Palmetto Railway will begin operating trains along the 40-mile Salkehatchie Rail Line in Colleton and Hampton Counties. Operations will begin in late March and early April. The Salkehatchie Subdivision is operating on the tracks of the former Hampton and Branchville Railroad which ceased operations in 2012. The H&B was purchased through partnership with Palmetto Railroad, Colleton County,+ and the State of South Carolina. The Partnership was developed to support future industrial development in the region.
Palmetto Rail wants to remind motorist that there are 82 private and public crossings along the rail route. The route includes some heavily travelled crossing with limited visibility, these crossings are located at Country Club Road, Sandy Run Road, Old Salkehatchie Highway, Confederate Highway, Bells Highway, Lowcountry Highway, and Ruffin Road. The trains will be running on no set schedule, and the public is reminded that a train could come at any time from either direction. Always assume that a train is approaching and remember a freight train traveling at 55 mph can take one mile or more to stop after the emergency brake is applied and that distance is roughly equivalent to 18 football fields. The public is reminded to follow all traffic signs and do not walk, run, sit, or play on or near the railroad tracks.
Palmetto Railways, established in 1969, promotes the economic viability of the State of South Carolina by providing safe, efficient and cost-effective rail solutions to facilitate the movement of freight and to support economic development efforts. Palmetto Railways also provides technical assistance and consulting services in railroad matters to state, local and municipal governments. As a division of the South Carolina Department of Commerce, Palmetto Railways is a Class III terminal switching and short line railroad located in Charleston, S.C., serving the Port of Charleston and multiple industries based in the five-county region of the Lowcountry. Palmetto Railways lines have direct access to both Eastern Class I railroads, CSX Transportation.
