Southern on the Old NS and Crossing the Albemarle Sound, 1982-84

Filmed by Edward L. Durnwald. Originally shot on Super 8, this was taken from a Betamax tape.
Hickory, VA 5110 GP38-2
Shawboro, N.C. 5121 GP38-2
Belcross, N.C. 3913 U23B
Chesapeake, VA [not further identified]
Shawboro, N.C. 3916 U23B
St. Brides, VA 2691 GP30
Moyock, N.C. 2691 GP30
St. Brides, VA 3930 U23B
Fentress, VA 5220 GP38-2
Southern Crossing the Albermarle Sound
2691-GP38-2 Five Mile Long Albermarle Sound Bridge Has Been Dismantled
Suffolk, VA 3498 FP7 Virginia Governor Charles Robb Special
Camden, N.C. 1352 GP40 Last Director's Special on the Old Norfolk Southern
Chesapeake, VA 1352 GP40 Corssing the Northwest River

[@robynwatts6578]

Thank you very much for sharing this video. Not only for the Southern Ry. action, but for the video of Southern crossing Albemarle Sound. I’ve never seen a video of a train crossing it, so this was a rarity.

[@thebear3589]

I grew up in Mackey's, NC and remember the old Albemarle Sound train bridge very well ...seen many a train cross that bridge.. my Grandfather and Great Grandfather were both Drawbridge operators on that bridge...riding the ol hand pump trolly cars from the Mackey's end to the draw. The draw is/was located close to the Edenton side of the bridge making for about a 4 mile "ride" one way.. pumping that trolley to work in all kinds of weather...sad when I heard it was coming down. Also knew most of the men who worked the bridge tender crew...

[@jayceej.5858]

I know where all this is, I grew up a bit in the area, the train there in Shawboro , thats before they put in the highway, back down there is Roberts Brothers which is corn dryers grain bins , all that stuff used to help my grandfather climb the elevator legs , and do patches and things to all the stuff on the farm, he passed away a few years ago, though nothing makes me think of him more than a cool breeze blowing through the old dump pit, with the tin siding rattling just a little, the smell of dry corn, wheat, and the sound and smell of the corn dryer, that bit of light dust that blows around, and him in the old dump pit leaning on the wall, waiting for a truck, switching around some augerss from one leg to another, and his welding cap, and him smiling as i wouuld walk up to visit him while he worked to bring him a cold glass of ice tea, wow, I miss him, and just seeing this reminded me of when i was little, how we take for granted so much those moments, sights smells sounds of something that comforts our soul reminds us of care free innocent fun, and that I can never have that feeling again. the things we take for granted that are worth more than all the money and power in the world, when we loose sight of what is important, and then it takes loosing it to make us see what we had, these last few lines i have typed here, crying my eyes out wishing i could see him or hug him, hear his voice once more, share a soda or a few jelly beans,, a car ride, an argument, a conversation, the comfort of knowing you still had that one person who would love you unconditionally no matter what. I miss my grandad more than anyone will ever know, thats what this reminds me of

[@peterjhillier7659]

Jaycee J. How I loved your Memories and Thoughts. It is fortunate that you are able to appreciate such Things, so many People lack the gentleness of Spirit that is required to be able to understand the really important Things in Life. When you loose a Parent, or Grandparent to whom you are close to, you don't realise just how much it will affect you.

[@anb7408]

Wow! Never knew a video of a train going over that trestle existed! Even photos are a rarity.

[@k.b.5079]

I also would note that I love seeing these Southern cabooses in action, nowadays you’ll see them mainly off of NS lines just sitting there. Better than getting sent to the scrap yard, but would love to see them ran

[@railenthusiast4830]

Love these older videos of the Southern. Wished I had done the same back then.

[@jayceej.5858]

if you read my comment above, you may see the romance and love i have for this area, and of one person special to me, but aside from that, i used to go swimming at my other grandmas house, she had a place on the sound front, and use to canoe down the edge, and swim, near where this bridge collapsed and find tons of railroad spikes and rails and drift wood , it was like someone threw a whole bridge in there, and this 25 years ago or more, i love this whole area

[@tommyhunter1817]

Oh, that old jointed rail. Sound of my childhood right there. And always loved the bonus caboose on the end.

[@Yourmom-et1xo]

I can still see a lot of those old southern hoppers on trains that pass through

[@dwwd156]

The 2691 at the 5:07, 5:55 and 11:00 mark is actually a GP35 and went to the Wheeling and Lake Erie in 1990. Great vid.

[@gusshadleythelunaticfromar7125]

I like for Wayne Boyette to see this. Hope he comes across this, I send him a link to it, but he is a hard guy to approach, he is a hard head that worked with hard heads, good railroad man , I give him that. Run me down to Suffolk once only to have to turn back. Them were the days.

[@thomasemory4342]

I'm the Engineer on the very first train. Red beard

[@thomasemory4342]

5110 Hickory

[@henrybent7508]

That's so cool! Anything to share about your experiences on the train?

[@thomasemory4342]

42 years,too many stories to tell. It was fun. I got to do what most boys of my generation wanted to do,be a Locomotive Engineer

[@riahthreetimes]

awesome i live in chesapeake and grew up with the chesapeake & albemarle i forgot southern used to run it!!

