Reporting mark GRLW Length 20,503 m Date of operation 2006 Predecessor CSX Transportation | Dates of operation 2006– Headquarters Greenville Locale Upstate South Carolina | |
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Track gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) (standard gauge) Parent organization Western Carolina Railway Service Corporation | ||
Rail fanning near belton sc on the greenville and western railway
The Greenville and Western Railway (reporting mark GRLW) is a Class III railroad that operates 12.74 miles (20.50 km) from a point south of Belton to Pelzer, South Carolina. Connections are made with Pickens Railway at Belton and CSX at Pelzer. The railroad is a subsidiary of Western Carolina Railway Service Corporation.
Contents
History
The Greenville, Spartanburg and Anderson Railway was formed in 1910 to build an interurban railroad between its namesake cities. The Pelzer-Belton segment was built as part of its mainline from Greenwood to Greenville between 1910-1912. This line became part of the Piedmont and Northern Railway in 1914. The P&N was merged into the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad in 1969. Additional mergers occurred in 1983 with the Seaboard System and CSX Transportation in 1986.
On April 26, 2006 CSX sought to abandon the line from Belton to Pelzer. The abandonment was rejected by the Surface Transportation Board in August 2006 as the line was still profitable. 87 carloads had originated from or terminated at two online industries in 2005 in addition to overhead traffic from 10 customers on the Pickens Railway. On October 20, 2006 CSX sold the line to the current operator.
Traffic surged to 1,872 carloads by 2009, primarily fueled by growth in ethanol traffic. Other commodities include scrap metal, limestone, fertilizer, feed products, plastics, and paper.
Motive power
GRLW currently operates two EMD GP9 locomotives numbered 3751 and 3752. Unit 3751 was formerly ECBR 6513 (2003–2007), formerly PTR 6513 (1987–2003) and originally B&O 6513 (1957–1987) - EMD frame no. 5519-3, serial no. 22987, built May 1957. Unit 3752 was formerly ECBR 6554 (2004–2008), formerly PTR 6554 (1987–2004) and originally B&O 6554 (1957–1987) - EMD frame no. 5519-44, serial no. 23028, built July 1957.