The Piedmont & Northern Railway was a heavy electric
interurban
The Interurban (or radial railway in Europe and Canada) is a type of electric railway, with streetcar-like electric self-propelled rail cars which run within and between cities or towns. They were very prevalent in North America between 1900 ...
company operating over two disconnected divisions in
North
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.
Etymology
The word ''north ...
and
South Carolina
)'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
. Tracks spanned total between the two segments, with the northern division running from
Charlotte
Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
, to
Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia is the largest city in and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest satellite city of the Charlotte area, behind Concord. The population was 80,411 at the 2020 census, up from 71,741 in 20 ...
, including a three-mile (5 km) spur to
Belmont. The southern division main line ran from
Greenwood to
Spartanburg, South Carolina
Spartanburg is a city in and the seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. The city of Spartanburg has a municipal population of 38,732 as of the 2020 census, making it the 11th-largest city in the state. For a time, the Off ...
, with a spur to
Anderson
Anderson or Andersson may refer to:
Companies
* Anderson (Carriage), a company that manufactured automobiles from 1907 to 1910
* Anderson Electric, an early 20th-century electric car
* Anderson Greenwood, an industrial manufacturer
* Anderson ...
. Initially the railroad was
electrified
Electrification is the process of powering by electricity and, in many contexts, the introduction of such power by changing over from an earlier power source.
The broad meaning of the term, such as in the history of technology, economic history ...
at 1500 volts DC, however, much of the electrification was abandoned when dieselisation was completed in 1954.
Unlike similar interurban systems the Piedmont & Northern survived the
Great Depression and was later absorbed into the
Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
The Seaboard Coast Line Railroad was a Class I railroad company operating in the Southeastern United States beginning in 1967. Its passenger operations were taken over by Amtrak in 1971. Eventually, the railroad was merged with its affiliate li ...
in 1969. Although part of the railroad was abandoned between Greenwood and
Honea Path and Belton to Anderson, much of the original system exists today as shortlines.
History
![Charlotte Interurban Depot](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Charlotte_Interurban_Depot.jpg)
Although interurban railroads were not nearly as common in the sparsely populated and largely agrarian Deep South, there were a number of small electric networks constructed in the region throughout the early 20th century. Among them was the
Anderson Traction Company, created on June 22, 1904, to build and operate within the city of Anderson. Eventually the railroad expanded to complete construction of an extension to Belton by 1910. The railroad was acquired by
James B. Duke of
Duke Power
Duke Energy Corporation is an American electric power and natural gas holding company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Overview
Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Duke Energy owns 58,200 megawatts of base-load and peak generation in ...
around the same time.
On March 20, 1909, the
Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson Railway was chartered and presided over by Duke. The company used the Anderson Traction Company rails terminating at Belton as a starting point for northward construction to Greenville and construction toward Greenwood to the south, with both cities connected in November 1912. An extension from Greenville to Spartanburg was completed in April 1914. The North Carolina division started with the
Piedmont Traction Company, also owned by Duke, and completed its route between Charlotte and Gastonia, North Carolina on July 3, 1912.
Both sections were electrified to 1,500 volts DC with power supplied from mainly hydroelectric sources. Additionally both segments were built to steam road standards with minimal street running.
Consolidation
The Piedmont & Northern was created in 1914 to consolidate both the Greenville, Spartanburg & Anderson in South Carolina and the Piedmont Traction Company in North Carolina. In 1916 the railroad completed a spur to Belmont, North Carolina. On numerous occasions the company sought to link the two disconnected segments and expand to
Durham, North Carolina, however, the plans never materialized due to stiff resistance from the
Southern Railway, which the P&N paralleled in both states.
Although many railroads were hostile to the Piedmont & Northern, a friend was found with the
Seaboard Air Line
The Seaboard Air Line Railroad , which styled itself "The Route of Courteous Service," was an American railroad which existed from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967, when it merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, its longtime rival, t ...
, which connected with the P&N at Charlotte and Greenwood. Throughout its existence the P&N stressed interchange traffic over its efficient electric lines, and with good reason: the railroad shared numerous interchanges with several major railroads.
Network
The P&N's network in 1964 was connected to the
Clinchfield Railroad
The Clinchfield Railroad was an operating and holding company for the Carolina, Clinchfield and Ohio Railway . The line ran from the coalfields of Virginia and Elkhorn City, Kentucky, to the textile mills of South Carolina. The 35-mile segmen ...
(CRR),
Carolina and North Western Railroad
Carolina may refer to:
Geography
* The Carolinas, the U.S. states of North and South Carolina
** North Carolina, a U.S. state
** South Carolina, a U.S. state
* Province of Carolina, a British province until 1712
* Carolina, Alabama, a town in t ...
(C&NW),
Georgia and Florida Railroad (G&F),
Norfolk Southern
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I freight railroad in the United States formed in 1982 with the merger of Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway. With headquarters in Atlanta, the company operates 19,420 route miles (31, ...
(NS),
Seaboard Air Line Railroad
The Seaboard Air Line Railroad , which styled itself "The Route of Courteous Service," was an American railroad which existed from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967, when it merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, its longtime rival, t ...
(SAL),
Southern Railway (SOU),
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was a United States Class I railroad formed in 1900, though predecessor railroads had used the ACL brand since 1871. In 1967 it merged with long-time rival Seaboard Air Line Railroad to form the Seaboard Coast L ...
(ACL),
Greenville and Northern Railroad (G&N),
Charleston and Western Carolina (C&WC) and
Ware Shoals Railroad
The Ware Shoals Railroad was a shortline connecting the town of Ware Shoals, South Carolina, to the Southern Railway and Piedmont and Northern Railway (later Seaboard Coast Line
The Seaboard Coast Line Railroad was a Class I railroad compan ...
