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| Title: |
Beginning of the Chase |
| Description: |
I finally got the chance to chase the local shortline, the Carolina Piedmont, while off work between Christmas and New Years. I left home and worked back on their line until I caught the weekday daylight run from Laurens up the line at the Oakland Heights grade crossing just outside of Laurens. Georgia Central 2140 was leading the charge with two CPDR units behind. |
| Photo Date: |
12/29/2025 Upload Date: 12/30/2025 12:33:16 PM |
| Location: |
Laurens, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
GC 2140(GP38-3) |
| Views: |
33 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Headed Up the Line |
| Description: |
Further outside of Laurens by Welcome Baptist Church the CPDR is blowing the horn for the crossing of Whelon Rd. In a bit of an identity crisis, Georgia Central 2140 is actually in the lead, with CPDR 3837 and 2007 trailing. |
| Photo Date: |
12/29/2025 Upload Date: 12/30/2025 12:36:58 PM |
| Location: |
Laurens, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
GC 2140(GP38-3) CPDR 3837(GP38-2) CPDR 2007(GP38-2) |
| Views: |
30 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
End of the Train |
| Description: |
The final car on the train today is a coilless, coverless coil car. I wasnt really sure why they were bringing this car up with them, but after sorting the train at the off-spot storage siding, it was trailing an acid tank car, likely bound for the BASF plant in Mauldin. |
| Photo Date: |
12/29/2025 Upload Date: 12/30/2025 12:39:07 PM |
| Location: |
Laurens, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
20 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
South Carolina Countryside Travels |
| Description: |
Having just crossed Equinox Road outside of Gray Court, the CPDR power has the train up to track speed. The sign pointing to Highland Home Baptist Church, just on the other side of the tracks, is a pretty common sight once you get onto the back roads of the rural South. Nothing but hay fields, cows, and churches punctuated by the occasional gas station and country store. |
| Photo Date: |
12/29/2025 Upload Date: 12/30/2025 12:43:35 PM |
| Location: |
Gray Court, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
GC 2140(GP38-3) CPDR 3837(GP38-2) CPDR 2007(GP38-2) |
| Views: |
23 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Going Away in Gray Court |
| Description: |
CPDR 3837 is the middle child in this trio of a consist. The sun angle is best for these going away shots along much of the route, especially in the winter. |
| Photo Date: |
12/29/2025 Upload Date: 12/30/2025 12:47:03 PM |
| Location: |
Gray Court, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
GC 2140(GP38-3) CPDR 3837(GP38-2) CPDR 2007(GP38-2) |
| Views: |
20 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
CPDR 2007 |
| Description: |
One of the CPDRs veteran GP38 rebuilds brings up the rear. A holdover from the RailAmerica days, shes been plying these rails for a while. The trio of GP38-2s has the train rolling here through downtown Gray Court. |
| Photo Date: |
12/29/2025 Upload Date: 12/30/2025 12:49:19 PM |
| Location: |
Gray Court, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
GC 2140(GP38-3) CPDR 3837(GP38-2) CPDR 2007(GP38-2) |
| Views: |
28 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Station Stop |
| Description: |
Slowing to a safe speed in downtown Fountain Inn, GC 2140 ensures that everyone is safe as the wheels of industry turn. The town of Fountain Inn has established a museum dedicated to its history in the railroad depot behind the power. I cannot find if this is the original depot or a replica. |
| Photo Date: |
12/29/2025 Upload Date: 12/30/2025 12:58:29 PM |
| Location: |
Fountain Inn, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
GC 2140(GP38-3) CPDR 3837(GP38-2) CPDR 2007(GP38-2) |
| Views: |
34 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Going Away Again |
| Description: |
Another shot of the trio of 38-2s as GC 2140 blows the horn to cross Fairview St. You can see the flashers for the street in front of me, Wall Street, ahead. An old railroad customer, a feed mill, is just in frame to the left. As seems to be the fad in Greenville County, it has been redeveloped into a food hall with a brewery and a lawn as a community gathering space; its quite a nice time. |
| Photo Date: |
12/29/2025 Upload Date: 12/30/2025 1:01:43 PM |
| Location: |
Fountain Inn, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
GC 2140(GP38-3) CPDR 3837(GP38-2) CPDR 2007(GP38-2) |
| Views: |
21 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Crossing the Street |
| Description: |
Heading across Park Industrial Rd, GC 2140 has the train back up to track speed. Were in between Fountain Inn and Simpsonville here, with an old textile mill now being used to make components for BMW behind and to the left and some warehouses across the tracks visible behind the locomotive. |
| Photo Date: |
12/29/2025 Upload Date: 12/30/2025 1:04:21 PM |
| Location: |
Fountain Inn, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
GC 2140(GP38-3) CPDR 3837(GP38-2) |
| Views: |
25 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Juxtaposition |
| Description: |
Youd never know this track was going right by an old textile plant repurposed as a BMW supplier if this caption didnt tell you. Visible up the tracks is a steel supplier that, while not rail served, the tracks have to bend around as the CPDR charges towards Greenville. |
| Photo Date: |
12/29/2025 Upload Date: 12/30/2025 1:06:18 PM |
| Location: |
Fountain Inn, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
GC 2140(GP38-3) CPDR 3837(GP38-2) CPDR 2007(GP38-2) |
| Views: |
23 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Upon the Spur |
| Description: |
The CPDR trio has just crossed Main Street and is currently on H.B. Fuller property as they gather up the tank cars at this industry. Theyll eventually pull out, cross Main Street again, and deposit two tank cars onto their train, before returning the remaining four tank cars and continuing on their journey to Greenville. |
