Charleston and Savannah Railway facts for kids
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Successor | Plant System Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Seaboard Coast Line Railroad |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
| Previous gauge | 4 ft 9 in (1,448 mm) |
The Charleston and Savannah Railway was a train company from the 1800s. It served the coastal states of South Carolina and Georgia. This railway connected important cities like Charleston and Savannah.
Its name changed a few times over the years:
- Charleston and Savannah Railroad (from 1854 to 1866)
- Savannah and Charleston Railroad (from 1866 to 1880)
- Charleston and Savannah Railway (from 1880 to 1901)
Contents
History of the Railway
The train line started in 1854 as the Charleston and Savannah Railroad. It built a 120-mile (193 km) railway. This line connected Charleston, South Carolina, to Savannah, Georgia. These were two very important port cities in the southern United States before the Civil War.
The Railway During the Civil War
During the American Civil War, controlling this railway was very important. It helped protect Savannah and supplied the Confederate army with food and materials.
In December 1864, General William Tecumseh Sherman led his "March to the Sea." He sent some of his Union soldiers to cut the railway line. This would force Confederate General William Hardee to leave Savannah. The mission did not succeed. However, parts of the railway were badly damaged in 1865 during Sherman's later campaign in the Carolinas.
Rebuilding and New Ownership
After the war, the railway was reorganized in 1866. It was renamed the Savannah and Charleston Railroad. Repairs took a long time. The line finally reopened for trains in 1869-1870.
In 1873, the company had money problems and went bankrupt. It was then sold in June 1880 to Henry B. Plant. The railway's name changed again to the Charleston and Savannah Railway. It became part of Plant's large group of train lines, known as the Plant System.
Connecting More Places
In 1877, another railway, the Ashley River Railroad, was built. This was also part of the Plant System. It connected to the Charleston and Savannah Railway at Johns Island, South Carolina. It crossed the Ashley River to link with the Northeastern Railroad in North Charleston. Before this, trains had to use a ferry to cross the river.
In the 1880s, the Plant System built a new branch line. This line went from Ravenel to Yonges Island. This branch is no longer used today. It passed through towns like Hollywood and Meggett.
Later Mergers and Today's Use
The entire Plant System was sold in 1902 to the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. The Charleston and Savannah Railway and the Ashley River Railroad became part of the Atlantic Coast Line's main route. This main route stretched all the way from Richmond, Virginia to Tampa, Florida.
The part of the original line east of Johns Island became known as the Croghans Branch. This branch is now abandoned. Its old path is now a walking and biking trail called the West Ashley Greenway.
In 1967, the Atlantic Coast Line merged with another big railway, the Seaboard Air Line Railroad. The new company was called the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad.
Later, in 1980, the Seaboard Coast Line's parent company merged with the Chessie System. This created a huge company called the CSX Corporation. By 1986, these lines were fully merged into CSX Transportation.
Today, the original line from Johns Island to Savannah is still used. It is part of CSX's main A Line, specifically the Charleston Subdivision.
