Carolina Southern Railroad
Encyclopedia
Carolina Southern Railroad operates between Mullins, South Carolina
and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
via Whiteville, North Carolina
, with a branch extending into Chadbourn, North Carolina
.
branch lines. One was a portion of the now abandoned ACL line between Florence, South Carolina
and Wilmington, North Carolina
, and the other was operated by the Waccamaw Coast Line from Conway, South Carolina
to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
. Commodities carried by the railroad are coal, wood products, stone, grain, agricultural chemical, and processed food. Accessible to the line are industrial parks in Whiteville, North Carolina
as well as Marion, South Carolina
. The railroad connects with CSX Transportation at Mullins.
purchased the CSX line from Conway to Myrtle Beach. In 1996, the county decided to sell, and Carolina Southern, which began leasing the railroad line from the county in 1995, was the only bidder. The county turned down Carolina Southern's three bids, and by 1998, the city of Myrtle Beach showed interest.
In 1987, the South Carolina Department of Transportation
declared the section east of the Pine Island Bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway
to be unsafe. The state spent $4.2 million to restore the 50-year-old bridge, which reopened in summer 1997. The first train crossed the bridge June 22, 2001, but Carolina Southern, still leasing from the county, had to spend $900,000 to bring the section east of the waterway up to the standards needed for regular service.
On August 30, 2011, the railroad shut down due to the need for upgrades, including bridge work. The county later applied for a federal grant, with plans to spend $7.5 million on the county's rail line.
160.470
161.505
Waccamaw Coast Line
461.450
466.450
Mullins, South Carolina
Mullins is a city in Marion County, South Carolina, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 5,029.Incorporated on March 4, 1872, Mullins was named after Col. William S...
and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is a coastal city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is situated on the center of a large and continuous stretch of beach known as the Grand Strand in northeastern South Carolina. It is considered to be a major tourist destination in the...
via Whiteville, North Carolina
Whiteville, North Carolina
Whiteville is a city in Columbus County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,148 at the 2000 census. It is the only city of Columbus County and is the county seat....
, with a branch extending into Chadbourn, North Carolina
Chadbourn, North Carolina
Chadbourn is a town in Columbus County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 2,129 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Chadbourn is located at ....
.
History
The company in 1995 began operating two former CSX TransportationCSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
branch lines. One was a portion of the now abandoned ACL line between Florence, South Carolina
Florence, South Carolina
-Municipal government and politics:The City of Florence has a council-manager form of government. The mayor and city council are elected every four years, with no term limits...
and Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
, and the other was operated by the Waccamaw Coast Line from Conway, South Carolina
Conway, South Carolina
Conway is a city in Horry County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 16,317 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Horry County and is part of the Myrtle Beach metropolitan area. It is the home of Coastal Carolina University....
to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is a coastal city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is situated on the center of a large and continuous stretch of beach known as the Grand Strand in northeastern South Carolina. It is considered to be a major tourist destination in the...
. Commodities carried by the railroad are coal, wood products, stone, grain, agricultural chemical, and processed food. Accessible to the line are industrial parks in Whiteville, North Carolina
Whiteville, North Carolina
Whiteville is a city in Columbus County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,148 at the 2000 census. It is the only city of Columbus County and is the county seat....
as well as Marion, South Carolina
Marion, South Carolina
Marion is a city in Marion County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 7,042 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marion County...
. The railroad connects with CSX Transportation at Mullins.
Conway to Myrtle Beach
In 1985, Horry County, South CarolinaHorry County, South Carolina
Horry County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. This name honored Revolutionary War Hero, Peter Horry. Brigadier General Horry was born in South Carolina sometime around 1743 and started his distinguished military career in 1775 as one of 20 captains the Provincial Congress...
purchased the CSX line from Conway to Myrtle Beach. In 1996, the county decided to sell, and Carolina Southern, which began leasing the railroad line from the county in 1995, was the only bidder. The county turned down Carolina Southern's three bids, and by 1998, the city of Myrtle Beach showed interest.
