 Original route of the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad main line (red) and branches (dark red). Click to enlarge. | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Dates of operation | 1855–1900 |
| Predecessor | Wilmington and Raleigh Railroad |
| Successor | Atlantic Coast Line Railroad |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 in (1,422 mm) |
| Length | 161.5 miles (259.9 km) |
The Wilmington and Weldon Railroad (W&W) name began use in 1855, having been originally chartered as the Wilmington and Raleigh Railroad in 1834.[1] When it opened in 1840, the line was the longest railroad in the world with 161.5 miles (259.9 km) of track.[2] It was constructed in 4 ft 8 in (1,422 mm) gauge.[3] At its terminus in Weldon, North Carolina, it connected with the Seaboard and Roanoke Railroad (to Portsmouth, Virginia) and the Petersburg Railroad (to Petersburg, Virginia). The railroad also gave rise to the city of Goldsboro, North Carolina, the midpoint of the W&W RR and the railroad intersection with the North Carolina Railroad.[4] It’s been more than 50 years since passenger rail linked Wilmington and Raleigh, but there’s a renewed push to bring back a passenger route between the two cities. The latest feasibility study, prepared by Florida-based firm WGI Inc., compares two potential route options linking Wilmington with Raleigh: a western route through Fayetteville and an eastern route through Goldsboro. [5]
- ^ "North Carolina Railroads - Wilmington & Raleigh Railroad". Carolana.com. Retrieved 2021-01-16.
- ^ UNC University Libraries: This Month in North Carolina History - March 1840
- ^ Confederate Railroads - Wilmington & Weldon
- ^ About Goldsboro
- ^ Dill, Emma (May 3, 2024). "passenger_rail_study_picks_eastern_route".