Spencer Shops, NC Transportation Museum, roundhouse

After crossing the yard, we enter the old round house. Now the roundhouse serves as display space for much of the restored collection of the museum but also as repair and restoration space for the collection.

Spencer Shops, NC Transportation Museum, the exhibits

Any transportation museum has its stratagy to view and photograph. For Spencer, the train rides give you a lay of the land. A second ride allows you to take pictures, at least for me. Now comes the walk from the information center through the exhibits.
Around the yard, between the information center and the first building there are a number of exhibits. Some more permament that others.

More come between the buildings. Between the shops and out around the roundhouse, there are more than a few exhibits. In addition, many pieces are just stored until they can find a place in the exhibits

Spencer Shops, NC Transportation Museum, introduction

How can I love so close but not take a day trip to Spencer Shops, Southern's major engine facility. Now it is the North Carolina Transportation Museum. Trains are a major part of the collection. As you arrive you are greeted by Barber Junction, A Southern station move to this location, to serve as the information center for the museum.

From Barber Junction, the museum runs trains to the other end of the sight and back. Not a very long trip, but as a first impression, it will give you a lay of the land.


While on this trip, we can see the full round house and the collection. We might use the first trip to get oriented but another trip to get pictures of the layout, including items not yet in the round house.

Greensboro

During a previous trip, I found the Amtrak, former Southern, station in Greensboro, NC. To my surprise, Greensboro has a lovely skyline.



Before I show you the skyline of Greensboro, you might be satisfied with the interior of the station.



It was from the train station that I saw a beautiful skyline. On return to Greensboro, The best view of the skyline was found. Notice that the Amtrak station, now a transportation center, is in the foreground.



Train station, in front, makes this the ideal location to photograph trains, in particular North Southern, formally the Southern. Through here we found many trains passing. The Southerner, the Crescent, Piedmont, and among the last local trains operated by railroads before Amtrak and Government owned commuter rail.