In 1987, the South Carolina Department of Transportation
South Carolina Department of Transportation
The South Carolina Department of Transportation is a government agency in the US state of South Carolina. Its mission is to build and maintain roads and bridges and administer mass transit services....
declared the section east of the Pine Island Bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway
Intracoastal Waterway
The Intracoastal Waterway is a 3,000-mile waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Some lengths consist of natural inlets, salt-water rivers, bays, and sounds; others are artificial canals...
to be unsafe. The state spent $4.2 million to restore the 50-year-old bridge, which reopened in summer 1997. The first train crossed the bridge June 22, 2001, but Carolina Southern, still leasing from the county, had to spend $900,000 to bring the section east of the waterway up to the standards needed for regular service.
On August 30, 2011, the railroad shut down due to the need for upgrades, including bridge work. The county later applied for a federal grant, with plans to spend $7.5 million on the county's rail line.
Equipment roster
| No. | Builder | Model | Horsepower | History/notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48 | GM | F7A | 1500 | Originally built as the Texas & New Orleans #379 7/52, traded to GE, to Wellsville, Addison & Galeton #2400 in 1969, to Louisiana & North West #48 in 1974, to Waccamaw Coast Line 48 1/92, stored at Chadbourn in disrepair |
| 87 | GM | SW9 | 1200 | Originally built as the Chesapeake & Ohio #5092 in 1953, to Baltimore & Annapolis #87, still painted and lettered for B&A and stored in Chadbourn |
| 88 | GM | F7A | 1500 | ex-MILW, ex-Waccamaw Coast Line, stored at Chadbourn in disrepair |
| 100 | GM | GP18 | 1800 | Originally built in 1960 as Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific #1333, ex-Nashville & Ashland City #9, ex-McCormick, Ashland City & Asheville #9, red and white, in regular freight service |
| 943 | GM | GP18 | 1800 | Originally built as Norfolk Western #943, ex-Waccamaw Coast Line #943, high, short hood, in faded WCL purple paint, in regular freight service |
| 950 | GM | GP18 | 1800 | ex-Mid-Atlantic, ex-Norfolk Southern, ex-Norfolk & Western, in red and white Carolina Southern paint, chop nosed by CALA |
| 951 | GM | GP18 | 1800 | ex-Mid-Atlantic, ex-Norfolk Southern, ex-Norfolk & Western, in Carolina Southern Pullman green, chop nosed by CALA |
| 958 | Gm | GP18 | 1800 | ex-Mid-Atlantic, ex-Norfolk Southern, ex-Norfolk & Western, in gray/maroon Mid-Atlantic paint, chop nosed by CALA without benefit of a repaint |
| 2613 | GM | GP30 | 2250 | ex-Waccamaw Coast Line, ex-Norfolk Southern, ex-Southern, high, short hood |
| 6622 | GM | F9BU | 1750 | Originally built March 1957 as the Canadian National 6622, class GPB-17d, retired from CN roster and transferred to VIA 31 March 1978, sold for scrap by VIA November 1991 to Montreal Locomotive Sales, Lachine QC, sold March 1992 to Waccamaw Coastline Railroad, to Carolina Southern Railroad, in service as of 2002, repainted in CN colors by WCL |
| 9158 | GM | F7AU | 1500 | Originally built August 1952 as the Canadian National #9080, F7A, class GFA-17a , reclassified GFA-15d, September 1954, rebuilt to 9158 November 1972, class GFA-17a, retired December 1989, sold to Century Locomotive Parts, Lachine QC in 1992, to Waccamaw Coastline Railroad, to Carolina Southern, red and white, ex-Canadian National |
| 9163 | GM | F7AU | 1500 | Originally built November 1952 as the Canadian National #9116, F7A, class GFA-17a, reclassified GFA-15d, September 1954, rebuilt to 9163 April 1973, retired December 1989, sold to Century Locomotive Parts, Lachine QC in 1992, sold to Waccamaw Coastline Railroad, to Carolina Southern Railroad, red and white, in regular freight service |
Radio frequencies
Carolina Southern160.470
161.505
Waccamaw Coast Line
461.450
466.450