Cheraw and Darlington Railroad

The Cheraw and Darlington Railroad was a 26-mile shortline railroad that served South Carolina and later North Carolina, beginning before the American Civil War. It was chartered in 1849 and began operating in 1853 between Cheraw and Darlington, South Carolina, on 5 ft gauge track that was changed to 4 ft 9 in in 1886. In March 1865 Union cavalry sent by Sherman destroyed trestle work, depots and cars, but the line was running again by 1867. By 1887 it had four locomotives, three passenger cars and 29 freight cars. It bought the Cheraw and Salisbury Railroad in 1892, which extended it north to Wadesboro, North Carolina, and the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad acquired it in 1898. Part of the route remains in service from Florence to Floyds, operated by the South Carolina Central Railroad.