Was the Cheraw & Chester Railroad.

+ 2001 - Acquired line from Norfolk Southern Railway, extending service to Catawba and Kershaw.

By June 1896, the Cheraw and Chester was under foreclosure, and by court order was sold at auction. Colonel Leroy Springs, founder of Springs Industries, purchased the railroad for $25,000 on the Chester County Court House steps.

Leroy Springs changed the name to the Lancaster and Chester Railroad, also know as the Springmaid Line. In April, 1899, the wooden trestle over the Catawba River burned. Within a month the depot at Lancaster was destroyed by fire. The depot was replaced the same year with the trestle being rebuilt in 1900. Originally built by the Cheraw & Chester Railroad with narrow gauge track, in 1902 the L&C converted to standard gauge track.

Plagued with many calamities, including train wrecks and floods, the line managed to struggle on. It continues to serve its loyal customers to this day.

Click Here for photos and much more history.

Towns on Route:

Chester

Richburg

Bascomville

Fort Lawn

Lancaster

2nd Line Purchased from NS in 2001:

Catawba

Springdale

Riverside

Lancaster

Heath Springs

Kershaw