acl/sal in/around charleston sc Croghans Branch photos on the Internet. Found two photos of trains working the Croghans Branch. They are apparently from the early 80's, after SCL before Seaboard System. They were both taken at the Johns Island station after the overoass was built but before the soy bean silos were torn down. You can find them at Railpictures.net or under seach "ACL Croghan Branch."
Croghan Branch photos on the Internet. Found two photos of trains on the Croghan Branch. Apparently made after SCL but before Family Lines. They are at the site of the Johns Island station after the viaduct but before the soybean silo was torn down in the early 90s. They can be found at Railpicture.net or search "ACL Croghan Branch."
Thanks for pointing me this way Dave! Going back and reading through all the past posts to this thread now.
I was wondering if anyone had any info on the ACL Bridge across the Ashley River. From what I have read, the current Double Track bridge was constructed in the mid-late 1920's. The original Single track was on the east side of the bridge which still uses 3 of the original piers, with 3 more added during the upgrade. Does anyone have any info on the Original Single track bridge????....when was it built????.....was it a fixed bridge or did it open???? Thanks, Stu
I assume you are talking about the ACL bridge that is now CSX up by Bee's Ferry Road and Hwy 61? It is mentioned in Fetters book Logging Railroads of South Carolina, but I will have to check and see if it give any details. There has been a bridge there since about Civil War time. I will see what I can find, or maybe someone else has some good info? BTW, I basically live on that line, so I look at that bridge almost every day!
Believe there may have been a road bridge there at one time but the rail bridge dates from the sale of the Plant System in 1902 to the ACL. The Plant System line into Charleson was the former Charleston & Savannah which terminated at Albemarle Point across from the city of Charleston. If I remember correctly, the "Ashley River Branch" was built from the C&S at Johns Island across the Ashley to connect with the ACL. This became the main line of the ACL. The former C&S main from Johns Island to Albemarle Point became the ACLs Croghans branch. I'm not certain about a rail bridge there unil that time although from colonial time Bees Ferry was located in that general vicinity.
Thanks for the replys. I was in the Navy and stationed in Charleston from 1970-1993, and lived in Charleston till 1998. As most of you know alot has changed in Charleston during that time, and I was lucky to have been stationed there for such a long time. I have lived at various locations in and around Charleston during those years, Moncks Corner, Goose Creek, Hanahan, and finally West Ashley at Sea Gate Condo's from 1989-1998 ( I could watch the trains cross the CSX Ashley River Bridge from my back porch). I have many fond memories of the area, mainly before Northwoods Mall, (Used to go to the Drive In there), Citadel mall, Roberts Drive In, Breks Steak house.....etc..etc..and all the growth that has happened there over the years. Charleston used to have much more of a small town feel when I lived there. I was always interested in the railroads around Charleston and find there history very interesting. I retired from the Navy and returned back home to Marianna Fl where we have the CSX (former L&N, which was the former Pennsacola & Atlantic Railroad)) mainline between Pennsacola and Chatahoochie and then turned into the former SAL. I really enjoyed the history and first hand accounts which many of you have written regarding your memories of the ACL/SAL in and around the Charleston area. It really allowed me to understand the various railroads that I drove by everyday for almost 30 years and had no idea about here history. I wish the best to all of you "Low Country" locals, and hope the tourists don't drive you crazy. I sure have alot of good memories of the Charleston area way before it was the tourist mecca it has become now. Stu
7 AUGUST 2012 They arrived yesterday - all three units #101,105 and 107. Shortly after being serviced, they were pressed into passinger service pulling 10 heavy weights plus two head end cars. check them out here. http://www.mthtrains.com/content/20-20203-1 Larry @ SCRS PS. Dave. My e-mail address has been adjusted. Take CHARTER out and put ATT in. The rest is the same.
Wow! Three of those babies in O must really be something. Haven't updated recently but I acquired two of the I-M FT-A/B sets, all 4 Athearn "Genesis" GP-9s in SAL, and two of the centipedes. Have been planning (and gathering material) to relay some of my less-than-perfect trackwork but still haven't started. Inherited the wife's digital camera and really should take and try and post some layout photos. PSDStu - Thanks for the kind words about really should have been "America's Best Kept Secret." You probably wouldn't recognize the place now. Lived here for 66 of my 70 years and - I don't. Waiting any moment now for the "Powers That Be" to change the name from Charleston to Atlanta-In-The Marsh.
