Visit to South Carolina RR Museum

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Mon Jun 14, 2010 12:44 pm

As seen/written by Average Joe Railfan with his family:

http://www.easternrailfan.com/2010/06/s ... 61210.html

Jim Vaitkunas · **Posted:** Mon Jun 14, 2010 1:20 pm

I was a founding member of SC RR Museum in the late 1970s. Most of the rolling stock came from the Charleston Chapter, NRHS collection that was being evicted off the old Charleston Army Base at the time. The Museum has grown over the years, collected more rolling stock and laced back into service trackage of the old Rockton & Rion RR.

I moved soon after the Museum was formed and incorporated but have been a member since the beginning.

Thanks!

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6482

In Sgt. Warshaw's photo essay, I noticed a semaphore signal off in the distance behind the museums train. Is that a working semaphore, or just planted there for appearances?

Les

Steven Ashley · **Posted:** Wed Jun 16, 2010 3:52 am

I live about 90 minutes from the South Carolina Railroad Museum in the Upstate of South Carolina. My first trip was in 1994 and when I was there they were still operating a 44-tonner and pulling cabooses for their train ride, I believe this was before they obtained the ex-Canadian National commuter cars. I didn't return for 13 years until October 2007 when it was announced that they would be bringing in the Flagg Coal Company 75. They had opened a couple of more miles of tracks since the last time I had been in 1994. Since 2007, the Flagg Coal Company 75 has returned each October, which is a treat since South Carolina has no operating steam locomotives in the state. Last October when I visited, I got the notice that they were planning on restoring their ex-Hampton & Branchville 4-6-0 #44, which I believe last was in steam during the 1970 NRHS Convention in Charleston, SC. As previously mentioned, the 44 was among equipment that was formerly owned by the Charleston, SC Chapter of the NRHS.

http://www.scrm.org/Project44.asp

I am cautiously optimistic as I know this project will take a significant amount of money and resources and it could take a while for the museum to raise the funds needed, but I'm crossing my fingers that the 44 will steam again and I won't have to go out of state to see operating steam.