North Carolina tourist railroads you must visit include a museum in a freight warehouse to a trolley ride and everything in between. Here’s our list of must-see tourist railroads, museums, and displays — for almost every region in North Carolina.
Craggy Mountain Line
Listed as one of five great train rides in North Carolina the Craggy Mountain Line operates on the last 3 miles of the former Southern Railway “Craggy Branch” since 2001. The railroad offers chartered and public rides, while also providing special events including both the Easter Bunny and Jingle Bells trolley rides. Ride along on a 1930s Reading Company jitney that was rebuilt to represent a trolley that once operated on the line circa 1900. Numerous pieces in the collection have been restored to operating condition, such as two Southern bay window cabooses and a former Pennsylvania Alco S-3. When visiting be sure to see the rare former New York City subway car built in 1935, a matched pair of Chicago Transit Authority elevated cars from 1950, and an Edwards Model 20 motor car built in 1925 at the Sanford, N.C., factory. Be sure to check their website for the full operating schedule.
Location: 111 North Woodfin Avenue, Asheville
Phone: 828-808-4877
Website: craggymountainline.com
E-mail: rocky@craggymountainline.com
Wilmington Railroad Museum
Learn about the development of the railroads in the Wilmington area and the men and women who worked on them. The museum is housed in an 1880s railroad freight warehouse, where you can view Atlantic Coast Line artifacts and a re-creation of a country station. Outside, you can inspect a 1910 Baldwin steam locomotive, a hobo display in a boxcar, and an Atlantic Coast Line caboose. The museum is open daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day. From Labor Day through Memorial Day, the museum is open Monday through Saturday.
Location: 505 Nutt Street, Wilmington
Phone: 910-763-2634
Website: wrrm.org
E-mail: info@wrrm.org
