The biggest "bridge traffic" on the D&S was coal received off the N&W in Durham. It was destined for the CP&L Moncure power plant at Brickhaven. This coal traffic was interchanged with the Norfolk Southern Ry at Fuquay Varina. NS took it to Brickhaven. This traffic largely dried up after Southern acquired the NS 1/1/74. SR began routing it over the NC line to Raleigh, thence down the former NS to Brickhaven, cutting out the D&S. I do recall one of these moves in the spring of 1976 on a weekday, so it still occasionally ran the old way after 1/74, but not often. I had gone down to chase the D&S since the SCL purchase was already announced. The train was lead by D&S 2000 and turned out to be the last D&S movement I ever shot south out of Apex to F-V. There was also a fair amount of coal traffic to the Burlington Industries denim mill at Erwin back when it had a steam power plant, as well as cotton in and scrap cloth out. Towards the end, there was very little through traffic that went to the SCL in Dunn. The D&S train south out of Apex frequently only had a half dozen or so cars. SCL traffic was mostly cigarettes and misc. freight from Durham that was interchanged to SCL in Apex, then hauled to Hamlet or Raleigh depending on ultimate destination. Apex-Durham was the busiest line segment in the final years. SCL acquired the D&S in September 1976.

Bob Graham