll try and help out.

Have fun,
Kevin

Haven't seen the schedule lately, but the Blue Ridge Scenic RR is where NC, TN and GA fit together way out in the SW corner of NC.

There was and may still be a small museum in the unique Victorian depot in Hamlet, NC.

Black Mountain NC is an old railroad town with an art store in the depot, and lots of nonrailfan friendly activities nearby. Close to Asheville, Old Fort, Biltmore House, etc.

Trolleys in Charlotte with a conveniently located microbrewery in proximity. Museum stuff for the old trolleys and ride the new light rail. Price's Chicken Coop across the street for true NC cuisine.

Greenwood SC has a place to while away half a day railroading and exploring the towns attic.

Of all the mentioned, Spencer Shops is the big showplace of museums, NHVRR and SCRM pleasant short impulse priced rides, GSMRR the long trip tourist railroad powerhouse. Greenwood is the funky small town place to wander and wonder. Tweetsie is a theme park with a train running through it, lots of kid friendly diversions.

Drop me a PM if I can help.

dave