Durham division

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 Harry , thanks for your information.I have a map which shows the route through Durham where the line to Roxboro and Lynchburg operated. We have found the rails in several locations in Durham and trees have grown up through the tracks.Apparently the cost of removing these rails was more than their value.I understand Norfolk Southern still owns the right away. About 10 years ago a commuter line was considered for at least a portion of this right away but nothing has been approved.Yes ,I have researched the SAL line from Durham to Henderson. It was abandoned decades ago and the rails have been removed. An old depot still remains in Creedmoor.James Smith
    On Friday, September 25, 2020, 11:43:18 AM EDT, NW Mailing List via NW-Mailing-List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:  
 
  
 
 

We have discovered that many of the steel rails throughout Durham are still in evidence.I wonder why they were not removed?Jim:I'm not sure where you're finding steel rails in Durham.  I haven"t been to Durham inages, but bear this in mind: 1- The Durham attraction for rail traffic was The American Tobacco Co.  So I've been     told, ATCO closed the Durham plant and transferred operations to their plant     in Reidsville. That could account for some of the rail if the story is correct.
2- Today's Norfolk Southern operates Greensboro thru Durham to Goldsboro on a    right-of-way of the state-owned North Carolina Railroad.  Maybe NCRR hasn't    seen fit to take the expense to remove the rail.  (Does NCRR have to pay    state property tax ?)
3- To participate in the lucrative tobacco revenue, SAL had a branch from Henderson    to Durham.  Is it still in service ?  The Norfolk Southern Railway had a branch    from Duncan, NC laid in 70# rail and a maximum authorized speed of 20 MPH.    In the late 1960s, the proposal to build a flood control dam on the New Hope    River would have submerged 19 miles on the old NS connection and the federal   government paid to realign the Durham connection in kind, but who was rolling   70 # rail in the late 60's ?  The government offered NS the option of replacing the   70# rail with 100# relay rail IF NS paid the difference in cost.  NS nixed the offer.   The relocated line was completed in 1973 and on Janury 1, 1974, NS was   absorbed by Southern Railway.  AFter that, the Lucky Strikes went to location   on the SRS.   Could be that some of the NS Rwy. to South Durham is still in existence.
                                                       Harry Bundy
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