As we drove into Salisbury, Chris Parker and I got our first look at the old Southern Railway Spencer Shop Complex. I was amazed at the size of it as we drove into the parking lot and parked our rental car. We walked into the Barber Depot.
The Barber Depot from Barber, North Carolina built in 1898. Inside the station we meet Natalie Alford, Information & Communication Specialist with the North Carolina Transportation Museum, who was waiting for us. She handed me a Media Kit and then she lead us down the long path to the Spencer Roundhouse. We talked all the way there and once we got inside, she turned us loose to look at this museum that I wanted to see for years.
In the Roundhouse to the left is a Railway Express Truck.
Southern Railway E-8A 6900.
Seaboard Air Line 2-10-0 Decapod 544.
Piedmont and Northern Boxcab 5103.
A view looking back from whence we came.
Atlantic Coast Line E3A 501.
Graham County Railroad Shay 1925.
NW Caboose 555012.
Duke Power Company 111.
Atlantic Coast Line 4-6-0 1031.
Spencer 2-8-0 604.
Norfolk Southern AS-416 1616.
Raleigh and Gaston Railway 0-4-0 Raleigh.
Southern Derrick 903006 and boom car. Next we entered the Elmer Lam Gallery.
A prime mover.
The Brosnon collection.
Two more interesting railroad displays in this hall. Next I entered the Restoration Hall.
Steam locomotive tender off of the 542.
Small diesel switcher.
Another view inside the Restoration Hall.
A yellow switcher.
Seaboard Caboose 5458.
Norfolk & Western GP-9 620.
Southern Railway FP-7 6133.
Southern Railway GP-30 2601.
Another view of Southern Railway 6133.
What a fantastic view in August of 2007. I next walked into the Shop part of the Spencer Roundhouse.
Private Car Doris.
Lancaster and Chester 16.
Roundhouse scene.
United States Army 89480.
Hampton and Branchville M-200.
United States Army 7497.
Station Mail Pouches.
A locomotive control stand.
Dispatching Board.
Roanoke Chapter Powhatan Arrow NRHS 537.
A&EC Railroad "The Tobacco Belt Route."
Roundhouse scene.
Carolina Power & Light 0-4-0 3. I looked at my watch and time passes quickly when you are having fun, so much so we had less than ten minutes to get back to the front of the museum for the 11:00 AM Train Ride. Chris and I walked very quickly through the heat and humidity. We made that train by three minutes. I picked up the tickets and we boarded the train. I wanted to be able to take pictures so I sat in an open window ex Reading Car. I was then invited by the crew to ride out on the open platform on the rear of the train. It would be good to ride out in the fresh air on a day like this.
Train Ride
The train consisted of Beaufort and Morehead H-12-44 1860, Norfolk Western RNRH 1827 The Pocahontas, Norfolk Western Powhatan Arrow RNRH 512, NCTM ex Reading 1298 and NCTM ex Reading 1297.
Our trip started by backing out of the Barber Depot.
A look back from whence we came!
Backing up to clear the switch near the ex Southern Railway Mainline.
The ex Southern Mainline to the left. The train then started pulling forward.
Looking back towards the Barber Depot and the Southern Box Car on display as you come into the parking lot.
Next our train passed beneath a footbridge from the overflow parking lot to the Barber Depot.
The train curved running along Salisbury Avenue.
We passed the large water tanks with "Southern Serves the South" on them.
We ran by the restroom building.
The Master Mechanic's Office built in 1911.
The Back Shop built in 1905.
Storehouse 3 built in 1896.
Curving by the 1924 built Flue Shop.
Nearing the Spencer Roundhouse.
Leaving the Back Shop behind.
Passing through the old fueling racks.
The Spencer Roundhouse looms behind our train.
Another view back.
Remains of the Sand House built 1913.
We passed through a gate out of the Shop Property.
Another look back.
Our southbound journey ended next to the Salisbury Yard. Soon the engine would push our train north back to the Barber Depot but over a slightly different route.
The train started back.
The Spencer Roundhouse.
Our route would take us between the Back Shop and the buildings to the west.
Passengers including Chris Parker detrained at the Spencer Roundhouse.
The Back Shop.
Rolling along the Back shop.
A NW Caboose.
The Water Tanks again.
Pushing back into the Barber Depot.
The excursion train for this day.
Beaufort and Morehead Railway H-12-44 1860.
The Powhatan Arrow.
The open platform at the rear of the excursion train.
The station mail stand.
Another view of the Barber Depot.
