10 Jan 2006 Harold. Mauldin is in Greenville County - located on the Golden Strip, circled (now) by I-85, I-385 and I-185. For referance, the old C & WC line still runs through Mauldin, however the line is now cut just before where it used to cross Laurens Road in Greenville. This was the rail line that came up from Laurens which at one time connected to the P & N, Southern and the Greenville Northern at River Junction. I do not get into Raleigh very ofte, most of the time I am using i-85 and I-95 to and from Virginia. As for that roundhouse in Chaleston, SC . My family lived there during WW II and later between 1950 and 1953. I still travel to Charleston quite often. I was the great age of 5 when we moved there in the spring of 1942. On occasions I saw engines being turned at the roundhouse. When we went into town, I often tried to get my dad to cross over from King Street to Meeting Street just for that reason. At times he did would do this, however with an older brother and a even older sister, I came in last on the 'wish to see' list. This also applied to the Charleston Union Station. Going inside the station was a special occassion for me. Watching the trains arrive and depart, trains being turned on the short wye - sometimes being cut into two sections to turn the train, etc. The Seaboard trains making their way through Charleston, especially at Meeting Street crossing. Thereyou could see the old trolley barn - with the street car tracks still in place, with all types of buses (auto carriers made into busses) being parked and in maintenance. I always hoped that a train to be coming as we approached the SAL crossing on either Meeting or King streets. For some reason, other members in my family did not share my desire to wait for trains. Sometimes we could see them when they crossed the Ashley River and also at Dupont crossing. From the original Cooper River bridge, you could look down on the Charleston Union Station and the ACL yards. I never rode a train into Charleston Union Station, however I did ride trains in and out of the old ACL north Station (at 7 mile viaduct). I have many other - on site, live - rail stories about Charleston, SC, Augusta, Savannah, Griffin, Thomaston and Atlanta, Ga, when I was being 'raised up'. O course my desire to watch, ride and model trains simply grew as I grew. I am retired military (USAF) and did see and ride many trains across the states when possible. I was able to secure a military locomotive license and operated the 44 ton engine on Charleston AFB. I am still employed and enjoy what I do (Lockheed Martin - now 16 years) as the senior flight operations controller. I also very must like modeling in o scale hi-rail and the ACL, SAL, SOU are the prime railroads I model. Thats enough for now. Need to go. Larry @ Southern Coasrline Railway System. [ January 11, 2006, 08:01 AM: Message edited by: SCRS ]
Wow! That is quite an account of Chas.! I feel like I have experienced it vicariously. Thanks! Harold
20 Jan 2006 Some memories to share. I remember when: Dorchester Avenue crossing (then in Charleston Heights, SC - now North Charleston) was a good place for a kid to watch trains. In the time period of WW II, the ACL and SOU each had two main line tracks into Charleston. In addition ACL had a single track crossing Dorchester Avenue just west of the SOU tracks. Many trains used these tracks in and out of Charleston. Stark U.S. Army Hospital was about two miles out on Dorchester Road (today it is known as Stark Industrial Park). Southern track crews unloaded many yards of gravel alone side of their outside track. Here Southern military passenger trains would stop (after clearing Dorchester Avenue) and the Army ambulances would back alone side the train off loading patients. The ACL had a track into the hospital. Here at this rail crossing was really the beginning of the 'Neck' for entry into Charleston. ACL and SOU tracks were parallel until they reached Magnolia Junction. Larry @ SCRS [ January 26, 2006, 06:50 AM: Message edited by: SCRS ]
Here are a few more. Flagging the "Boll Weevil" at DuPont's Crossing (station) for the five mile ride to Grove Street station (the Seaboard charged a whole 25 cents for that ride, vs. a dime and a transfer by bus). A brand new, shiny (and I mean Simonized) Southern RS-2 crossing Meeting Street Road just below the cemetery, in green and white, of course. Sunday afternoon rides with my dad out Highway 17 (two-lane, concrete slabbed) and watching 2 or 3 purple and silver E's hauling 15 - 20 stainless steel cars across Hwy. 17 at grade - no overpass, very, very fast.
