10/18/2019. Often disasters are legendary because of the sheer number of people they affected, but in this case, the horrific nature of the damage makes it memorable. It was also the first train to suffer a railroad explosion. This makes the loud whistling sound we associate with steam locomotives (remember that). In Charleston, the weapons were delivered to a storehouse which the Americans had used as an improvised arsenal. When opened for business, the Charleston & Hamburgh Railroad cost a total of $951,148.39. It was rebuilt but, as a consequence of the rapid advances in locomotive design, Locomotion No. With an extra tap on his top hat, a longer pull on the shrill whistle and fond memories flooding his mind, John ended his love affair with his Best Friend. Its ironic that Johns 43 year railroad career ended with steam because thats how it started.. This major river forms the boundary between South Carolina and Georgia, and in an era when water-borne transportation dominated (roads being deplorable), the Savannah provided an efficient route by which upland farmers in both states could ship their goods to a seaport, and then to markets beyond. [18] After a period on display at the Locomotion museum, it moved to Head of Steam in April 2021, replacing the original. The locomotive was built for the South Carolina Canal and Rail Road Company by the West Point Foundry in Cold Spring, New York in 1830. Tues. - Fri: JohnWilliams 18 jan 2020. Reportedly, a fireman accidentally caused the explosion when he closed the steam pressure release valve. [6][pageneeded] The driver, who had to perch on a small platform beside the boiler, was James Stephenson, the elder brother to George Stephenson; the fireman, William Gowling, stood on a footplate between the engine and the tender. The company commissioned a passenger steam locomotive Americas first from the West Point Foundry in New York. 1 was rebuilt and returned to service and ran until 1850. In doing so, it completely revolutionized America's transportation. On Ann Street, old train towers now house the Children's Museum of the Lowcountry and the Best Friend of Charleston Museum. The city of San Antonio, Texas was awakening to a new day. 1 was about 15mph (24km/h). All written content, photos, and videos copyright American-Rails.com (unless otherwise noted). The steam-powered Best Friend of Charleston made its inaugural trip along a 6-mile stretch of track reaching northwest from Charleston on Christmas Day, 1830. . The new company considered, but rejected, the prospect of digging canals. A few months later in December, the first commercially operated steamer constructed in America went into service, the Best Friend of Charleston on the South Carolina Canal and Rail Road Company. Heightstown, N.J.: world's first train wreck and first passenger fatalities recorded. The blast is said to have been caused by the fireman tying down the steam pressure release valve; he had grown tired of hearing it whistle, so to stop the noise he closed the valve permanently. More times than not, roads were dry and dusty or wet and soggy, undependable whether being traveled by coach, horseback, or foot. My first question was, Whats the Best Friend? The locomotive, as its ownership changed, remained in Darlington from 1857, in later years on display at the Head of Steam museum in Darlington, in the same building as Darlington's North Road station. It was assembled and tested. The boilers of the modern replicas retain the vertical shape, but with more suitable innards and contours. When the Best Friend of Charleston, a replica of the first regularly operating steam train in this country, made its last trip this season in Louisville, passengers were unaware of this special run. The engine was rebuilt and rechristened the Phoenix. From then until mid-December SCC&RR officials and engineers continued to test the locomotive to ready it for regular operation. The work of clearing the route and laying track commenced in earnest in the spring of 1831, proceeding from suburban Charleston to the . The boiler blew up, killing the operator and destroying the train. The Best Friend of Charleston was a steam-powered railroad locomotive widely considered the first locomotive to be built entirely within the United States for revenue service. Even though he was among movie stars, beauty queens, politicians and even astronauts, John always helped shine, clean, grease, load , unload and perform any other task that kept is Best Friend in top running order. The maximum speed of Locomotion No. [12], Following its withdrawal, Locomotion was purchased by Joseph Pease and Partners, converted into a stationary pumping engine for use at their West Collieries in South Durham, where it was used until 1857. The Best Friend of Charleston was a steam-powered railroad locomotive widely considered the first locomotive to be built entirely within the United States for revenue service. At the time, it was considered one of the fastest modes of transport, taking its passengers "on the wings of wind at the speed of fifteen to twenty-five miles per hour (24 to 40km/h). port and did not want to be outdone by the newfangled canal systems. You want to be around to run that train.'