Questions about some trackage in the Carolinas

[firthorfifth06]

I'm vacationing in Myrtle Beach. On our way down, we were on NC 410 and we crossed a series of four tracks in the last downtown area before hitting US 701. What track is this?

On our way down 701 NC/SC, we were parallel to some track. What track is this?

Finally, not too far from our hotel on 17, near the intersection of US 501 and the 17 bypass, there is some track (with a drawbridge in the open position as well). What track is this?

[jmeechum]

This may help...

http://www.railroadmap.com/

There's a free demo version of the program that covers the Southeastern US. It doesn't contain roads as reference points, but you might be able to cross-reference against maps of the area...

[Joe the Photog]

The track with the drawbridge is Carolina Southern. It's had a series of owners since being sold by Atlantic Coast Line in the 80s. I believe I'm including everyone. It first became the Horry County Railroad and I believe they used some GE center cabs as power. That line was sold and became the Wacamaw Coast Line named after both the Indian tribe and the river nearby. They used an attractive variation of the ACL-purple, although it looked pretty odd on their CF7. Both of these railroads went from Conway to Myrtle Beach and their sole connection to the outside world was with another shortline who also had various owners. So it was probably just a matter of time before both shortlines fell under the same owner and that happened in the mid 90s when Carolina Southern was formed.


Joe H.