21 Jan 2006 Some more 'old' memories to share. I also remember the Hwy !7 grade crossing. The times I was there in the WWII years and years later after the overpass was built . My family moved from the Dupont crossing area (Hwy 17 / Colburg Road) when the then new Dorchester Terrace was being built. Except when we would go to Folly Beach, my train watching West of the Ashley was very little. During the WW II years most of the shopping, doctor visits, etc. still had to be done in the City of Charleston. From the North area we used King street (then known as King Street extension) and Meeting Street Road to travel into Charleston. The Magnolia Junction / Meeting Street crossing was a very good place to see trains. Almost every time we would be there a passenger would cross the Meeting Street going into or coming out of the Union Station. The war time traffic was always increasing which had freight traffic all along Meeting and King Streets, switching the many industries on the Ashley Side and the Cooper side including the Navel Base (where my dad worked). The Reynolds Ave Seaboard Air Line grade crossing was another good train watching area. Many grade crossings in the area would really give the engineers a good work out on the whistles. Larry @ SCRs.
What happened to the CN&L? Is it still operating? Or was it eventually swallowed into the SBD type companies? Boxcab E50
21 Jan 2006 Hey Boxcab E50. The line is still open and very much active between Laurens and Columbia, however it is now part of CSX. CSX moves a lot of trains over it between Spartanburg to just outside of Laurens - through the new cut off- to the CN&L line then down to Columbia. Laurens is still a major rail center with the station still in place. Additionally the town square - just a block away is still full of OPEN and operating business. Laurens is one of my current train watching spots in upstate South Carolina, however it has been over a year now since I have last been there. I do have pictures of the long, high bridge and the yard area. Perhaps someday I will post them. Between full time work with Lockheed Martin and remodeling my home, I find it even hard to operate the SCRS for any length of time. Larry
Larry, re. your posting @0906, Saturday. Your postings sure have brought back a flood of memories from the 40's and 50's that had become kind of lost from my pre-car, kid, young teenage years. Probably I should also add, pre-camera and pre-money age as well. Also, I was so impressed by the then new second generation of GP-30's, SDP-35's, that I kind of lost track of that time when F's, GP's and RS's were all one saw. Then too, Seaboard started using excess E units to move manifests over the by then freight only Hamlet - Charleston - Savannah line. Neat! While Seaboard provided plenty of main line CTC type railroads, threading 5 or 6 fast freights though DuPont crossing between ~9 and 12 mid-night, the ACL put on it's own show of branch-line railroading on the Croghan's branch. Five, sometimes six days a week, one or two GP-7's would trundle from 1 to possibly 6 cars down the branch. However, when they were building the Pearman bridge, I was visiting my parents and watched a couple of GP's and an FP-7(!) back 63(!) hopper cars full of sand and gravel down that same 9 mile long branch. Until the North Bridge and some reasonable access to a car, I saw the Southern with about the same frequency as the S&A or Georgia railroads - not that often. However, as a big fan of Alco's, Southern was the road to see. Quite a few times to get my "fix" of four-cycle power, a friend and myself would sit in the parking lot at 7 Mile and and watch the S and RS power work the yard or pull by with a train to Columbia. Well, got to go now. Hopefully tomorrow, I can get back to work on the layout - progress on which seems on a par with a gut-shot snail.
I have not been to Columbia in almost 20 years... however, it appears, that work may take me back there! Harold
20 Jan 2006 Fast forwording a few years - Dave. During a few trips back in Charleston during my - AWAY - US Air Force years , I spotted from the west bound freeway lanes of I-26, a steam engine down in the Southern Yards. Well I took the next exit (Montague) and made my way down to the station and then along side of the yard tracks to the steam engine - #630 with CHARLESTON lettered below the cab window. The Master Mechanic was there at the engine (I forget his name now- maybe Shultz) and he let me take pictures. This was about July of 1970, before the NHRS Convention was to be held in Charleston. I became a member of the Charleston Chapter that day - even though I was leaving for South East Asia (SEA) shortly (2nd tour of duty there). I have had people tell me that #630 never had the name CHARLESTON lettered under the cab window, however I have some very good slide pictures for show and tell times. Like you, I also enjoyed train watching here at the Southern Yards. It was and is still a good place for train watching. Some day I would like to meet you and spend A LOT OF TIME talking about Charleston Rails. After my SEA tour, I was stationed at Charleston (2nd time) and was able to attend the meetings and help put together the excursions. One of those excursions the chapter sponcered, was a trip to Columbia. Most of the trips turned at Branchville, SC. Harold. That excursion was turned at the Union Station in Columbia. At that time it was still being used by Southern Railway with most of the tracks still in place. The station later became a "California Dreaming" restaurant . One track was left and it was for passing trains. The Seaboard station was also turned into a restaurant , however larter burned. Not sure if it was rebuilt. A new station was built for Amtrack. On I-126 to and from its junction with I-26, the old CN&L bridges can be seen. These are still in use. Will your work in Columbia be long term? Need to go. Larry at SCRS.
