ARTIFACTS
The Best Friend Museum was a joint endeavor of the Charleston Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society and the City of Charleston. While open, the museum displayed the artifacts that are listed below. Upon the closing of the museum in 2000, the artifacts were placed in storage with the Best Friend train in the Engine House that was built in the space between the Camden Station and the William Aiken House that are depicted in the drawing below. William Aiken was the first President of the South Carolina Canal & Rail Road Company. The William Aiken House was the home of the museum and the Southern Railway offices. The Camden Tower that is drawn below is now the Children's Museum of the Lowcountry.
The artifacts listed herein belonged to the Charleston Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. Those items listed as ACL related have been donated to the Ravenel Depot in Ravenel SC. In September 2007 artifacts specifically related to Southern Railway were placed on temporary loan to Norfolk Southern for use with the Best Friend train while it is displayed in the lobby of their Atlanta GA headquarters at 1600 peachtree Street. Various steam locomotive tools were previously loaned to Norfolk Southern in December 2005 for temporary display at their Museum in Norfolk VA. Following the return of the train to Charleston for permanent display on John Street, these artifacts will be displayed with the train in Charleston.
* NRHS Christmas Series - No. 6 - 1970 - drawing by Joseph M. Mannix
| Watson Stillman NY 15-jack | Wrench for steam engine |
| Old rails | Coupling * |
| Appleton car mover | Steam whistle |
| Lanterns - * |
Switch box - RR name on it |
| Red Globe | Switch * |
| Base lantern | SCCRR steps (2) * |
| Caboose lantern | Typewriter |
| Southern lantern (flashlight) 1950-60 | Station agent box |
| 4-sided lantern - electrified | Conductor's box |
| Lantern for mounting on train (3) | Freight pads (2) |
| Floor and shelf display cases | Brass bell |
| Cubbyholes from train yard | Shovel * |
| Conductor's hand-held ticket punch | Fire bucket |
| Leather moneybag | Wheel - motor car |
| Canvas mail bag | Large oil can * |
| Wheel - motor car | Oil cans - small * |
| Tools for steam locomotive * |
Appleton Car Mover * |
* on loan to Norfolk
Southern
BOOKS, JOURNALS
Engineer Field Manuel 1918
Progressive Air Brake Assoc /Westinghouse and New York Systems 1905 (private CCNRHS collection)
Assoc of American RR Operations and Maintenance Dept Mech Div Interchange Rules 1959 and 1960
Southern Railway Company - Rules November 15, 1899 Frank S. Gannon (private CCNRHS collection)
No.6 ET Locomotive Brake Equipment Westinghouse Air Brake Co. June 1913 (private CCNRHS collection)
Southern Railroad Discipline Journal 1920 - 1947 Record of telegraphers and agents
Southern Railroad Discipline Journal 1947 - 1964 Record of supervisory officers, roadway and b&b foremen and clerks
99 Years of Progress Pamphlet by Southern Railway System, donated by J F Fly family of Memphis, TN, belonged to relative,W H Gatchell, a Southern officer in 1940's
The Visitor Reception & Transportation Center - Opening Ceremonies May 13, 1991, many photos of old RR buildings before renovation , 1917 Carpentry Shop; Blacksmith Shop, 1917; Camden Tower, 1925; Tower Depot Building, 1925; Freight Station, 1917; Shop Building, 1929; and Visitor Center interior during renovation
SCRM NEWS photo of Best Friend in 1985 at Hwy 34 crossing
Ties Magazine June 1955, with cover of Best Friend and Gov Byrnes and J R Brosnan, article about Centennial Celebration
The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide 1973 by Jerry A. Pinkepank
MODEL TRAINS
OO gauge - NY Central Hudson
O gauge 1981 boxcar - new product Lionel
Trolleys OO gauge (Moale collection)
Railroad Jack
Bronze Best Friend model presented to travelers in 1927
Control for model train
SCRR trains - HO scale
DRAWINGS
Pen and Ink of Branchville, signed by P Walter Platt
Lithograph - "The General"
PHOTOGRAPHS
Police Dept - ACL - 1940 (private CCHRHS collection)
Central of GA RR Presidents - 1969
Southern RR system safety contest, Chas Div - 1960
BLUE PRINTS and CHARTS
West VA Pulp and Paper - 1946
Ichnography of Chas
Journals of Southern RR
Supervisor's log - telegraph log
Blue prints of Charleston Connector 17 & 52, sheets 3 & 4 & 5, January 1953
RAILROAD COMMEMORATIVE ITEMS
Plates -
Commemorative plates
Homer Laughlin China Co - E. Liverpool, OH - 1903 - Order of RR Conductors
Pencils
Mugs
Envelopes and stamps
Pins
33 1/3 record - BF and other locomotive sounds
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
SCRR 1848 decorative downspout boxes (2)
Charleston NRHS Drum Light
General assembly act forming company to construct RR - Dec 1827*
Pullman Silver creamer
Keys and locks
Letter to H P Edwards dated May 28, 1912
Historical Marker *
Blackville sign
FA East Coast sign
* Loaned to Norfolk Southern
PHOTO COLLECTION
Port Royal Station
Ladson Station
Myrtle Beach Station
Yemassee Station
McCormick Station
Union Station
Mile Marker 125
Eastern line - Southern RR
Large Photo No 44
King Geo V locomotive No 6000
Great Western RR No 4006
Locomotive No 3526
Photos of excavation of original tracks
Negative of Best Friend on Luke Street in Summerville
Aerial Photo Cooper River Bridge and RR tracks (private CCNRHS collection)
ACL ITEMS **
Teletype Machine No. 115666
Vibroplex Telegraph Key Sounder No. 102837
Cast iron melting pan - ACL name in raised letters
Desktop ticket validator - ACL name shown on stamp template
Keys and locks with ACL name
Hand held ticket punch
Ashtray with ACL logo
Hook
Measuring tape in leather recoil case
ACL Conductor's uniform - all buttons intact
Seaboard Conductor's uniform - all buttons intact
Seaboard metal sign
** Donated to Town of Ravenel
ADDITIONAL BOXES
81 Loco picture
85 Metal sign/black sign/wicker duster
86 Picture B&O loco along C&O Canal right of way
96 Journals of Southern RR
480 Supervisor's Log - Telegraph Log
ATLANTIC - TYPE (4-4-2) COLE COMPOUND STEAM LOCOMOTIVE (private CCNRHS collection)
3/4 inch per foot scale
Constructed almost entirely by hand by the late Mr. G. Ernest Daniell, a master machinist at the Charleston Naval Shipyard
Powered by live steam
Instead of coal or wood, boiler fired by propane from a tank car
3 feet long, 30 lbs
º photo courtesy of Kenneth Donaldson
Mr. Daniell and his wife ride on the steam locomotive he built. It is believed that this Cole Compound
represents his only railroad model. He built several other live steam models in his home workshop. Among these
was a corliss stationary engine and a triple expansion marine engine.
GARDEN TRAIN
Pictured below is the Garden Train donated to the Charleston Chapter in the memory of Margaret Braden, mother of Frank Braden. The train was often seen running
around the summer residence of the Braden family on Folley Beach.
Mr. Daniell and his wife ride on the steam locomotive he built. It is believed that this Cole Compound
represents his only railroad model. He built several other live steam models in his home workshop. Among these
was a corliss stationary engine and a triple expansion marine engine.
GARDEN TRAIN
Pictured below is the Garden Train donated to the Charleston Chapter in the memory of Margaret Braden, mother of Frank Braden. The train was often seen running
around the summer residence of the Braden family on Folley Beach.
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