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wrm_logoWilmington Railroad Museum

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german or more than 125 years, railroading was Wilmington's chief industry. In 1840 the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad was completed and was the longest continuous rail line in the world at 161 miles long. Near the turn of the 20th century several railroads up and down the eastern seaboard, including the Wilmington & Weldon, merged to become the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. The ACL company headquarters was located here in Wilmington. During its heyday the railroad contributed heavily to the area's commercial and industrial growth and provided jobs and revenue for the local economy. In 1960 the ACL moved its headquarters from Wilmington to Jacksonville, FL. It was the largest single move of employees ever staged by a southeastern industry. The railroad moved over 1,000 employees, their families, their belongings, and the company files and office equipment more than 450 miles by rail.

Started in 1979 by three women and a table of ACL Railroad artifacts, the Wilmington Railroad Museum was dedicated to preserving the rich history of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and the history of railroading in the southeastern United States.

Wilmington Railroad Museum

wrm_state egyptian he Wilmington Railroad Museum was started in 1979 and today is located downtown in its namesake city in North Carolina, housed in an 1883 Atlantic Coast Line warehouse structure. The museum features artifacts and displays related to the coastal railroad history of the region, with emphasis on the Atlantic Coast Line. Three pieces of rolling stock — a Baldwin steamer, a boxcar, and a caboose — are on display outside the building.

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Click to see the Wilmington Railroad Museum plotted on a Google Maps page

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collection

wrm_postcard1

postcard / collection

wrm_brochure1

brochure / collection

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wrm_tourist1992

1992 tourist train guide ad / collection

wrm_tourist1998

1998 tourist train guide ad / collection

wrm_tourist2001

2001 tourist train guide ad / collection

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acl_map1910

1910 Official Guide map / collection / adapted RWH

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1910 Official Guide ad / collection

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1910 Official Guide ad / collection

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acl_time1964

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Equipment

Atlantic Coast Line #250

  • builder:Baldwin Locomotive Works
  • arrangement:4-6-0 "Ten Wheeler"
  • class:K 14 (nos. 245-254)
  • built:Oct 1910, Baldwin #35351
  • fuel:soft coal / water
  • notes:
  • 20x26" cylinders, 69" drivers, 200 psi
  • blt Atlantic Coast Line #250
    to Seaboard Coast Line (display)
    to display Tampa FL
    to Wilmington Railroad Museum
  • cab and tender taken to Great Smoky Mountains RR for cosmetic restoration
  • builder
    acl250e acl250f acl250h acl250i

    Nov 2016 / RWH

    acl250_clipping

    collection

    acl1983_postcard

    postcard / collection

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    Links / Sources

    This page was updated on 2022-12-22