I got an email last week about this car. The email and another pic can be seen at my SC Rail History website at http://www.scrmcurator.com.

I'd love to have it at SCRM, but I doubt we're in a position to do anything about it right now since we still have a crane to get moved. I don't even know if the car is available. It would be nice to see it preserved by somebody somewhere, though.

The significance, of course, is the link-and-pin couplers still intact...

The cynic in me calls for an inspection trip. Maybe there's a reason the NCTM passed on this--besides that it's more SC than NC. My honest suspicion is that, aside from the link-and-pin drawbars, anything else of this car might be like the proverbial "Washington's hatchet" six heads and 35 handles later.

However, should an investigation prove this to be a worthwhile project (say, no termites or fire ants anywhere in the wood, basically only lacking trucks), then it would behoove you to investigate further. Experience has proven that opportunity pounding on the door will usually get at least the short-term answer of rescue money in the passed hat, if not the long-term restoration, etc. funding.

Start by checking out the various issues--ownership, condition, chances of intact relocation, etc.--but lay low lest the excitement surrounding this car either inflates a price or attracts the inevitable arsonist.

Coming home from Savannah a couple days ago, going up 601, just south of 263 about due east of Eastover, i could swear I saw a house built onto the side of an interurban carbody. If you go south on 601 from 263, look for a house on the right, sort of brownish in color, with a curved car end facing the highway diagonally. If you get to the lumber mill you went too far. Could this be a P&N car?

dave

Geez, Louise!

I used to live about five miles from the site you mention and I thought I would have known if there was a cadaver in that neck of the woods. I don't recall anything like this, especially something that can be plainly seen from Hiway 601.

The nearest true interurban line was the P&N and that was at least 75 miles west and north of Eastover. If it is an electric car perhaps it was a Columbia city car? Or a standard railroad passenger car?

Matt Conrad: If you or someone else from SCRM or Central SC Chapter, NRHS goes and investigates this please take a photo for me. Next time I'll be visiting Columbia will probably be next summer. I'll definitely check it out then.

Thanks!

I drive up that way about twice a month or so; I'll try to remember to look the next time.

Jim, drop me a line and we can have some BBQ while you are here. Can't ride the trolley, down for a year of track destruction.

Hugh, the car is at the rear of the house. The house sits not parallel but diagonally to the road. It is most visible coming south on 601, and will be on your right.

You guys do know about the Birney skeleton in Ruffin?

dave

I'll keep an eye out for it; will probably be driving that way on December 30.

Haven't heard about anything in Ruffin. Only derelict car I know of was a wooden box car in the weeds near a residence in Sumter, SC. No idea what became of that.

Seeing as how Saturday is Christmas Eve and there most likely won't be a soul at Rockton, I may do an exploration to Laurens and Eastover -- weather permitting, of course. I'm currently feeling a tickle in my throat, so it may be health permitting also. :o(

I'd never heard of Ruffin, so I Mapquested it. Down near Walterboro. That's a bit far for me to roam so I'll leave this alleged Birney to someone else. There's also a fairly large Plymouth (maybe 35 tons) down that way, right on I-95 near Alcolu.

We were able to find the "lost Shay" (such as it is) near Sumter a few years ago. I have to find my pix and re-scan them, somehow the files disappeared so I haven't put that article on my new and improved website yet.

The P&N ran down to Greenwood, which isn't really that far from Cola. There was also the Aiken-Augusta interurban, which is about the same distance. Most of the stuff from Cola was Birneys when they shut down in the '30s -- I find it hard to believe that Dave would mistake a Birney for an interurban, but I guess it's POSSIBLE...

Looks like Ruffin is right on the Hampton & Branchville near Miley, which is where their shops are/were IIRC. Sounds like a good road trip on the motorcycle some weekend; it's only ~30 or 40 miles from me.

I heard for years that the H&B had an intact (but non-operable) "doodlebug" which was in the shop at Miley. I vaguely remember reading something about it being sold or donated in the last few years. Any info on that?

The H&B "doodlebug" was an Edwards motorcar that now resides at the Museum at Spencer.

I wouldn't call her "intact," exactly. The tranny is missing as are a number of seats. Other than that she's in excellent shape. I don'tthink she was in Miley, though, I think the shed was actually down in Hampton. I wish Spencer would restore her to operation, I'd love a ride on her.

The Ruffin carbody is definitely a single truck Birney skeleton. If you approach Ruffin from the south, cross the new H&B (former ACL, the old H&B went through Smoaks), pass the post office, and look at a clump of brush where a street runs off diagonally to the right. The car bones are inside the brush. Ruffin had a collection of wonderful falling down shacks and storefronts which were unfortunately bulldozed within the past month or so, costing the community some serious historic color. BTW, some industrial sites formerly on the H&B at Smoaks still exist and ought to be documented before they go too.

The Eastover car / house - it is possible I was mistaken, seeing it briefly as I went past. I saw a curved protrusion behind the flat wall of the house with 3 windows (I think) in it. It appeared larger than streetcar, but definitely highly convex, so i figured probably interurban. I may be wrong, it could be a wierd window choice by a homeowner or a largish city streetcar, but worth asking about.

Wouldn't another P&N body not scrapped be a wonderful Solstice present?

Matt, please let me know if you are going to visit the Swamp Shay again - i'd love to see it.

Edwards Car Co has a small collection of old carbodies - I reckon they could build a replica of the H&B bug for use on the R&R.

Dave

BTW, follow the tracks NW from Ruffin to see a great old frieght depot at Williams. I once drove the line clear from Hampton - a bit of interesting stuff left there too.

Dave

Hey Dave:

Whenever we visit Columbia we make a trip to Sikes' BBQ on the Sumter Hiway about 4 miles east of 601 to eat and to take some home to Minnesooota with us.

Our home from 1976 until 1985 was about a mile south of Sikes' on the road that intersects the Sumter Hiway at Sikes. We'd eat the best BBQ in the world about 3-4 times a month--boy do I miss it (almost as much as I miss Rhode Island clam cakes). When we visit each year we'll bring home a couple of pounds of the chopped BBQ and some hash. Love it!

Thanks!