| Photo Date: |
12/29/2025 Upload Date: 12/30/2025 1:09:45 PM |
| Location: |
Simpsonville, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
GC 2140(GP38-3) CPDR 3837(GP38-2) CPDR 2007(GP38-2) |
| Views: |
23 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
GC 2140 |
| Description: |
While the conductor was ensuring the tank cars were coupled properly, I took the opportunity to get a nice portrait of GC 2140 basking in the December sun. The G&Ws orange paint is an attractive scheme, but my lord why does it have to be the same save for the logo on every single one of their lines? |
| Photo Date: |
12/29/2025 Upload Date: 12/30/2025 1:11:35 PM |
| Location: |
Simpsonville, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Roster,Action |
| Locomotives: |
GC 2140(GP38-3) |
| Views: |
29 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Pulling Their Cars |
| Description: |
The SPDR trio crosses Main Street as they pull 6 tank cars from H.B. Fuller, who make an assortment of adhesives. The rear two tank cars will be added to the train, after which the remaining 4 will be returned to the spur. |
| Photo Date: |
12/29/2025 Upload Date: 12/30/2025 1:14:35 PM |
| Location: |
Simpsonville, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
GC 2140(GP38-3) CPDR 3837(GP38-2) CPDR 2007(GP38-2) |
| Views: |
15 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Cut Made |
| Description: |
The two tank cars leaving H.B. Fuller have been added to the train and the power has pulled forward with the four to be returned. The conductor is walking back to flag the crossing so that the train can proceed back into the spur. |
| Photo Date: |
12/29/2025 Upload Date: 12/30/2025 1:16:23 PM |
| Location: |
Simpsonville, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
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| Views: |
28 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Spotting the Tanks |
| Description: |
CPDR 2007, which will lead back to Laurens once the train reaches the run around below Woodruff Rd in Mauldin, is the first unit pushing on the two hoppers and four tank cars headed back into the H.B. Fuller spur. The covered hoppers are being used as a handle, although I suspect they were likely cut away to make room for the two tank cars being pulled and not because a handle was necessary for this pull and spot. |
| Photo Date: |
12/29/2025 Upload Date: 12/30/2025 1:18:38 PM |
| Location: |
Simpsonville, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
CPDR 2007(GP38-2) CPDR 3837(GP38-2) |
| Views: |
25 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Crossing Main Street for the Final Time |
| Description: |
Now that the tank cars have been respotted, GC 2140 leads the train back across Main Street. Theyll couple up, do a brake test, and resume their journey to Greenville. The remaining industries on their list to work today are all currently facing point moves until they reach the run around near the end of the line, so its a smooth run up there before the really heavy switching begins. |
| Photo Date: |
12/29/2025 Upload Date: 12/30/2025 1:21:15 PM |
| Location: |
Simpsonville, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
GC 2140(GP38-3) CPDR 3837(GP38-2) CPDR 2007(GP38-2) |
| Views: |
31 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Nearly There |
| Description: |
Now that H.B. Fuller has been pulled and spotted, the CPDRs trio of units heads back across Main Street to put their train together and continue with their chores for the day. |
| Photo Date: |
12/29/2025 Upload Date: 12/30/2025 1:22:40 PM |
| Location: |
Simpsonville, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
GC 2140(GP38-3) CPDR 3837(GP38-2) CPDR 2007(GP38-2) |
| Views: |
27 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
Running by the Trail |
| Description: |
Running parallel to Simpsonvilles bit of the Swamp Rabbit trail, GC 2140 continues towards Greenville, where the engines will run around their train and then begin the return to Laurens. The crew will run out of time somewhere between Mauldin and Simpsonville, and the night crew will then take the train back to Laurens to start the whole cycle again tomorrow. Even though the Swamp Rabbit was named for the old Greenville and Northern Railroads nickname, this bit of the trail continues on what would be the continuation of the rail trail. In fact, a recent extension of the Swamp Rabbit was completed parallel to Laurens Rd in Greenville that runs on the roadbed which used to carry this track up to just below River Junction along Unity Park in Greenville. While theyre not going to lift these rails to install a trail, plans are being made for a trail to parallel this line in Mauldin to bridge the end of the trail in Greenville to Bridgeway Station in Mauldin. |
| Photo Date: |
12/29/2025 Upload Date: 12/30/2025 1:27:22 PM |
| Location: |
Simpsonville, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
GC 2140(GP38-3) CPDR 3837(GP38-2) CPDR 2007(GP38-2) |
| Views: |
18 Comments: 0 |
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| Title: |
One Last Going Away Shot |
| Description: |
I decided to end the chase here, as I was ready to get some lunch and get to the rest of my day. Ill make plans to chase the other portion of this turn up to Mauldin and to their end point another day, when theres more sunlight for that time of the day. The train is running parallel to Simpsonvilles bit of the Swamp Rabbit trail, GC 2140 continues towards Greenville, where the engines will run around their train and then begin the return to Laurens. The crew will run out of time somewhere between Mauldin and Simpsonville, and the night crew will then take the train back to Laurens to start the whole cycle again tomorrow. |
| Photo Date: |
12/29/2025 Upload Date: 12/30/2025 1:29:08 PM |
| Location: |
Simpsonville, SC |
| Author: |
Sawyer Berry |
| Categories: |
Action |
| Locomotives: |
GC 2140(GP38-3) CPDR 3837(GP38-2) CPDR 2007(GP38-2) |
| Views: |
17 Comments: 0 |
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