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The Pickens Railway, Operating In Up-State South Carolina

The Pickens Railway is a Class III, shortline carrier operating primarily between Easley and Pickens, a distance of just under 10 miles. However, in total the Pickens owns about nearly 40 miles of railroad with another line connecting Anderson and Belton (about 28 miles). The railroad is not a spin-off and dates back to 1890 when the South Carolina General Assembly chartered the line to conenct Pickens and Easley (originally calling it the Pickens Railroad). Currently the line has outside connections with both Norfolk Southern Railway (at Easley and Anderson) and CSX Transportation at Belton.

Today, the Pickens continues to serve the same cities it did over 100 years ago with a traffic base consisting of kaolin, limestone, synthetic rubber, rubber processing oil, plastics, silica, scrap metal, paper, scrap paper, bird feed ingredients, farm supplies, and electrical equipment. In 1939 the Pickens was purchased by Singer Manufacturing, which had built a large plant along the line back in the 1920s. After the railroad was sold in 1959 by Singer it went through several owners until came under the ownership of Johnson Rail Service in the 1990s, which remained the line the Pickens Railway.

While the Pickens has had a locomotive roster ranging from its largest steam locomotive type, the 2-6-2 Prairie, to Alco, EMD, and Baldwin diesel switchers, its current active roster includes only General Electric U18Bs:

Pickens Railway Diesel Locomotive Roster

· Alco S1 #6: Stored inoperable.

· GE U18B #9500: Ex-Seaboard Coast Line #386.

· GE U18B #9501: Ex-Seaboard Coast Line #379.

· GE U18B #9502: Ex-Seaboard Coast Line #320.

· GE U18B #9503: Ex-Seaboard Coast Line #251.

· GE U18B #9504: Ex-Seaboard Coast Line #328.

· GE U18B #9506: Ex-Seaboard Coast Line #349.

· GE U18B #9507: Ex-Seaboard Coast Line #351.

· GE U18B #9508: Ex-Seaboard Coast Line #334.

For more information about the Pickens Railway, its history and current operations please click here to visit their website.

For more reading on shortlines like the Pickens consider the book American Shortline Railway Guide from author Ed Lewis. The book has gone through several updated editions to keep up with the ever-changing world of the shortline industry. Today, the publication highlights almost 600 shortlines across the country with general background information about each (such as roster information, rail line history, radio frequencies, etc.). If you have any interest in shortlines you will very likely enjoy this book. If you're interested in perhaps purchasing this book please visit the link below which will take you to ordering information through Amazon.com, the trusted online shopping network.

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