(rshsdepot) Pineville, NC

["Bernie Wagenblast" <brwagenblast_@_comcast.net>]

Before I bring you the story about the Pineville, NC depot, I hope you don't 
mind a brief commercial message that does have a train station angle to it.

One of real-life jobs is doing voiceovers.  If you've taken AirTrain JFK or 
AirTrain Newark in the past few years you've probably heard me telling you 
to "stand clear of the closing doors" and announcing the stops.  Since I was 
laid-off from my previous job I've been looking for more opportunities to do 
this kind of work and I thought some of you, either in your professional 
lives, or through your involvement with railroading, might be aware of 
opportunities where a voice is needed.

In addition to the AirTrain announcements I've also done some commercials, 
phone systems (call 1-888-EWR-INFO to hear my recordings for Newark 
Airport), PowerPoint narrations and live announcing, such as at the 
groundbreaking for the Freedom Tower at the World Trade Center site.

The rates are low and I will do recordings for non-profit organizations 
free-of-charge.

Please feel free to contact me for additional information.

Thank you.  We now return you to your regularly scheduled rail station news.

Bernie Wagenblast

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From today's Charlotte Observer.


Watchdog | Where did the old train station go?

THE ISSUE

The train station that once stood in south Charlotte at Old Pineville Road 
and Bourbon Street has disappeared, said Joe Lynch, a Charlotte resident for 
more than 25 years.

He wonders if the former train station was historic and why it was not 
saved.

WE INVESTIGATE

The building has been demolished, although the town of Pineville did try to 
save it.

It opened as the Pineville depot in 1901, but after it was abandoned, 
businessman Jack Rosenblatt bought the station for $1. He moved it about 30 
years ago up the road to south Charlotte, to a spot next to the Norfolk 
Southern track at Bourbon Street.

Over the years, the depot was remodeled extensively and became an A.W. 
Shucks restaurant and later a Mexican restaurant. Charlotte Area Transit 
System needed the land for its light-rail line and asked Pineville if it 
wanted its old station.

Mike Rose, Pineville's planning director, said the town decided not to bring 
the depot home because of the expense of moving and the building's 
structural problems.

The building lost its historic significance when it was moved from Pineville 
and substantially altered, said Dan Morrill, consulting director of the 
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission.

CATS consultants who studied properties along the 9.6-mile South Boulevard 
corridor found several that were historic, including the South 21 Drive-in 
on South Boulevard.

IF THIS HAPPENS TO YOU

Mecklenburg residents who want to nominate a property for historic landmark 
status can find an application form at the Web site of the 
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission, www.cmhpf.org 

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The Railroad Station Historical Society maintains a database of existing
railroad structures at: http://www.rrshs.org

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