The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad's Kinston Branch (A Branch) was a railroad line that at its greatest extent ran from company's main line in Pender, North Carolina south to Kinston, North Carolina. The line south of Parmele, North Carolina is still active today and is now the Parmele Subdivision of CSX Transportation, the Atlantic Coast Line's successor company through various mergers.CSX Florence Division Timetable
Route description The Kinston Branch began at a junction with the company's main line in Pender, North Carolina (just south of Halifax). From Pender, it ran southeast through Scotland Neck to Hobgood, where it crossed the company's Norfolk—Rocky Mount Line. Beyond Hobgood, it continued southeast to Oak City and then turned south to Parmele, where it crossed the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad's Plymouth Branch. Beyond Parmele, it continued south through Greenville to its terminus in Kinston.
The Kinston Branch also had a short branch to Washington, North Carolina. This branch, known as the Washington Branch split from the just south of Parmele and ran southeast to Washington.
History The first segment of the line from Pender to Scotland Neck was chartered as the Halifax & Scotland Neck Railroad in 1872. By 1878, construction had yet to begin and it was then rechartered as the Scotland Neck Railroad. Construction began in 1879 and the line began service from Pender to Scotland Neck on October 1, 1882. In 1883, the Scotland Neck Railroad was acquired by the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad an it became their Scotland Neck Branch. By 1890, the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad extended the Scotland Neck Branch south to Kinston. The Wilmington and Weldon Railroad built the Washington Branch in 1892.
By 1900, the entire Wilmington and Weldon Railroad network became part of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad designated the line as their Kinston Branch.
By 1949, a local freight train was running the branch six days a week.Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Northern Division Timetable (1949)
In 1967, the Atlantic Coast Line merged with its rival, the Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL), with the merged company was named the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL). The company adopted the Seaboard Air Line's method of naming their lines as subdivisions and as a result, the branch was designated as the Kinston Subdivision.Seaboard Coast Line Railroad Rocky Mount Division Timetable (1970)
In 1980, the Seaboard Coast Line's parent company merged with the Chessie System, creating the CSX Corporation. The CSX Corporation initially operated the Chessie and Seaboard Systems separately until 1986, when they were merged into CSX Transportation. The northern segment of the line from Pender to Parmele was abandoned in 1984.
Current conditions
Today, the remaining segment of the branch south of Parmele is now CSX's Parmele Subdivision. The Parmele Subdivision now terminates just north of Kinston at a grain elevator in Elmer.
Historic stations +Pender to KinstonMilepostCity/LocationStationConnections and notesAA 91.7Penderjunction with Main LineAA 99.5TilleryAA 103.5Spring HillAA 109.9Scotland NeckScotland NeckAA 116.7HobgoodHobgoodjunction with Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Norfolk—Rocky Mount LineAA 123.7Oak CityOak Cityoriginally Goose NestAA 128.2HassellHassellAA 134.8ParmeleParmelejunction with:AA 138.3WhitehurstAA 144.0StatonAA 146.3HouseAA 149.7GreenvilleGreenvillejunction with Norfolk Southern Railway (SOU)AA 155.2WintervilleWintervilleAA 159.2AydenAA 166.0GriftonAA 171.9GraingersAA 177.6KinstonKinstonjunction with Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad (NS)
+Washington BranchMilepostCity/LocationStationConnections and notesAAB 134.8ParmeleParmelejunction with Kinston BranchAAB 142.5StokesAAB 143.8WhichardAAB 149.0PactolusAAB 154.7WhartonAAB 159.2WashingtonW&V Junctionjunction with Washington and Vandemere Railroad (ACL)AAB 160.2Washington
References