ex-sal line to Florence, SC.

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I was railfanning in Florence, SC and i saw a bridge with SAL on It Hi-way 301/76. This bridge/line to Flornce is a mystery to me. Please help. Thank you. John (ACWR)

-- John S Frame (jframe@acwr.com), September 19, 2000

Answers

Gents, Lines South ran a photo of the bridge about seven or eight years ago. I forget the title of the article, but I can find it, scan the picture, and send it to whoever's interested in seeing it. I don't think that'll violate any copyright laws, but if you guys are concerned just let me know. Regards, JG

-- John Golden (Golden1014@yahoo.com), September 19, 2000.

The SAL line came into Florence from Darlington. A stub-ended spur went to the SAL freight depot, a nice brick depot which is still standing on North Irby Street in Florence. The SAL had to get across the large ACL yard, so it crossed the yard overhead on a bridge or trestle. I have been looking for photos of this bridge, but so far without success. The bridge which you went under on US 301 is just south of the ACL yard, which is about 100 yards away from 301. Local lore holds that when SAL first built across the ACL, it did so at the east end (timetable north) of the yard. As the yard grew in width and length, SAL ended up crossing the yard at what was probably its widest point. After the merger in 1967, the SAL track was brought down into the yard. The bridge was removed, but I am not sure when. The SAL line from Florence to Poston was still active, so a connection down into the yard from the Poston end was made. This was a combination of a sharp curve and a steep climb, and it was quite interesting to see SCL engines, usually GP7s, trying to climb it even with very short trains. That line has now been removed so there is nothing left to see except the bridge over 301. Until recent years this line crossed 301 and went through the Florence airport property, and then on to Pamplico and Poston.

-- Sandy Bridges (smb@bridgeslaw.com), September 19, 2000.

It's no real mystery. Seaboard served Florence,SC. SAL had a line from Poston,SC on the "East Carolina" line to Mcbee,SC on the Hamlet-Columbia-Savannah line. Florence,SC would have been part of Seaboard's "South Carolina" division or "Carolina" division dpending on the the time period. It's offices were located in Savannah,GA.

-- Richard Stallworth (ThisIsR@aol.com), September 19, 2000.

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