June 28, 1842: The Locomotive Robert Y. Hayne Travels from Charleston to Columbia.
The South Carolina Canal and Rail Road Company (SCC&RR) was chartered in 1827 and began constructing a line from Charleston to Hamburg in 1830. The...
The South Carolina Canal and Rail Road Company (SCC&RR) was chartered in 1827 and began constructing a line from Charleston to Hamburg in 1830. The railroad was built on piles, as that was less expensive than embanking. That 136-mile road was completed in 1833, with stops in Summerville, Blackville, Branchville and Aiken. As the company looked to expand, it was clear that piling was not effective, and the entire road had to be embanked. Around the time that the SCC&RR was chartered, E.S. Thomas of Cincinnati (and formerly of Charleston) began to promote a rail line from Cincinnati to Charleston.