Piedmont and Northern Railway

Piedmont and Northern Railway

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Reporting mark	PN
Locale	Upstate South Carolina, Western North Carolina
Dates of operation	1911–1969
Predecessor	Piedmont Traction Company, Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson Railway
Successor	Seaboard Coast Line
Track gauge	4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification	1500 volts DC (until 1954)
Length	128 miles (206 km)
Headquarters	Charlotte, North Carolina

The Piedmont & Northern Railway (reporting mark PN) was a heavy electric interurban company operating over two disconnected divisions in North and South Carolina. Tracks spanned 128 miles (206 km) total between the two segments, with the northern division running 24 miles (39 km) from Charlotte, to Gastonia, North Carolina, including a three-mile (5 km) spur to Belmont. The southern division main line ran 89 miles (143 km) from Greenwood to Spartanburg, South Carolina, with a 12 mi (19 km) spur to Anderson. Initially the railroad was electrified 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 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. Once part of CSX, it is now owned by the North Carolina Department of Transportation, which awarded a contract in May 2010 to Patriot Rail Corporation to restore the track and operate trains along the 12 miles (19 km) line.

History

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 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 on 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 3-mile (4.8 km) 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, 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 (CRR), Carolina and North Western Railroad (C&NW), Georgia and Florida Railroad (G&F), Norfolk Southern (NS), Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL), Southern Railway (SOU), Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL), Greenville and Northern Railroad (G&N), Charleston and Western Carolina (C&WC) and Ware Shoals Railroad.

Though owned by Duke Power, the P&N operated coal trains over a branch from Mount Holly, NC, to Terrell, NC, supplying Duke Power's Lake Norman powerplants.

North Carolina Division

Mile	Station	Interchange	Notes
0.0	Charlotte	Southern, NS	Piggyback ramps
3.8	Chemway
4.1	Pinoca	SAL	Shops (still in use by CSX)
5.4	Toddville
6.9	Thrift
10.6	Sodyeco
11.1	Mount Holly
--	--	--	--
0.0	Mount Holly
	Riverbend
	Cowans Ford
	Denrock
	Denver
	Terrell
--	--	--	--
13.5	North Belmont
--	--	--	--
0.0	North Belmont
3.1	Belmont	Southern
--	--	--	--
16.5	McAdenville Junction
17.6	McAdenville
17.9	Lowell
19.7	Ranlo
21.7	Groves
23.4	Gastonia	Southern, C&NW	Piggyback ramp

South Carolina Division

Mile	Station	Interchange	Notes
0.0	Spartanburg	ACL, Southern, Clinchfield, C&WC	Piggyback ramp
3.9	Saxon (Camp Wadsworth?)
6.6	Clevedale
10.2	Startex	Southern
12.0	Lyman	Southern
13.4	Duncan
18.3	Greer	Southern
	Chick Springs
23.1	Taylors	Southern
27.1	Paris (Hampton Heights?)
33.5	Greenville (River Junction)	ACL, G&N, Southern, C&WC	Piggyback ramp
36.5	White Horse
	Golden Grove
43.7	Piedmont	Southern
48.4	Pelzer	Southern
50.5	Williamston	Southern
	Thomason/Cheddar
58.0	Belton	Southern, C&NW
--	--	--	--
0.0	Belton	Southern, C&NW
	Campbell
	Toxaway
11.6	Anderson	C&NW, ACL, C&WC
--	--	--	--
65.8	Honea Path	Southern
71.4	Donalds
74.3	Shoals Junction	Southern, Ware Shoals RR
80.2	Hodges
83.9	Downs	Southern
	Harris
88.9	Greenwood	ACL, G&F, SAL, Southern, C&WC	Piggyback ramp

Extension

Plans to connect the North and South Carolina divisions between Spartanburg, SC and Gastonia, NC, and to expand northwards towards Winston-Salem, NC, were successfully blocked by appeals by the Southern Railway and other entities in court cases in the 1930s, specifically PIEDMONT & N. RY. CO. v. UNITED STATES, 280 U.S. 469 (1930) and PIEDMONT & N R. CO. v. INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION, 286 U.S. 299 (1932).

