Spencer Shops, a repair facility for railroad locomotives, first opened its doors in 1896. Spencer, North Carolina was selected by Southern Railway because it was halfway between Atlanta and Washington, DC. It was the right location to restock steam locomotives in use at the time. Over the years Spencer Shops grew to a huge facility, employing about 3000 people in its heydays.
Two prominent buildings are
- a 37-stall roundhouse with a 100-ft long electric turntable built in 1924 and
- a Back Shop, big enough to overhaul 10-15 huge steam locomotives at a time, built in 1905. The building is almost three stories high and the length of two football fields.
The advent of diesel locomotives in the 1940’s and early 1950’s began the slow decline of the facility. For a long time it was a repair depot for newer locomotives. But even that went away. The facility became increasingly aged and fell into disrepair. Eventually, it closed completely in 1970. All upkeep and care to the area stopped.
In 1977, Southern Railway donated 14 acres, encompassing some of the largest buildings, to the state of North Carolina. The state created the North Carolina Transportation Museum. The museum opened to the public in 1983. It now has refurbished buildings, lots of cleaned up railroad stock, and exhibits dedicated to various types of transportation. The museum also features a heritage railroad and a number of annual events. It averages 80,000 visitors annually.
Click on the links above to read more about the history.
1983
2009
Updated July 2, 2025
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