. On Christmas day of 1830, the Carolinas unwrapped a bright, shiny toy: a steam-powered railroad. South Carolinians are excessively proud of having had the first American railroad of any length and the first locomotive to be used in revenue service. The loan agreement expired in March 2021, after which the locomotive was moved to the NRM's outpost museum in Shildon, itself named Locomotion. The problem is, the whole point of the safety valve is to keep too much pressure from building up in the boiler. Another milestone was set down by the little puffer Best Friend of Charleston. The "Best Friend" did much in its short life. It was on exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876, Newcastle in 1881, Chicago in 1883, Liverpool in 1886, Newcastle in 1887, Paris in 1889, Edinburgh in 1890. 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 spaceleaving all the world behind. [10], On 27 September 1825, Locomotion No.1 hauled the first train on the Stockton and Darlington Railway, driven by George Stephenson. Sat:: Its performance exceeded expectations, with one observer writing that passengers flew on the wings of the wind at the speed of fifteen to twenty miles per hour, annihilating time and space.. Sadly, the Best Friend of Charleston suffered a boiler explosion in . As railroads became faster and more efficient, they soon became the primary way to transport goods and people throughout the country. The Best Friend of Charleston Made its first trip on Dec. 25, 1830. Created by Michael Sheehan Media www.michaelsheehanmedia.net Copyright 2020- Hosted by, A History of Transportation in the Eastern Cotton Belt to 1860, South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company, The North Carolina Railroad: Planning the Route. Eventually, the large Savannah River became the primary route to eastern ports. He has the patience, interest and friendly personality deal with the public. Thumb" along the Baltimore & Ohio. As of January of 1831, the Charleston & Hamburg Railroad was running regular freight and passenger service. But my guess is still about 50/50 on whether a butt was involved. 28329. The Best Friend of Charleston was a steam-powered railroad locomotive which is widely acclaimed as the first locomotive to be built entirely within the United States for revenue service and produced the first locomotive boiler explosion in the United States. 657. Later regulations specified that no train was to exceed 20 mph unless greatly behind time. Ah, what would we do without loopholes? Contents. Quelle: Best Friend of Charleston. 2 minutes to read. This fire heats the water held in a boiler to the point that it creates steam, which pushes pistons that move rods connected to the wheels, moving the train forward. 1, saving it from the scrapyard when its working life had ended;[15] it was one of the first locomotives to be restored for preservation. The only mode of travel that was any faster was by an experienced horse and rider. (Extremely) amateur history time! Educational Resources, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 4-D Lands at the State Museum This Holiday Season, Special Offer for Healthcare Workers Every Saturday in November, State Museum Celebrates Spring Break With 50% Off Kids Admission This April, E-Learning Activities Colonial Crossword, E-Learning Activities Transportation Crossword (Planes, Trains and Automobiles! By the summer of 1830 the SCC&RR (also known as the Charleston & Hamburg Railroad) had 6 miles of track in service west of its terminal station and yard in Charleston. [20][21], "Locomotion No. The company charter was accepted in 1834 and amended in 1835 to grant bank privileges. The railroad's chief engineer, Horatio Allen, had it built in West Point Foundry based in Cold Spring, NY; and it could reach 30mph empty and 12mph loaded, which was . Instead, they opted for a rail line connecting Charleston and the upland town of Hamburg, South Carolina, just across the Savannah River from Augusta, Georgia. Christened as theBest Friend of Charlestonthe locomotive was an 0-4-0 that burned standard wood and was capable of producing 6 to 8 horsepower with speeds reaching 30 mph empty or about 12 mph loaded (laughable, yes, by today's standards but a powerful machine in those days). It houses a replica of the Best Friend of Charleston, a steam locomotive which carried passengers en route from Charleston to Hamburg, passing through Branchville. 2023 The Best Friend of Charleston - Site Deployment by. 1 was ordered by the Stockton and Darlington Railway Company in September 1824; its design benefitted from George Stephenson's experience building his series of Killingworth locomotives. [2], Locomotion 1 is such an important part of Darlington's history that it is depicted on the town's coat of arms,[13] and on the badges of its football and rugby clubs.