Spencer, Rowan and Asheville (SR&A)
Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2023 12:19 pm
The Spencer, Rowan and Asheville (or SR&A) is a shortline based out of Spencer, NC that utilizes the former NS S-line out of Spencer, NC.
While this shortline may seem obscure, it actually serves a very important purpose. They interchange with Norfolk Southern at Linwood Yard and brings cars to Asheville or industries along the way. Asheville used to be a big market for NS, but now after the sale of the S line, the SR&A has the city covered with cars originating out of Linwood and running to points along the line.
The SR&A’s roster consists of 8 locomotives,
SRA C40-8W 8401 (nee NS 8401 nee conrail ??)
SRA C40-8W 8402 (nee NS 8371 nee conrail ??)
SRA SD60 6001 (nee NS 6677)
SRA SD60 6002 (nee NS 6704 nee conrail ??)
SRA GP40-2W 4001 (nee CN 9404)
SRA GP40-2W 4002 (nee CN 9401)
SRA P32-8BWH 100 (nee Amtrak 517)
SRA P32-8BWH 101 (nee Amtrak 516)
You may have noticed a pair of former Amtrak P32-8BWH’s on the roster, these units play double duty. They run excursions to the old fort loops in the late summer/fall, and during the off season, they are used in local switching service on an ad-hoc basis.
The SR&A serves several industries along it’s route. Two paper mills, a grain elevator, two lumber transloading locations and a refinery (which makes most of the money for the railroad).
The SR&A mainline averages 4 trains per day between Spencer and Asheville.
ASHSPN (or as the railfans call it, the ashpan) carries general manifest cars out of Asheville from the Yadkin Valley railroad to Spencer.
The cars are either interchanged to the NS on train SPN2 (Spencer job 2, Spencer-Linwood turn) or end up on SPN1 (Spencer job 1, Spencer-Rowan-Spencer local) to be switched to their respective industries.
SPNASH (or the spanish) is the Spencer-Asheville general manifest.
Cars from that train either end up on ASH1 (Asheville job 1, Asheville-Old Fort-Asheville local) and are switched to their respective industries or end up on ASH2 (Asheville job 2, Asheville-Yadkin Valley RR interchange turn)
Normally the manifest trains top out at 40-60 cars and the locals are anywhere between 10-20.
Customer info coming soon…
While this shortline may seem obscure, it actually serves a very important purpose. They interchange with Norfolk Southern at Linwood Yard and brings cars to Asheville or industries along the way. Asheville used to be a big market for NS, but now after the sale of the S line, the SR&A has the city covered with cars originating out of Linwood and running to points along the line.
The SR&A’s roster consists of 8 locomotives,
SRA C40-8W 8401 (nee NS 8401 nee conrail ??)
SRA C40-8W 8402 (nee NS 8371 nee conrail ??)
SRA SD60 6001 (nee NS 6677)
SRA SD60 6002 (nee NS 6704 nee conrail ??)
SRA GP40-2W 4001 (nee CN 9404)
SRA GP40-2W 4002 (nee CN 9401)
SRA P32-8BWH 100 (nee Amtrak 517)
SRA P32-8BWH 101 (nee Amtrak 516)
You may have noticed a pair of former Amtrak P32-8BWH’s on the roster, these units play double duty. They run excursions to the old fort loops in the late summer/fall, and during the off season, they are used in local switching service on an ad-hoc basis.
The SR&A serves several industries along it’s route. Two paper mills, a grain elevator, two lumber transloading locations and a refinery (which makes most of the money for the railroad).
The SR&A mainline averages 4 trains per day between Spencer and Asheville.
ASHSPN (or as the railfans call it, the ashpan) carries general manifest cars out of Asheville from the Yadkin Valley railroad to Spencer.
The cars are either interchanged to the NS on train SPN2 (Spencer job 2, Spencer-Linwood turn) or end up on SPN1 (Spencer job 1, Spencer-Rowan-Spencer local) to be switched to their respective industries.
SPNASH (or the spanish) is the Spencer-Asheville general manifest.
Cars from that train either end up on ASH1 (Asheville job 1, Asheville-Old Fort-Asheville local) and are switched to their respective industries or end up on ASH2 (Asheville job 2, Asheville-Yadkin Valley RR interchange turn)
Normally the manifest trains top out at 40-60 cars and the locals are anywhere between 10-20.
Customer info coming soon…