| Alexander Railroad | |
|---|---|
| Reporting mark | ARC |
| Locale | North Carolina |
| Dates of operation | 1946– |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) (standard gauge) |
| Headquarters | Taylorsville, North Carolina |
The Alexander Railroad (reporting mark ARC) is a short line operating in North Carolina. The railroad has 20 miles (32 km) of track that runs northwest from Statesville to Taylorsville, North Carolina.
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The Alexander Railroad Company began operations in 1946. The line was marked for abandonment by the Southern Railway, so local investors and businessmen stepped in, purchasing the 18-mile branch line from Statesville to Taylorsville. The railroad is named after Alexander County, North Carolina, although it serves both Alexander & Iredell Counties.
The railroad was originally chartered and built in 1887 as the Statesville & Western, a subsidiary of Atlantic, Tennessee & Ohio which ran between Charlotte and Statesville North Carolina. The AT&O was purchased by the Richmond & Danville, and eventually came under the Southern Railway.
The Alexander Railroad currently has four operating diesel-electric locomotives. The roster includes: #3 - GE 44 tonner, #6 and #7 - ALCO S-3's, and #8 - EMD SW9. As of late 2008, the Alexander Railroad also added two EMD SW1500's, #9 and #10 to their lineup.