Traffic

The P&N, though involved heavily in 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.

Statement of Car Loads of Freight Handled (in Carloads) - Years 1955 and 1954

Commodity	Carloads, 1954	Carloads, 1955	Change
Grain and Grain Products	3221	3258	+37
Packing House Products	2200	2381	+181
Fruits and Vegetables	1874	1838	-36
Coal and Coke	30203	37995	+7792
Building Materials	4465	4966	+501
Cotton and Wastes	8093	8907	+814
Textile Products	2746	2842	+96
Sand and Stone	2196	2521	+325
Automobiles	1889	2061	+172
Oil and Gasoline	2920	2738	-182
Fertilizer and Fertilizer Products	4056	3176	-880
Machinery	613	732	+119
Paper and Paper Products	6480	6786	+306
Clay and Fullers Earth	1897	1805	-92
Iron and Steel Articles	2746	3297	+37
Forest Products	2257	2054	-203
Merchandise	4767	4350	-417
Miscellaneous	17128	17986	+858

(Data from P&N 1955 Annual Report)

Motive power

Piedmont and Northern Electric Locomotives

Road Number	Builder	Build Date	Engine Number	Tractive Effort	Notes
5000	Baldwin-Westinghouse	10-1911	37124	13,700	Built with two trolley poles; pantograph installed 1935
5001	Baldwin-Westinghouse	10-1911	37150	13,700	Built with two trolley poles; pantograph installed 1935
5002	Baldwin-Westinghouse	10-1911	37151	13,700	Built with two trolley poles; pantograph installed 1935
5003	Baldwin-Westinghouse	10-1911	37152	13,700	Built with two trolley poles; pantograph installed 1935
5004	Baldwin-Westinghouse	11-1911	37272	13,700	Built with two trolley poles; pantograph installed 1935
5005	Baldwin-Westinghouse	11-1911	37273	10,000	Built with two trolley poles; pantograph installed 1935
5006	Baldwin-Westinghouse	4-1917	44508	12,000	Ex Salt Lake & Utah #102, bought by P&N in 1947
5100	GE 63t boxcab	12-1913	4651	13,000	GE class 404-E-120-4-GE-212F 63 ton boxcab.
5101	GE 63t boxcab	12-1913	4652	13,000	GE class 404-E-120-4-GE-212F 63 ton boxcab.
5102	GE 63t boxcab	12-1913	4653	13,000	GE class 404-E-120-4-GE-212F 63 ton boxcab.
5103	GE 63t boxcab	12-1913	4654	13,000	GE class 404-E-120-4-GE-212F 63 ton boxcab. Preserved at Southeastern Railway Museum, Spencer, NC
5104	GE 63t boxcab	12-1913	4655	13,000	GE class 404-E-120-4-GE-212F 63 ton boxcab.
5105	GE 63t boxcab	12-1913	4656	13,000	GE class 404-E-120-4-GE-212F 63 ton boxcab.
5106	GE	1912	3806	14,800	Ex Oregon Electric #25; Sold to Utah-Idaho Central as #25, 1945; bought by P&N in 1948
5500	P&N Pinoca Shops	1917	-	14,800	Built from bodies of 4000-series express motors
5501	P&N Pinoca Shops	1918	-	17,072	Built from bodies of 4000-series express motors
5502	P&N Pinoca Shops	1918	-	17,072	Built from bodies of 4000-series express motors
5600	P&N Pinoca Shops	1918	-	27,072	Built from body of 4000-series express motors; rebuilt with steel cab in 1937; rebuilt as #5612 in 1949
5601	P&N Greenville Shops	1924	-	22,400	Baldwin trucks
5602	P&N Greenville Shops	1928	-	25,600	Baldwin trucks
5610	P&N Greenville Shops	1938	-	69,000	GE trucks
5611	GE	1941	-	34,500	Built by GE to P&N design
5612	P&N Greenville Shops	1949	-	75,000	Rebuilt from #5600

