Green Pond, Walterboro and Branchville Railroad
| Company type | Railroad |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | Green Pond, Walterboro and Branchville Railway; Walterboro and Western Railway |
| Founded | 1887 |
| Fate | Absorbed into Savannah, Florida and Western Railway in 1901 |
| Headquarters | Green Pond, South Carolina , United States |
Area served | South Carolina |
| Products | Rail transport services |
The Green Pond, Walterboro and Branchville Railroad operated a rail line extending northwest from Green Pond, South Carolina to Ehrhardt, South Carolina.
History
Originally incorporated as the Green Pond, Walterboro and Branchville Railway, the company completed the track between Green Pond and Walterboro in 1887. The line was further extended to Ehrhardt in 1896 by the Walterboro and Western Railway. By the turn of the century, both entities consolidated under the name Green Pond, Walterboro and Branchville Railroad.
At its origin in Green Pond, this railroad intersected with the Charleston and Savannah Railway, which was part of the Plant System network managed by Henry B. Plant since the late 1880s. In 1901, this railroad was absorbed into the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway, also within the Plant System.
The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad took over the Plant System in 1902, operating this segment as their Walterboro Branch, while designating the former Charleston and Savannah Railway as their Main Line. A branch line was constructed in 1962 from Stokes to provide service to South Carolina Electric & Gas Company's power facility located in Canadys.
Following the 1967 merger between Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line Railroad, forming the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad, this route was renamed the Walterboro Subdivision. By the early 1980s, operations ceased on the portion between H&B Junction and Ehrhardt.
In 1980, the parent company of Seaboard Coast Line merged with the Chessie System, creating the CSX Corporation, which fully integrated rail operations under CSX Transportation by 1986. During that decade, CSX discontinued service on the section from Green Pond to Stokes and sold the remaining track segments to the Hampton and Branchville Railroad, a subsidiary of Palmetto Railways. The Hampton and Branchville continued to serve the Canadys power plant until its closure in 2013; since then, this portion of track has remained inactive.
Historic stations
| Milepost | City/Location | Station | Connections and notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMF 429.0 | Green Pond | connection with Charleston and Savannah Railway (SF&W/ACL) | |
| AMF 433.2 | Ritter | ||
| AMF 440.9 | Walterboro | Walterboro | |
| AMF 446.6 | Stokes | junction for spur line to Canadys | |
| AMG 456.0 | Canadys | located on spur track | |
| AMF 452.8 | Ruffin | Ruffin | |
| AMF 455.3 | Williams | Williams | |
| AMF 460.8 | H&B Junction | connection with Hampton and Branchville Railroad | |
| AMF 462.5 | Lodge | Lodge | |
| AMF 466.9 | Ehrhardt | Ehrhardt | junction with Bamberg, Ehrhardt and Walterboro Railway (ACL) |