[14]. This explosion ended all train service on the C&HRR for a month. Despite this disaster, it was clear how much potential there was for rail travel. The Best Friend of Charleston was a steam-powered railroad locomotive which is widely acclaimed as the first locomotive to be built entirely within the United States for revenue service and produced the first locomotive boiler explosion in the United States. Until this time, travel had been limited to road conditions and river navigability. The "Best Friend of Charleston" was indeed, "The little engine that did!" The Panic of 1819 wounded both Charleston and Savannah, two major export centers, and both cities looked for recovery. I love people and these last 14 years gave me the opportunity to work closely with a wonderful variety of people.. [10] Locomotion always returned to its static display in Darlington,[15] the headquarters of the Stockton and Darlington Railway Company. Available for both RF and RM licensing. The speed of The Best Friend of Charleston was laughable by our standards, but in its day, it was audacious. It ran along six miles of wood and metal rails terminating near the junction of State and Dorchester Roads. Waterway navigation was severely limited to the course, water flow, depth and tides of the river systems. 1 was the first locomotive to make use of coupling rods to link together its driving wheels, reducing the chance of the wheels slipping on the iron rails. There are two full-scale replicas of The Best Friend of Charleston. It ran along six miles of wood and metal rails terminating near the junction of State and Dorchester Roads. A second engine, the West Point, went into use on the Charleston-Hamburg line in March 1831 but never achieved the same speeds as those of the Best Friend. 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. John has supervised every showing except one. play a vital role in the faster movement of people and goods. The Best Friend had a short life. climbing a gradient upon setting off); this was common practice and a common cause of boiler bursts until a tamper-proof safety valve was produced. Closed It produced the first locomotive boiler explosion in the United States. [2] On 4 June 1846, it hauled the opening train on the Middlesbrough and Redcar Railway, a subsidiary of the S&DR. And then she rode him like a train, choo choo bitch. The Best Friend of Charleston began the first regular passenger service in the country following a six-mile route in Charleston. It is believed that Locomotion No. John served as diesel shop foreman from 1949 until 1953, moved to Charlotte Roadway Shop as assistant general foreman for a year, assistant shop superintendent for two years and superintendent for three years. Copyright 2007-2023 American-Rails.com. Reprint, Spartanburg, S.C.: Reprint Company, 1975. Legally George was considered Samuel's "bodyservant," but among children the relationship was more likely that of playmate and best friend. Designed by Elegant WordPress Themes | Powered by WordPress, on The Best Friend of Charleston: Short-Lived, Long Legacy, Apollo April at the South Carolina State Museum. To restore passenger confidence, a flatcar piled high with protective cotton bales was placed between the locomotive and its passenger cars. In 1998 a gentleman by the name ofAndre Kristopans put together a web page highlighting virtually every unit out-shopped by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 2015-2020 University of South Carolina aws, first locomotive built in the United States for public service, South Carolina Canal and Rail Road Company, used slaves to work on the line, both as laborers and as firemen to regulate the steam engine, engine was rebuilt and rechristened the Phoenix, University of South Carolina, Institute for Southern Studies, https://www.scencyclopedia.org/sce/entries/best-friend-of-charleston/. Disassembled for shipment by boat to Charleston, South Carolina, it arrived in October of that year and was unofficially named The Best Friend of Charleston. The Best Friend of Charleston has another, rather unfortunate distinction. [19] Originally only at Darlington on loan from Beamish, ownership of the replica was transferred to Darlington Borough Council, which will see the replica returned to service in time for the S&D's 200th anniversary. When it was delivered to South Carolina, it received the unofficial name The Best Friend of Charleston. Here are some pictures of the Best Friend of Charleston inside the museum at 32 Ann Street. It also produced the first locomotive boiler explosion in the US. The train was small, but the statement was loud, proclaiming the dawn of the age of rail in the Carolinas. As one might imagine, John has his favorite stories, like meeting film star Elizabeth Taylor at a banquet in Danville, Va., and giving her a Best Friend Charm. Learn about the vital importance of Illinois to the nation's railroads and enjoy dinner aboard a train at the Monticello Railway Museum. # x27 ; s transportation $ 951,148.39 43 year railroad career ended 1825 train explosion best friend of charleston. And destroying the train was small, but the statement was loud proclaiming. This explosion ended all train service on the C & amp ; HRR for a month route! 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