Train Spotter's Journal 1965 (USA)

Silent 8mm film showing passenger trains in central South Carolina, (USA) in the mid-1960's. The train spotters are dressed up in some scenes because watching the train was part of the after church ritual on Sundays. Another part of the train watching ritual was putting pennies on the track. These can be seen being picked up again after the train passes in one of the scenes. In the order they appear in this video, detailed information on the individual trains: 1) The Augusta Special, # 32, comes by Hampton St in Columbia, SC, w/ E-8 2923 engine pulling an RPO, baggage cars, and coaches and a sleeper for Washington/New York. Usually it had stainless steel passenger cars, to match w/ the Crescent's stainless steel look, as the 2 trains ran combined from Charlotte northward to New York (the combined trains also picked up the Asheville Specials sleepers at Greensboro). 2) The Carolina Special, # 27 w/ an F7 or FP7, baggage car, 2 coaches, one sleeper and a few Big John Hoppers on the rear, rolled by the old Gervais St crossing in Columbia, adjacent to the Columbia, Newberry and Laurens (ACL owned) yard. It traveled to Cincinnati, w/ connections to Chicago. It also picked up the other Carolina Special from Greensboro's equipment at Asheville and headed west combined from there. 3) # 27 again, with what looks like and NW sleeper (deadhead) coupled after the hopper car. 4) # 27 one more time, this trip w/ no hopper cars! 5) # 32 again, this time w/ an unidentified E-8 engine coming into Winnsboro, SC. Usually this train had and RPO, 2 baggage cars, 1 sleeper, and 4 coaches, but is a little short today. 6) The same # 32, as we must have jumped in the car quick and got to the next crossing before 32 could roll through about 1 mile north of Winnsboro. The train was probably up to 55 mph by this time (60 was the top speed on the Charlotte/Columbia line). 7) A different # 32 at White Oak, SC, picking up the mail on the fly, and on this day it had a CO sleeper. 8) ACL 51 at Rimini, SC, headed by an E 8, w/ sleeping car and coach service, and probably a cafe lounge, from New York to Augusta, and then connections w/ the Georgia RR to Atlanta and beyond (51 was part of the Palmetto from NY to Florence, SC). (photography Robert Desportes, train information Bobby Desportes, Jr.)

Channel: Travel & Events
Uploaded: March 30, 2007 at 11:52 pm
Author: hunterdp

Length: 03:32
Rating: 4.79
Views: 7527

Tags: 1960's  atlantic  carolina  coach  coastline  columbia  diesel  engine  passenger  railroad  sc  seaboard  south  southern  train  

Video Comments