The Edgemoor and Manetta Railroad ran in South Carolina from 1907 to 1975. It started in the community of Edgemoor and ended at Manetta Mills in Lando. This steam engine (known affectionately as Lil’ Dinky) was decommissioned in 1975 and was the last operating engine for this line. It is now on display in Richburg‘s city park.
Ann Helms of Spartanburg, 2010 © Do Not Use Without Written Consent
When I was a boy we lived across the road from Mr. Jeff Stephenson. He was the trains engineer for many years until he turned the throttle over to his son in law Mr. Willie Starnes. I can still hear the very distinctive whistle of the “Dummy” and the chugga chugga chugga as it strained to push 3 box cars at a time to Edgemoor. Great childhood memories of the train and the men that ran it.
I grew up riding with my Granddad on #5 aka The Dummy. As a young boy growing up, it was a thrill to go to my grandparents for the summer and go to work with my granddad and bring the dummy up to steam and then build the train for the pull up to Edgemoor. Those were the fun days.