Random Railfan Prototype Photos For All

Taken yesterday, the depot at Branchville, SC. The South Carolina Canal and Railroad's line was completed west from Charleston, SC, through Branchville and on west to Hamburg, SC (just east of Augusta, GA) by 1833. In 1840, a 63 Mile branch was completed from Branchville to Columbia, connecting South Carolina's capital city and the Port of Charleston and it remains one of the oldest continually operated lines in the U.S., seeing multiple NS trains every day. The original line segment west of Branchville to Hamburg (located on the far side of the depot) was largely removed by NS in the mid-1980s, although a section remains on the western end.

I suspect that this depot has been reworked many times and renovated so as to significantly alter its original appearance.

 

Former SAL depot in the lowcountry at Fairfax, SC. The SAL's mainline between Columbia, SC and Savannah, GA crossed the ACL's line between Augusta, GA and Yemassee, SC here. The diamond is still there and both lines see numerous CSX trains each day.

 

L56791 25 with 12 cars and something better than a boring SD60...a SD70M-2.Robins, IA


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I was surprised to see former SP rotary-dump woodchip cars in service on a CSX train in Fairfax, SC South Carolina this week. These are now owned by Georgia Pacific, perhaps supplying their Rincon, GA mill. The #@&*)# graffiti has obliterated any trace of a builder's date on the cars I saw.

 

That one hangs out in some bad areas......

 

Also found was a caboose in Branchville, SC, former NKP 766 built in 1953. I don't know if it ever appeared in service in SOU paint, but I somewhat doubt it.

 

Nice old NKP hack would've looked good in high speed service Red , White, Black,

 

20+/- years ago I saw a 'bo in the open area below the sloped end of a covered hopper right behind the draft gear. The temp was cool, maybe upper 50s or low 60s, and he looked scared, or maybe desperate. So I called the number on the crossing control box and told them roughly where he was located on the train. They thanked me, saying they weren't upset about his trespassing so much as his safety in such a precarious location. I assume the crew was notified to stop at the next town (Biloxi) where they were met by local police. I hope the guy was helped in some way because today's cars don't provide the same comfort(?) and safety as Russell's car provides.

OTOH, that's a neat model, Russell.

 

A wise call on your part. I've read several accounts of riders freezing to death in that location on covered hoppers, often as the train climbs a mountain pass and the temperature rapidly drops. Boxcars rarely move with open doors anymore; protection against the elements is hard to find in modern railroading.

 

Most unlikely it ever saw service in that paint scheme - see the caption for the photo in the second link.
In between being NKP 766 and SOU X-2255, it was NW 557766.

This is what it looked like while in NW service in 1978:
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nw/nw557766bha.jpg

This is what it looked like while on display at Branchville in 1989: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=4723671

 

Yes the N&W merged the NKP in the early 60's but seriously doubt that it ever went to Southern as the N&W/Sou merger into the NS didn't occur until 1982

 

Thanks Point! Interesting research with some great links.

 

Here’s the video—



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