Spartanburg, South Carolina

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Spartanburg, South Carolina

Spartanburg South Carolina: The Hub City

It’s not often a city becomes synonymous with its multiple rail lines and their configuration as a rail hub. Spartanburg, the ‘Hub City,’ is just that place.

Six railroads were built between 1859 and 1913, helping to serve and grow the textile industry which thrived here for many decades. The Southern Railway and the Clinchfield Railroad brought additional opportunities for the city due to its proximity on the perimeter of the southern Appalachian Mountains.

  • First Railroad: Spartanburg Union & Columbia in 1859. The line ran southward to Columbia SC and is now part Norfolk Southern Railway.
  • Second Railroad: Atlanta & Richmond Airline Railway in 1873. The railroad was the city’s busiest, becoming the mainline for the Southern Railway (SOU), and finally the Norfolk Southern (NS). North eastward the line runs to Washington DC, and southward to Atlanta GA and beyond. Two Amtrak passenger trains still run each day.
  • Third Railroad: Spartanburg & Asheville in 1885. The railroad ran between its two namesake cities, up the treacherous Saluda Grade which reached an incline of 4.7%. Northern segments of this rail line have been closed and will be used for a rails-to-trails greenway.
  • Fourth Railroad: Charleston & Western Carolina Railway in 1885. The railroad for many years was a key link southward to Augusta GA and the state of Florida. It was an operating unit of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, and is now part of CSX.
  • Fifth Railroad: Carolina Clinchfield & Ohio Railway (CC&O) was completed in 1909 from Dante VA to Spartanburg SC. In 1915, the line was extended to Elkhorn City KY where it connected with the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway. In 1924, its ownership and name was changed to the Clinchfield Railroad (CRR), and is now part of CSX.
  • Sixth Railroad: Piedmont & Northern Railway in 1913. Segment of the P&N are now part of CSX, the Greenville & Western, and the Charlotte Western

Spartanburg Stats

  • Coordinates: 34°56′48″N 81°55′39″W
  • Elevation: 737 feet above sea level
  • Named For: Spartan Regiment, an early revolutionary war military group.
  • Nickname: Hub City, due to the various rail lines radiating in multiple directions
  • Founded: 1831
  • Population: 38,732 (2020)
  • County: Spartanburg
  • Highlights: Once a textile center, Spartanburg is known for Converse University, Wofford College, and Chapman Cultural Center

Spartanburg Tunnel

Click here to read about the Clinchfield/CSX Spartanburg Tunnel/

Clinchfield’s Spartanburg Yard

Click here for more information on Clinchfield’s Spartanburg Yard

Additional Information

Click here to read more about the Hub City and the Hub City Railroad Museum

For More Information – Sources and Resources

The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the history and operation of the Appalachian Railroads. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Appalachian-Railroads.org. Much of the content on the website is verified across multiple sources.

Contact Us

Would enjoy hearing from you if you have questions, suggestions, edits, or content that you are willing to share. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have similar interests in the railroads or model railroading.

3Cs Websites

Appalachian-Railroads.org | Clinchfield.org | Southern-Railroads.org