Western Carolina Railway Service Corporation

Railroads

Common carrier rail services are currently provided on one line within the State of South Carolina.

Greenville & Western Railway Company, LLC

Greenville & Western Railway Company, LLC (GRLW), a wholly owned subsidiary of Western Carolina Railway Service Corporation, owns and operates 12.74 miles of rail line in Anderson County, South Carolina.

The road’s roots can be traced back to the original 1910 charter of the Greenville, Spartanburg & Anderson Railway (GS&A). The line was part of a section of the GS&A that was constructed between Greenwood and Greenville between 1910 and 1912 and the company, together with its affiliate Piedmont Traction Company, were collectively recognized by the public as Piedmont & Northern Lines. Following the 1911 charter of the Piedmont and Northern Railway Company (P&N), both companies were absorbed into the P&N in 1914 and such was the line's identity through 1969. Purchased by Seaboard Coast Line Railroad in that same year, the line, as the result of successive mergers that led to the formation of CSX Transportation (CSXT), remained under CSXT ownership and operation for over 36 years, ending October 20, 2006. Effective October 21, 2006, GRLW assumed ownership and operation of the line which serves the Belton, Cheddar, Williamston and Pelzer communities.

Once a candidate for abandonment, GRLW is presently upgrading the infrastructure of its 12.74-mile line to aid in the development of adjacent parcels in order to attract new businesses to locate along the line and bring new job opportunities to the people of Anderson County. GRLW interchanges with both CSX Transportation (CSXT) at Pelzer and the Pickens Railway (PKHP) at Belton. GRLW also has interchange access to Norfolk Southern (NS) at Anderson via its PKHP connection at Belton. GRLW currently offers tri-weekly service and customizable switching services to its interchange partners and online customers. GRLW is an accident, incident and injury-free member of the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) and multi-year recipient of the Jake Award with Distinction for achieveing a Frequency/Severity Index of 0.00 for the past two consecutive years (2007-2008). The company's principal goal is to provide safe, reliable and efficient rail services and facilities to its patrons. For more information on available sites or to discuss how the Greenville & Western Railway can serve your business and shipping needs, contact our business office at 864-236-7051.