Georgetown and Western Railroad

The Georgetown and Western Railroad was a Southeastern railroad that served South Carolina in the late 19th century and early 20th century. At its greatest extent, it ran from Lane, South Carolina east to the port city of Georgetown.

Georgetown and Western Railroad
Overview
Reporting markG&W
LocaleSouth Carolina
Dates of operation1886–1915
PredecessorGeorgetown and Lane's Railroad
SuccessorCarolina, Atlantic and Western Railway
Seaboard Air Line Railroad
Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
CSX Transportation
Technical
Track gauge5 ft (1,524 mm)

History

The Georgetown and Western Railroad was first chartered as the Georgetown and Lane's Railroad in 1881 by the South Carolina General Assembly. The Georgetown and Lane's Railroad began operation two years later. In 1885, it went into receivership and was sold at foreclosure a year later. Afterward, the line was renamed the Georgetown and Western Railroad.[1]

The Georgetown and Western was sold in 1900 to a syndicate that controlled the Georgetown-based Atlantic Lumber Company.[2]

The Georgetown and Western was in receivership from 1902 to 1912. The Seaboard Air Line Railway subsequently took an interest in the carrier and gave it financial assistance. In 1911, the Georgetown and Western Railroad built a branch from Andrews north to the Pee Dee River near Poston.[3]

In May 1915, the Georgetown and Western Railroad was absorbed by the Carolina, Atlantic and Western Railway, which became part of Seaboard Air Line Railway later that year.[3] The Seaboard Air Line would operate the line as their Georgetown Subdivision. The branch to the Pee Dee River became part of the Seaboard's East Carolina Line.[4]

The Seaboard Air Line abandoned the line from Andrews to Lane in the 1940s.[5]

In 1967, the Seaboard Air Line (SAL) merged with the Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL). In 1980, the Seaboard Coast Line's parent company merged with the Chessie System, creating the CSX Corporation.

Current conditions

Georgetown Subdivision

The line is still in service from Andrews to Georgetown, and is still known as the Georgetown Subdivision. CSX serves an International Paper mill in Georgetown. It also the Winyah Generating Station, a power plant located at the end of the line's Pennyroyal Spur (which was built in the 1970s).[6]

West of Andrews

The right of way of the abandoned segment west of Andrews has since been converted into a roadway. The road is named Seaboard Road, a reference to the Seaboard Air Line Railroad.[5]

Historic stations
Milepost City/Location Station[4] Connections and notes
SHA 0.0 Georgetown Georgetown
SHA 11.0 Olin
SHA 12.1 Kent
SHA 16.3 Andrews Andrews junction with East Carolina Line
17.6 West Andrews
21.2 Earle
26.1 Trio
28.5 Blakely
30.0 Taft
32.9 Carris
36.0 Lane Lane junction with:

See also

References
  1. Poor's Manual of the Railroads of the United States, Henry Poor, 1889, page 573
  2. Georgetown and Western Sold, New York Times, January 30, 1900
  3. "South Carolina Railroads - Georgetown and Western Railroad". Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  4. Seaboard Air Line Railroad Carolina Division Timetable (1957)
  5. "Georgetown and Lanes Railroad". Abandoned Rails. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  6. CSX Florence Division Timetable
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