Engine-uity is Full Steam Ahead

We’re writing about the Aberdeen Carolina & Western Railway again, in anticipation of everyone losing their minds when they see 10 shiny cars roll into Pinehurst this week. Company employees will be riding the cars from Candor to Pinehurst on Wednesday, June 5 (UPDATE: now Friday, June 7 due to weather). “They’re all so proud of what was created,” says railway president Jennifer White. 

The cars aren’t open to the public, but they’re open for public gawking. They will be parked on the tracks near The Cradle to host private events the week of the U.S. Open. Two new cars will be among the train: Engine Room ’87, an open-air locomotive bar, and The Caboose, which the ACW team plans to come up with a better name for eventually.

• Engine Room ’87 is an open-air bar car with self-pour taps, constructed in-house from scrapped carcasses of a CSX loco. “In a way it’s like a rooftop bar,” says owner Robert Menzies, “except it has the ability to move.” The caboose has a rooftop seating area and taps as well as an air-conditioned inside room. “All the attention to detail is so fun,” adds Rita Menzies. 

Eventually the company plans to open Engine Room ’87 and The Caboose to the public for excursions and rentals. It even has a cab that looks functional with pushable buttons and levers where you can “play train conductor” — but don’t worry, you won’t have any real power.

“In the old days, trains were a friendly place to be. It was all about being social, thats what we’re trying to create here. It’s not like airplanes these days where no one talks to each other,” says Robert.

If you have tickets to the Open, you’ll be able to shop the first line of ACW merch with their new entertainment division logo. If not, you’ll have a loco-motive to drive to Pinehurst for sightseeing.