[@RsRj-qd2cg]

I love those hoppers that say Norfolk and Western. There are still quite a few in use today. I think it's a nice font.

[@user-tk6mp9nq5t]

And now there’s nothing left but just the Pilar’s I wish it wasn’t torn down

[@theark-la-missrailfan]

Wow! This is some mighty fine footage!

[@mccoy79productions66]

Awesome

[@jamesmdean1987]

Some of THE CREEPIEST sounding horns.

[@ericzerkle5214]

I remember seeing lots of southern power up here on the NW ex nkp and wabash in the early 1980s.

[@crlaw75]

I bet a train crossing the bridge at 8:22 would've been scary.

[@private23930]

I was born in 1987, i remember the train coming through Mackey's road looking out the window at my dad's house at the time It wasn't long after that the tracks got in rough shape, if I'm not mistaken the speed restrictions after a few more years on that track was 5 to 7 mph untill 04 when the tracks were taken up, the last train I seen on that track was a NS c44-9w with a few empty lime cars and a few grain hoppers heading back toward plymouth NC.

[@markquiswest6607]

With the 4th Southern Railroad Train sounds like both a tornado, and a hurricane! I love this video too!

[@mareviea]

This is just wonderful!

[@steelcityrailfan4808]

Great video! Seems like a lot of the engineers and conductors didn’t wave

[@CSX2665]

i really hate how this line got abandoned, wish it couldve stayed the bridge is what i found to be fascinating about it

[@IH-Harvester89]

The line is still in use by Chesapeake Albemarle Railroad but they took up the trestle going across the sound

[@jcsman4244]

The Chesapeake Albemarle is now owned by Genesee and Wyoming. The line runs 70 miles from NS Portlock in Chesapeake down to Edenton. The bridge across the Sound was dismantled early 80’s I think.

[@CSX2665]

I hate that the bridge got removed I also hate when class 1’s tracks get abandoned and get taken over by stupid short lines

[@brianbooher7318]

@@CSX2665 it beats not being a railroad period.thats what would happen if it was not for shoreline rail roads

[@commonman10]

@@jcsman4244 the Great Bridge was taken down in 1989 after post merger consolidation deemed it no longer necessary. As it was, it was a major maintenance nightmare and when the new NS took over its days were numbered.

[@k.b.5079]

5:31 two cabooses at the end??? Now THAT is incredibly rare. Any reason why that’s a thing?

[@admydragon]

Horns from another planet.

[@CRPULSE300]

Metra still uses the P5 horn that Southern did, so i get to hear it often

[@jacobswope6179]

This man worked for the Norfolk & Western. I have his film of the N&W. They are also on youtube. The Southern had magical horns.

[@LastMinuteGarage]

Great video. Is the video filmed from the Mackeys side?

[@ctillnc]

2691 was a GP35. But it's a great video.

[@bentheidioticnerd8993]

Is that one at 3:26 Centerville TNPK by any chance?

[@jcsman4244]

The Chesapeake Albemarle is now owned by Genesee and Wyoming. The line runs 70 miles from NS Portlock in Chesapeake down to Edenton. The bridge across the Sound was dismantled mid 80’s I think.

[@IH-Harvester89]

JCsMan why did they dismantle the bridge for

[@jcsman4244]

nicholas ballard Most likely because it fell into disrepair and cost too much to upkeep. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mackeys_Ferry,_North_Carolina

[@robynwatts6578]

@@IH-Harvester89 Prior to the merger of the original Norfolk Southern into the Southern in 1974, Southern’s access to the Tidewater area was by trackage rights over the Seaboard Coast Line. This ended after the old NS was purchased by the Southern. Southern did do some upgrades to the former NS line like replacing the rail to handle heavier railcars and locomotives, but the Albemarle Sound trestle was always an maintenance headache, with train speeds reduced to 5 MPH during Southern’s ownership. After the Southern-Norfolk & Western merger in 1982, the “new”Norfolk Southern had better routes to access the Tidewater area. This, along with the deteriorated condition of the Albemarle Sound trestle by the mid-80s led them to abandoned and remove it. Today the Chesapeake and Albemarle Railroad operates the north end of the line from Edenton, North Carolina to the Tidewater area while the Coastal Carolina Railroad operates the line south from Albemarle Sound to Raleigh, North Carolina.

[@user-tk6mp9nq5t]

It was dismantled in 1988 but it shouldn’t have

[@brianbooher7318]

Them southern locomotives are best looking ever don't no why the ns heritage Loco doesn't look good I guess cause it's not a high hood

[@nicholasmedovich6729]

Any videos of the high hood U30 or33cs??

[@henrybent7508]

What I've posted is everything that I have from this source.

[@nicholasmedovich6729]

@@henrybent7508 ok. Thanks for letting me know

[@Buford_Railfans2822]

The loco at 3:33 is a gp38 or gp40

[@CRPULSE300]

Sou 2691 was a GP35.

[@JLScott3178]

Is this real sound? Epic stuff!

[@henrybent7508]

This is absolutely the original sound, I did not modify it in any way.

[@Railfan6708]

Do you care if I use this video for an edit

[@henrybent7508]

No, go ahead!

[@Railfan6708]

Thank you 🙏