[train whistle blows]
♪
At the turn of the 19th century,
North Americans predominantly traveled by wagons or boats,
but a new age was on the horizon.
Nicknamed the Iron Horse, steam engines became
one of the crucial contributions of the Industrial Revolution
in the United States.
South Carolina's valuable agricultural products
created the perfect vacuum
for this new advancement in technology to thrive.
Though the golden age of railways has long passed,
we'll see just how important they were
and the significance they still hold today...
From the Sky!
[train whistle blows]
♪ [soaring opening music] ♪
♪
Compared to northern states,
South Carolina's railroad system was never quite as extensive.
But it was one of the first with the creation
of the South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company.
Operating for the first time on Christmas day in 1830,
the SCC&RR started a railroad mania
in antebellum South Carolina.
When the line was completed in 1833
connecting Charleston to Hamburg,
it became the world's longest continuous railroad
under single management at 136 miles.
The railroad boom would continue to expand,
transforming the state,
and depots created during the era
would bring new towns into existence
until the Civil War started in 1860.
Hundreds of miles of railroad would be dismantled
by Union troops during Sherman's March to the Sea.
During Reconstruction,
progress was slow in rebuilding the railways,
but by the end of the century,
South Carolina was close to having 4000 miles of track
reaching every county within the state.
[train whistle toots]
♪
Rail fans can get their history fix and a little more
at South Carolina's very own Railroad Museum.
Located in Winnsboro,
the South Carolina Railroad Museum was established in 1973
by local dedicated rail fans
to preserve and interpret railroading in South Carolina.
The museum is stationed at what was previously
the Rockton and Rion Railway,
which ran from Rockland Granite Quarry
to the Anderson Granite Quarry until the 1970s.
Various freight and passenger vehicles,
a historical center, as well as steam locomotive 44
that originally belonged to the Hampton and Branchville Railroad
are among the exhibits.
The main attraction, however,
is its guided tour and train ride
that operates on five miles of the 11 and a half mile line
of the former railway.
Here, passengers can get a breathtaking view
of South Carolina countryside off the beaten track.
♪
After World War One
and the introduction of the highway system,
the need for freight and passenger trains
started to diminish.
However, despite losing 1500 miles of track
since the peak of the railway age,
South Carolina has retained around 60%
of its existing lines,
which is a substantial amount
compared to other states in the country.
Many tracks that were lost have been repurposed over the years.
Freight from the Port of Charleston,
industrial products, and coal from the Upstate
remain the biggest transportation market
for railroads in South Carolina.
Supporting nearly 400,000 jobs, South Carolina's railway systems
remain just as vital as they were in the past.
So the next time you're stuck at a railroad crossing,
or hear a distant horn, be sure to take a moment
and appreciate the value these essential vessels hold.
Now that you've seen them...
From the Sky!
♪ [soaring closing music] ♪