Greenville and Western Railway
Encyclopedia
The Greenville and Western Railway is a Class III railroad
that operates 12.74 miles (20.5 km) from a point south of Belton
to Pelzer, South Carolina
. Connections are made with Pickens Railway
at Belton and CSX
at Pelzer. The railroad is a subsidiary of Western Carolina Railway Service Corporation.
railroad between its namesake cities. The Pelzer-Belton segment was built as part of its mainline from Greenwood
to Greenville
between 1910-1912. This line became part of the Piedmont and Northern Railway
in 1914. The P&N was merged into the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
in 1969. Additional mergers occurred in 1983 with the Seaboard System
and CSX Transportation in 1986.
On April 26, 2006 CSX sought to abandon the line from Belton to Pelzer. The abandonment was rejected by the Surface Transportation Board
in August 2006 as the line was still profitable. 87 carloads had originated from or terminated at two online industries in 2005 in addition to overhead traffic from 10 customers on the Pickens Railway. On October 20, 2006 CSX sold the line to the current operator.
Traffic surged to 1,872 carloads by 2009, primarily fueled by growth in ethanol traffic. Other commodities include scrap metal, limestone, fertilizer, feed products, plastics, and paper.
locomotives numbered 3751 and 3752. Unit 3751 was formerly ECBR 6513 (2003–2007), formerly PTR 6513 (1987–2003) and originally B&O 6513 (1957–1987) - EMD frame no. 5519-3, serial no. 22987, built May 1957. Unit 3752 was formerly ECBR 6554 (2004–2008), formerly PTR 6554 (1987–2004) and originally B&O 6554 (1957–1987) - EMD frame no. 5519-44, serial no. 23028, built July 1957.
Class III railroad
A Class III railroad, as defined by the Surface Transportation Board, is a railroad with an annual operating revenue of less than $20 million . The term only applies to United States railroads, but is sometimes applied to other countries...
that operates 12.74 miles (20.5 km) from a point south of Belton
Belton, South Carolina
Belton is a city in eastern Anderson County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 4,461 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Belton is located at ....
to Pelzer, South Carolina
Pelzer, South Carolina
Pelzer is a town in Anderson County, South Carolina, United States, along the Saluda River. The population was 97 at the 2000 census.-Government:As of 2010 the town was governed by a Mayor and four council members, for a population of 89.-Geography:...
. Connections are made with Pickens Railway
Pickens Railway
Pickens Railway is a shortline railroad operating on two separate divisions in the Upstate Region of South Carolina:* Easley to Pickens: * Anderson, through Belton to Honea Path:...
at Belton and CSX
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
at Pelzer. The railroad is a subsidiary of Western Carolina Railway Service Corporation.
History
The Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson Railway was formed in 1910 to build a interurbanInterurban
An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a type of electric passenger railroad; in short a hybrid between tram and train. Interurbans enjoyed widespread popularity in the first three decades of the twentieth century in North America. Until the early 1920s, most roads were...
railroad between its namesake cities. The Pelzer-Belton segment was built as part of its mainline from Greenwood
Greenwood, South Carolina
Greenwood is a city in and the county seat of Greenwood County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 22,071 at the 2000 census and had slightly increased to 22,710 according to a 2009 estimate.-Geography:...
to Greenville
Greenville, South Carolina
-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...
between 1910-1912. This line became part of the Piedmont and Northern Railway
Piedmont and Northern Railway
The Piedmont & Northern Railway was a heavy electric interurban company operating over two disconnected divisions in North and South Carolina. Tracks spanned total between the two segments, with the northern division running from Charlotte, to Gastonia, North Carolina, including a three-mile ...
in 1914. The P&N was merged into the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
Seaboard Coast Line Railroad
The Seaboard Coast Line Railroad was a former Class I railroad company operating in the Southeastern United States beginning in 1967. Its passenger operations were taken over by Amtrak in 1971...
in 1969. Additional mergers occurred in 1983 with the Seaboard System
Seaboard System Railroad
The Seaboard System Railroad was a former Class I railroad created by merging the railroads of the Family Lines System. Although sharing common ownership, the railroads of the Family Lines System used different names when conducting business...
and CSX Transportation in 1986.
On April 26, 2006 CSX sought to abandon the line from Belton to Pelzer. The abandonment was rejected by the Surface Transportation Board
Surface Transportation Board
The Surface Transportation Board of the United States is a bipartisan, decisionally-independent adjudicatory body organizationally housed within the U.S. Department of Transportation. The STB was established in 1996 to assume some of the regulatory functions that had been administered by the...
in August 2006 as the line was still profitable. 87 carloads had originated from or terminated at two online industries in 2005 in addition to overhead traffic from 10 customers on the Pickens Railway. On October 20, 2006 CSX sold the line to the current operator.
Traffic surged to 1,872 carloads by 2009, primarily fueled by growth in ethanol traffic. Other commodities include scrap metal, limestone, fertilizer, feed products, plastics, and paper.
Motive power
GRLW currently operates two EMD GP9EMD GP9
An EMD GP9 is a four-axle diesel locomotive built by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division in the United States, and General Motors Diesel in Canada between January, 1954, and August, 1963. US production ended in December, 1959, while an additional thirteen units were built in Canada, including...
locomotives numbered 3751 and 3752. Unit 3751 was formerly ECBR 6513 (2003–2007), formerly PTR 6513 (1987–2003) and originally B&O 6513 (1957–1987) - EMD frame no. 5519-3, serial no. 22987, built May 1957. Unit 3752 was formerly ECBR 6554 (2004–2008), formerly PTR 6554 (1987–2004) and originally B&O 6554 (1957–1987) - EMD frame no. 5519-44, serial no. 23028, built July 1957.