Charleston Chapter,
National Railway Historical Society
Presents the
In the 1820's. the bustling seaport of Charleston experienced an alarming economic recession as settlements expanded inland and westward. With the decrease in commerce, Charleston merchants began aggressively investigating avenues to revitalize the floundering economy.
At this time, Europeans were just beginning to experiment with the concept of a "Rail Road"; a new means of transportation that employed a "locomotive" propelled along rails by steam power.
In 1827 Charleston merchants persuaded the state legislature to charter the "South Carolina Canal andRail Road Company" to investigate the feasibility of a rail road system connecting Charleston with inland markets and a canal between the Ashley and Savannah Rivers to divert trade from the Savannah River to Charleston.
In October 1830, the engine arrived by packet ship from the West Point Foundry in New York. It was assembled and tested. Dubbed "Best Friend of Charleston'' by eager merchants, the train made its premier trip on Christmas Day, 1830, becoming the first steam locomotive in the US to establish regularly scheduled passenger service. It ran along six miles of wood and metal rails terminating near the junction of State and Dorchester Roads. This first trip was described by the ''Charleston Courier" on December 29:
"The one hundred and forty-one persons flew on the wings of wind at the speed of fifteen to twenty-five miles per hour, annihilating time and space...leaving all the world behind. On the return we reached Sans-Souci in quick and double quick time, stopped to take up a recruiting party-darted forth like a live rocket, scattering sparks and flames on either side-passed over three salt creeks hop, step and jump, and landed us all safe at the Lines before any of us had time to determine whether or not it was prudent to be scared."Until this time, travel had been limited to road conditions and river navigability. More times than not, roads were dry and dusty or wet and soggy, undependable whether being traveled by coach, horseback, or foot. Waterway navigation was severely limited to the course, water flow, depth and tides of the river systems. Both means of transportation were totally dependent upon weather and temperature conditions.
The railroad transcended these obstacles and brought economic prosperity back to Charleston. Within five months of the "Best Friend's" debut, a second locomotive, the "West Point," arrived in Charleston.One month later, the rail line reached "Woodstock," a point between Charleston and Summerville. Then, tragedy struck. A careless fireman unwittingly caused an explosion. It killed him, scalded the engineer, and destroyed the "Best Friend."
The accident proved only a minor set back to the railway transportation system. Within three years, the rail road boasted of six locomotives, including the "Phoenix," an engine constructed from the "Best Friend's" remains.
The "Best Friend'' did much in its short life. It returned economic prosperity to Charleston and it instituted regularly scheduled steam passenger service. In doing so, it completely revolutionized America's transportation. The "Best Friend" was indeed, ''The little engine that did !"The "Best Friend of Charleston," now on loan to Norfolk Southern for display in their Atlanta GA headquarters, is a full-sized replica of the 1830 train. The steam engine was constructed from the original plans in 1928 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the "South Carolina Canal and Rail Road Company". Southern Railway operated this replica on excursions across the USA. The special railroad cars designed to carry the train between excursions are presently on display at the South Carolina Railroad Museum. The "Best Friend" was donated to the City of Charleston by Norfolk Southern in 1993. The Best Friend Museum closed in 2000. The Museum and Gift Shop were a joint venture of the Charleston Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society and the City of Charleston.
Pending the train's permanent placement into a glass covered extension of the East Shed of the Camden Towers, located next to the Charleston Visitor Center, the train may be seen in the lobby of the Norfolk Southern Atlanta headquarters at 1200 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta GA.
CHARLESTON CHAPTER
NATIONAL RAILWAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
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The Charleston Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society (CCNRHS) is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to the promotion of railroads, their place in American History and their value in today's world. We hold monthly meetings at The Citadel at 171 Moultrie Street in the Daniel Library's Prioleau Room on the second Saturday of each month, at 10:00 a.m. Visitors are welcome. The Chapter was founded in January 1967.
We are pleased to be able to offer speakers from our Speaker's Bureau for any group or school that wishes information about our Chapter or about the history of transportation and the Best Friend of Charleston. We have a working model of Lionel's Limited Edition Best Friend of Charleston that can be placed on exhibit at events, fairs and other functions of public interest.
Original website developed by E. Rozier on a PowerMac
Site revised by CCNRHS in March 2005
Webmaster Mary Lehrc2004 CCNRHS