.
Though owned by
Duke Power
Duke Energy Corporation is an American electric power and natural gas holding company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Overview
Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Duke Energy owns 58,200 megawatts of base-load and peak generation in ...
, the P&N operated coal trains over a branch from Mount Holly, NC, to Terrell, NC, supplying Duke Power's Lake Norman powerplants.
Extension
Plans to connect the North and South Carolina divisions between Spartanburg, SC and Gastonia, NC, and to expand northwards towards
Winston-Salem, NC
Winston-Salem is a city and the county seat of Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States. In the 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the second-largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region, the 5th most populous city in N ...
, were successfully blocked by appeals by the Southern Railway and other entities in court cases in the 1930s, specificall
PIEDMONT & N. RY. CO. v. UNITED STATES, 280 U.S. 469 (1930)an
PIEDMONT & N R. CO. v. INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION, 286 U.S. 299 (1932)
Traffic
The P&N, though involved in extensive passenger operations, was primarily a heavy freight carrier. The most important commodity transported was coal and coke, but also of significance were cotton (including cotton waste) and paper.
(Data from P&N 1955 Annual Report)
Remnants
Remaining structures
Only four of the stations built for the P&N, designed by
Charles Christian Hook
Charles Christian Hook (1870–1938) was an American architect. He was also the founder of FreemanWhite, Inc. a Haskell Company (1892), the oldest practicing firm in North Carolina and currently the 11th oldest architecture firm in the United Stat ...
are still in existence today in North Carolina.
The Thrift depot in the Paw Creek community in Charlotte, NC is the only remaining P&N station in
Mecklenburg County,
NC; it is presently for sale."
In
Gaston County
Gaston County is a county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 227,943. The county seat is Gastonia. Dallas served as the original county seat from 1846 until 1911.
Gaston County is included in the C ...
, several structures are still standing. The depot in
Mount Holly, North Carolina
Mount Holly is a small suburban city in northeastern Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. The city is situated just west of the Catawba River, north of Interstate 85, south of North Carolina State Highway 16, and west of Charlotte. The ...
is still standing and is used as a hair salon. The former P&N depot in
Belmont, NC has been restored and was a P&N museum until 2004, when the lease ran out and was not given extension by the owner. The former P&N station in Gastonia, NC, burned down in 1995. Lastly, the small depot of
McAdenville, NC
McAdenville is a small town in Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is a suburb of Charlotte and located east of Gastonia. The population was 890 at the 2020 census.
History
McAdenville was incorporated in 1881. It was named afte ...
is still standing, though it has been relocated from its previous location.
![Former Piedmont and Northern Railway depot in Piedmont](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/Former_Piedmont_and_Northern_Railway_depot_in_Piedmont.JPG)
In South Carolina, at least four stations are still standing:
Donalds,
Hodges,
Greer, and
Anderson
Anderson or Andersson may refer to:
Companies
* Anderson (Carriage), a company that manufactured automobiles from 1907 to 1910
* Anderson Electric, an early 20th-century electric car
* Anderson Greenwood, an industrial manufacturer
* Anderson ...
. The abandoned depot at
Pelzer burned on the night on January 26, 2011, and shortly afterward it and the nearby Piedmont station were demolished by the CSX which had refused to support a local effort to save the Pelzer station.
Nothing remains of the P&N in
Honea Path, SC, apart from power poles still standing, delineating the former right-of-way.
The station at
Taylors, SC
Taylors is a census-designated place (CDP) in Greenville County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 21,617 at the 2010 census. Taylors is the Greenville/Spartanburg area's largest suburb although it is not incorporated as a city. ...
was still standing in 1987. Though it is now gone, a former substation - including some overhead poles of the P&N line - can still be found near the
CSX
CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of track. ...
's
Enoree River The Enoree River is a tributary of the Broad River, 85 mi (137 km) long, in northwestern South Carolina in the United States. Via the Broad and Congaree Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Santee River, which flows to the Atlanti ...
viaduct.
The former P&N RR Charlotte terminal freight depot was in the Mint/Graham/Second(MLK)St /Third St block, while the Charlotte terminal passenger depot was in the Mint/Graham/Third St/Fourth St block in Charlotte.
BB&T Ballpark now sits on the former depot site.
Existing lines, current operations
Some of the P&N's former lines are still in existence, with limited amounts still in operation. The track from Pelzer, SC to Spartanburg, SC is the CSX's Belton Subdivision. The segment from Pelzer to Belton was taken over by the
Greenville and Western Railway in 2006. In Gaston County, the track from Mt. Holly, NC to Gastonia, NC and from Mount Holly to Belmont, NC is still in place. Initially the track belonged to CSX; it is now owned by the
North Carolina Department of Transportation, which awarded a contract in May 2010 to
Patriot Rail Corporation
Patriot Rail Company LLC (Patriot Rail) is a holding company for a number of shortline railroads across the United States.
In June 2012, Patriot Rail was acquired by SteelRiver Infrastructure Partners (SteelRiver).
On August 8, 2022 Patriot Rai ...
to restore the track and operate trains along the line.
Since May 2022, this segment is operated by
Charlotte Western Railroad.
References
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*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Piedmont Northern Railway
Defunct North Carolina railroads
Defunct South Carolina railroads
Former Class I railroads in the United States
Predecessors of CSX Transportation
Railway companies established in 1911
Railway companies disestablished in 1969
Interurban railways in North Carolina
Interurban railways in South Carolina
American companies established in 1911