Larry, think that is Harold that'll be going to Columbia. Try to get me out of the low country! For several years before I went back to school, was active in the Charleston NRHS and think I took several of those excursions. I spoke several times with (I think) "Doc" Schultz, but can't recall whether he was with the Southern or the NRHS. I believe that 1970 meet here had three steamers; trying to recall, but believe they were the #630, #722 and an 0-4-0, (#4) owned by Mr. Walthers (and I may not have that spelling right). Took a lot of photos, but believe they went off with wife #1. Across from the old Darlington Apts. (Now Jos. Floyd Manor) was a beer distributor (remember seeing an ACL insulated box (with purple, not black lettering) - done in silver, along with a SAL silver insulated with red lettering), spotted simultaneously. Anyhow, the building was torn down and Southern (Perhaps also ACL) paved the area with ballast gravel and all three steamers were steaming right there. Quite a sight. How about when you get a chance, give us a description of the Southern Coast Line - same applies to you other ACL/SAL/SOU fans - think we're kinda rare birds in model railroading. Dave
Larry, It looks like any stay in Columbia will be brief or possibly non-existant... I ate at California Dreamin' one of my last time in Columbia!! Harold
31 Jan 2006 DAVE and others. The SOUTHERN COASTLINE RAILWAY SYSTEM (SCRS) is a fictional bridge line that all ACL, SAL and SOU. trains have to cross over to and from where ever they are in route to. The SCRS has a union station that ACL, SAL and SOU passenger utilize for all their passenger trains. MTH built E-8 units pull all their passenger trains. . The C of G has also applied for trackage rights – primarily for their passenger trains to enter the union station. Their request will be approved as soon as their new E-8’s are mfg. by MTH. The SCRS is ¼ Scale Hi- Rail. The track is NOT TUBULAR SECTIONAL. It is flexible, three (3) rail (low profile) Gargraves Phantom Rail (black center rail). It comes in lengths of 36”. I also use Gargraves and Ross turnouts.. All the rolling stock is quarter inch scale (I overlook the couplers and wheel flanges). The SCRS has a double track mainline, two long 3% grades, one wye with one loop using one leg of the wye, a through passing siding and some stub sidings. There is not a whole lot room for industrial sidings, however a lot of long freights move across the line. And as well long passenger trains. The Union Station tracks are too short to accommodate the entire train, thus have to be cut in two sections. A new larger Union Station is needed. The CEO has directed the real estate dept. to come to terms with the person who objects to having a new right of way crossing their territory. Perhaps some Wal-Mart gift certificates will help. Dave. It was 'Doc' Schultz and he did work for Southern and was president of the Charleston Chapter of the NHRS at that time. The 0-4-0 was owned by Cole and Marion Waters, thus the C & M W letters on the tender. We used the little engine on Kids day at CAFB. We put the 0-4-0 up front (primarly for show) and used the base 44 ton engine on the rear for power. WOW! I still remember those all day Saturdays. We would haul up to 4000 people on those days. I have some 8MM movie film of those days. Need to go. Larry.
Larry, Thanks for the description of the Southern Coastline. Was not aware of too many models available in O scale for ACL/SAL/SOU, but it sounds as if MTH has 'em -and now you're looking for CofG E-units? I do wish they made HO scale models. From an earlier post on 'Trainboard' understand that they were planning to stand up to the Union Pacific and its so-called licensing agreement and if so, I think they deserved all the support they can get. Again, thanks Dave
Harold - Would return to N gauge, had a layout approximately 30-35 years ago - loved it. But, now HO has the SAL/ACL/SOU engines and cars that I used to have to paint &decal myself - factory paint beats my best efforts flat. Also, got to love the variety of rail sizes in HO (code 40 to 83). All scales have one thing in common - commemoration of Man's geatest invention.
I am amazed at the variety available in N scale too: Atlas has released SD35's in ACL, SCL, and Southern (yes, high nosed); Southern B23-7's, GP38's, SD9's, SD24's.... I know I'd never be able to paint anything nearly that good. Harold