Piedmont and Northern Diesel Locomotives

Road Numbers	Builder / Dates Built	Model	Livery	Notes
1000–1005	6	Alco / 1954	S-4	gloss black, yellow striping
1600–1609	10	Alco /1950-1951	RS-3	gloss black, yellow striping	Formerly numbers 100-109
2000–2001	2	Alco / 1965	C420	gloss black, yellow striping

Piedmont and Northern City & Interurban Cars

Road Numbers	Type	Builder / Dates Built	Construction	Seats	Notes
1	Birney	Brill, 1916	Steel	32	Use and fate unknown
2	City	Stephenson, 1917	Wood
4	City	Southern Car, 1917	Wood
350	Combine	AC&F, 1913	Steel	26	Purchased from Pennsylvania Railroad - wrecked on February 21, 1941
351	Express	P&N, 1942	Steel	-	Rebuilt from wreck of #350
400-403	Trailer	PRR, 1913	Steel	72	Bought from the Pennsylvania Railroad; ran for a while with old nos. 325, 400, 408, 428
404	Trailer	Jewett, 1911	Wood	60	Original trailer coach no. 2404
405-407	Trailer	PRR, 1913	Steel	60	Bought from Long Island Railroad, ex-numbers 401, 402, 405
2000–2022	Combine	Jewett, 1911–1912	Wood	60
2050–2051	Combine	P&N, 1928	Wood	36	Rebuilt by P&N from number 2014 and 2008
2060	Express	P&N, 1942	Wood	-	Rebuilt from #2005
2100–2101	Combine	Southern Car, 1914	Steel	54	Former 2500 class trailer, powered in 1919
2102	Combine	Southern Car, 1914	Steel	68	Former 2500 class trailer powered in 1919, 10' express section added in 1924
2103–2107	Coach	Southern Car, 1914	Steel	68	Former 2500 class trailer, powered in 1919
2108	Coach	Southern Car, 1914	Steel	68	Electric coach rebuilt from parlor-observation car "Catawba" in 1928
2200	Parlor-Observation	Southern Car, 1914	Steel	-	Open observation parlor-observation car "Catawba". Rebuilt in 1935 with glassed-in solarium section
2201	Parlor-Observation	Southern Car, 1914	Steel	-	Open observation parlor-observation car "Saluda". Rebuilt as business car "Carolina"
2300	Express	1912	Wood		Former freight car; doors built onto ends for train access.
2400–2405	Coach trailer	Jewett, 1911	Wood	60	Demotorised 2000-class rebuilt into 2100-class
2500–2507	Coach trailer	Southern Car, 1914	Steel	54	Motorised 1923-1925
3000-3004	Coach trailer	Niles, 1910	Wood	54	Five coaches obtained for military transport by USRA from Louisville & Northern Railway
4000-4007	Express	Southern Car, 1911	Wood	-	Later used to build 5500 and 5600 class electric locomotives

Fate of the rolling stock

Some of the electric locomotives were shipped to South America, the rest were scrapped. The diesels were taken over by the Seaboard Coast Line in 1969 after that railroad took over the P&N; of them, all have been scrapped except for one S-4 surviving in the US on the Laurinburg and Southern, and four that were sent to Venezuela.

The interurban #2102, Office Car "Carolina" (formerly Saluda) and Caboose x-23 are preserved and on display to the public at the Railroad Historical Center in Greenwood, SC.

Remnants

Only four of the stations built for the P&N, designed by Charles Christian Hook 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, several structures are still standing. The depot in Mount Holly, North Carolina 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 is still standing, though it has been relocated from its previous location.

Former P&N depot, Piedmont, SC

In South Carolina, at least five stations are still standing: Donalds, Hodges, Greer, Piedmont and Anderson. The abandoned depot at Pelzer burned on the night on January 26, 2011.

In Piedmont, SC, the building is still standing, and appears to be in use as a storage shed in reasonable condition.

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 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's Enoree River viaduct.

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. 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 to restore the track and operate trains along the 12 miles (19 km) line.

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.