Augusta–Aiken Railway and Electric Corporation
Encyclopedia
The Augusta–Aiken Railway and Electric Corporation was an electric interurban
railroad that operated between Augusta, Georgia
and Aiken, South Carolina
. Once completed in 1902 the railroad remained in operation until it was abandoned in 1929.
hosted an electric street railway network after 1890 and an intricate horsecar
network prior to that year. A short spur reaching out from Augusta, bridging the Savannah River, and into South Carolina had already been in place since 1891.
Around the turn of the century, James U. Jackson and other land developers began construction on the luxurious Hampton Terrace Hotel in North Augusta. Simultaneously the trolley was extended to the resort hotel and further surveyed for extension to Aiken, South Carolina
. The railroad reached Aiken in 1902 and began operations that same year. The Hampton Terrace Hotel had its own spur track used to deliver coal and freight, and remained an important fixture of the route until it burned to the ground in 1916.
Freight services over the line came in the form of an express car and electric boxcab locomotives. Most freight traffic consisted of coal delivered to the Hampton Terrace Hotel or to the numerous cotton mills along the line.
As with many other interurban railroads in the United States, the advent of the automobile helped bring about the end of the Augusta - Aiken trolley in 1929. Augusta's own streetcar network would be out of service by 1937, replaced by intercity buses.
Interurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
railroad that operated between Augusta, Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
and Aiken, South Carolina
Aiken, South Carolina
Aiken is a city in and the county seat of Aiken County, South Carolina, United States. With Augusta, Georgia, it is one of the two largest cities of the Central Savannah River Area. It is part of the Augusta-Richmond County Metropolitan Statistical Area. Aiken is home to the University of South...
. Once completed in 1902 the railroad remained in operation until it was abandoned in 1929.
History
Augusta, GeorgiaAugusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
hosted an electric street railway network after 1890 and an intricate horsecar
Horsecar
A horsecar or horse-drawn tram is an animal-powered streetcar or tram.These early forms of public transport developed out of industrial haulage routes that had long been in existence, and from the omnibus routes that first ran on public streets in the 1820s, using the newly improved iron or steel...
network prior to that year. A short spur reaching out from Augusta, bridging the Savannah River, and into South Carolina had already been in place since 1891.
Around the turn of the century, James U. Jackson and other land developers began construction on the luxurious Hampton Terrace Hotel in North Augusta. Simultaneously the trolley was extended to the resort hotel and further surveyed for extension to Aiken, South Carolina
Aiken, South Carolina
Aiken is a city in and the county seat of Aiken County, South Carolina, United States. With Augusta, Georgia, it is one of the two largest cities of the Central Savannah River Area. It is part of the Augusta-Richmond County Metropolitan Statistical Area. Aiken is home to the University of South...
. The railroad reached Aiken in 1902 and began operations that same year. The Hampton Terrace Hotel had its own spur track used to deliver coal and freight, and remained an important fixture of the route until it burned to the ground in 1916.
Freight services over the line came in the form of an express car and electric boxcab locomotives. Most freight traffic consisted of coal delivered to the Hampton Terrace Hotel or to the numerous cotton mills along the line.
As with many other interurban railroads in the United States, the advent of the automobile helped bring about the end of the Augusta - Aiken trolley in 1929. Augusta's own streetcar network would be out of service by 1937, replaced by intercity buses.