The Aberdeen, Carolina and Western Railway

A relatively new railroad it was created in 1987 when it purchased a former NS branch between Aberdeen and Star and two years later was able to more than double its size when it leased the east-west NS line between Charlotte and Gulf as part of Norfolk Southern’s "Thoroughbred Shortline Program.”

Today it has operated basically the same trackage and lines since 1989 and hauls products ranging from grain, brick, latex, and propane gas to wood products (wood chips, pulpwood, and lumber). Overall the railroad serves some eighteen shippers and from this business the Aberdeen, Carolina and Western is able to move some 12,000 carloads annually, which isn’t too bad for a railroad of its size (also, at roughly 160 miles it is the largest shortline in both North and South Carolina).

The Aberdeen, Carolina and Western has interchange points with essentially three different railroads, including one shortline, the Winston-Salem Southbound, and two Class Is, CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern. Below is a short roster of the railroad although not all are shown (it also recently took delivery of two former Ohio Central F7s, of Milwaukee Road lineage).

#703 - GP40-2W: ex-Tri-Rail, ex-Go Transit, leased from TBRX (Taylor Rail Group)

#1601 - EMD GP16: ex-Seaboard Air Line #1925, ex-Seaboard Coast Line #1024, ex-Seaboard System #4645

#1721 - EMD GP16: ex-Seaboard Air Line #408, ex-Seaboard Coast Line #1064, ex-Seaboard System #4621

#2077 - EMD GP38: ex-Chesapeake & Ohio #3877, (C&O scheme) ex-CSXT #2077

#3802 - EMD GP38: ex-Baltimore & Ohio #3846, ex-CSXT #2046

#3803 - EMD GP38: ex-Chesapeake & 0hio #3897, ex-CSXT #2097

#4444 - EMD GP9: ex-Central Vermont, ex-Grand Trunk Western, leased from TBRX

#4446 - EMD GP9: ex-Central Vermont, ex-Grand Trunk Western, leased from TBRX

#9538 - GMD GP40-2LW: ex-Canadian National, leased from TBRX

#9556 - GMD GP40-2LW: ex-Canadian National, leased from TBRX

#9582 - GMD GP40-2LW: ex-Canadian National, leased from TBRX

While the railroad has only been operating for less than twenty years considering the AC&W’s diverse traffic base and that it has upgraded several miles of its physical plant with heavy, welded-rail its future appears strong and the little railroad should be around for many years to come with its locomotives sporting the company’s beautiful white and forest-green livery.

For more reading on shortlines like the Aberdeen, Carolina & Western consider the book American Shortline Railway Guide from author Ed Lewis. The book has gone through several updated editions to keep up with the ever-changing world of the shortline industry. Today, the publication highlights almost 600 shortlines across the country with general background information about each. If you have any interest in shortlines you will very likely enjoy this book.