The Red Springs & Northern group met recently with the Board of Directors of Advancement, Inc., the economic development agency which actually owns the line, which extends 12.5 miles to the southwest of its "A" Line interchange at Parkton.

A scrap dealer had made an offer on the line, and we were to have twenty minutes to make the cast for not selling, and continuing to work on development of the property as an operating railroad museum and toruist line. We were sucessful in doing that, with much help from our NC Department of Commerce and their vision of an expanded tourist attraction involving bike trails and the Lumber River State Park.

So with the full knowledge that we are in conflict with the Jacksonville convention, we are inviting all those who are still in the area to join us in Parkton on Saturday, February 15th, to help us start the real ball rolling.

We will have a RS&N board meeting at 10:00 am in the old ACL depot at Parkton (everyone invited to sit in). That will be followed by an organizational/membership meeting at 11:00 am. This has been planned to coincide with a regularly scheduled NARCOA motorcar ride day. We are asking the motorcar folks to set on at Red Springs as they normally do, and to ride the line to Parkton for the meetings.

The foundation will provide lunch, after which we will ride the motorcars south over the line, paying particular attention to the first couple of miles, where the initial track work will take place. People who come in without motorcars will be able to hitch a ride.

This is an important meeting for those of us who are interested in saving this very lovely ex-ACL (Cape Fear & Yadkin Valley) line. We urge anyone who is interested to please attend.

You can contact me at 252 728-4666, or via email.

Pete Wenk RS&N Foundation

-- Pete Wenk (petewenk@nccoast.com), February 05, 2003