Larry - The thought just occured to me that you have more than enough GP-7s to model a Croghans branch train (typically 2 GP-7s). Of course it'd be o.k. up 'til the early 60s when the "black marias" took over. Do O-gauge 3 railers ever do branch lines? Don't think I've ever seen or read about such.
OK, I am going to be a dumb newbie - what is a "black maria"? Trying to figure out what my young, untrained eye would have seen there when I was in elementary school.
Well, newbie you may be - dumb, don't think so. On my first "real" job the plant manager where I worked took me to the ACLs North Station to pick up a package from Railway Express. Think he thought I'd enjoy the trip (and I did) and think he might've wanted some common labor (me). Well while we were there, the "Everglades" rolled in behind two black and yellow E-6s and of course we went out to watch. Standing there, the engineer came off the engine and he knew my boss and vice-versa. I was introduced (believe, not sure) that the engineer was a Mr. Sineath. My boss told him that I was a considerable rail fan. And after a little conversation he asked me "what do you think of these black maria colors versus the old?" I gave the most politic answer I could! After that I heard "old heads" on the ACL refer to the black & yellow colors as "black marias." Several months ago I heard another ACL/SCL fan refer to them as "bumble Bee" colors, which to me is strictly a D&RGW term. So the post-September 1957 colors will always be "black marias."
Ah! So they are the name really refers to the paint scheme, not the type of loco itself. I had heard the tearm "bumble bee" colors, but not "black marias". Now I know!
Well I gave this a little more thought. The ACL while not big, was widespread. Black marias was a term I heard in this area and I suppose bumble bee could have been used elsewhere. However I do remember it was in the 1970s that I heard D&RGW fans refer to bumble bee colors.
I read a good bit of this thread last night. I have lived in Charleston all my life but over in the Mount Pleasant area for the most part. Not much train activity over there. I have really enjoyed reading the posts and listening to you guys reminisce. I found a website I want you to look at... its pretty neat and has black and white pics of stations, trains and stuff from all over SC. Here is the link: http://library.sc.edu/digital/collections/Railroads.htm These are a few pics I got from the site. The last pic had no date or wording.. but looks like the replica of the Best Friend built by Southern in 1928? I wish I knew more about that one. Dean
Sorry guys, the pics are HUGE on the website. Only parts of them showed up in the post. Go take a look, really neat site. Dean
As mentioned in an earlier post South Carolina and especially Charleston had a long, varied, and interesting history with the railroads. Almost all of which disappeared rapidly and with very limited (if any comment). Hopefully the comments on this posts may help future historians. That at least is my hope and intent. What I find hopeful is the number of people under 50 years who evince an interest in the "way things used to be" railroad-wise in the area. Unfortunately and simultaneously the "bones" (bridges, towers, r-o-ws) disappeared also. One facet of railroading (well, o.k. - light rail) that has really been overlooked in this area are the trolley lines both in Charleston and Mount Pleasant (don't think too many people refer to it as "Hungry Neck" any more). Now with 70, 80 years gone and very few remnants - there's a job of work!
Even though I've lived in Charleston for most of my life and remember quite a bit about the east side of Charleston (with all that beautiful track in the street) I'm running into a blank wall about what commercial ventures were serviced by the various railroads. Some I have from memory but I'm certain there are quite a few more that I was unaware of, then as now. Any help, leads, information you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
To Buddy Hill - Buddy some time ago you mentioned your preparation of an article on the Croghans branch, the Yonges, Meggetts, and Ravenel branches of the ACL's "Cabbage Patch" farm branches. Just reestablished contact with Frank Moore who has a wealth of info on local railroads. He says he's tried to contact you several times with no success. Have you been in contact with him in re. your article?
Buddy and Dave, Not sure if you will remember me, but we met when I was trying to save the old Charleston County Produce Shed at Wappoo Road and Savannah Highway a couple of years ago. If you have been keeping up with the redevelopment efforts West Ashley, one of the things that we want to do is to improve the appearance and usefulness of these rights of way which are now used for passive recreation. We plan to visibly mark the old place name locations along these abandoned rights of way, but we do not have an accurate representation of where these stations were. I remember that there were 14 stops from Johns Island to the St. Andrews Station where Porter Gaud is now, but I don't know the exact locations. Do you guys have any source for this information and the names? We believe that this will help people re-identify these places and uncover some historical connections that would be interesting to the people who live here now. I sure would love to have your help on this. This is the first time I have posted here, so please for give the newby errors. Charlie Smith
