Best Friend of Charleston facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Best Friend of Charleston |
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| line drawing of the Best Friend of Charleston | |
| Power type | Steam |
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| Builder | West Point Foundry |
| Configuration | 0-4-0 |
| Gauge | 5 ft (1,524 mm) |
| Locale | Charleston, South Carolina |
| Delivered | October 1830 |
| First run | December 25, 1830 |
| Disposition | Boiler exploded June 17, 1831; some parts reused to build Phoenix |
The Best Friend of Charleston was an important early steam locomotive (a type of train engine). It is known for two main reasons. First, it was the first locomotive built entirely in the United States for regular passenger and cargo service. Second, it was also the first locomotive in the U.S. to have a boiler explosion.
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The Story of the Best Friend
This special locomotive was built in 1830 by the West Point Foundry in New York. It was made for the South Carolina Canal and Rail Road Company. The train was taken apart and shipped by boat to Charleston, South Carolina. It arrived there in October 1830. People started calling it The Best Friend of Charleston.
Its first trip was on Christmas Day, 1830. After that, it began regular service. It ran along a six-mile (9.7 km) demonstration track in Charleston. Back then, this train was incredibly fast! It could go "on the wings of wind" at fifteen to twenty-five miles per hour (24 to 40 km/h). Only a very skilled horse rider could travel faster.
The Boiler Explosion
Sadly, on June 17, 1831, the Best Friend became the first locomotive in the U.S. to have a boiler explosion. This happened because the fireman (the person who managed the fire and steam) got tired of hearing the steam pressure release valve whistle. To stop the noise, he tied the valve down, closing it permanently. This meant that the steam pressure inside the boiler kept building up. It went beyond what the boiler could handle, and it exploded!
The explosion was powerful. It threw metal pieces far and wide. The fireman was killed, but the locomotive's engineer, Nicholas Darrell, was not hurt.
After this accident, the South Carolina Canal and Rail Road Company made a new rule. Train engineers had to stay at their posts at all times. New conductors were hired to help manage the cars, passengers, and track switches. Some usable parts from the Best Friend were later used to build another locomotive called the Phoenix. The Phoenix ran until the American Civil War. To help passengers feel safe again, a flatcar piled high with protective cotton bales was placed between the locomotive and the passenger cars.
Replicas of the Best Friend
Today, you can see working copies (replicas) of the Best Friend of Charleston.
One working replica was built in 1928. This was to celebrate 100 years of the South Carolina Canal and Rail Road. This replica has been shown in many places. In 2005, the city of Charleston lent it to the Norfolk Southern Railway. This company now operates the original SCRR line. After being fixed up, the replica was displayed in New York City in December 2005. This celebrated 175 years of American railroad history. It was then shown at the Norfolk Southern headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2013, it was moved back to Charleston, South Carolina.
Another full-size replica is on display at the South Carolina State Museum in Columbia, South Carolina.
Best Friend of Charleston Museum
In May 2014, the Best Friend of Charleston Museum opened. It is located at 23 Ann Street in the Charleston Historic District. This is near the Charleston Visitor Center and the Charleston Museum.
Important Dates
- October 1830: The Best Friend arrives in Charleston.
- December 25, 1830: The Best Friend makes its first run in Charleston.
- June 17, 1831: The boiler explodes on the Best Friend.
- After 1831: Parts of the Best Friend are used to build the Phoenix. The Phoenix runs until the American Civil War.
See also
