Council chooses Landrum Rail and History Museum for rail car 

 

LANDRUM—Landrum’s rail car that the city has plans to turn into a museum now has a name.  

Landrum City Council met Tuesday and unanimously selected the name, Landrum Rail and History Museum. The name was selected after the city asked the public to choose between several possibilities, including the last few of Pacolet River Historic Railcar Museum; Landrum’s Station Heritage Museum; Landrum Rail and History Museum and Landrum’s Pacolet River Rail and History Museum. 

Landrum gave residents until March 1 to suggest a name for the rail car museum. There were originally 20 suggested names, with council narrowing the list to four in recent months.  

The rail car is located adjacent to the Landrum Depot with the city having plans to begin renovations soon to turn it into a museum.  

The rail car was built in 1949 as part of a 24-car order to Pullman Standard Company for Southern Railway. It is a 10-6 sleeper, which includes 10 roomettes for one person and six bedrooms for two people.  

Southern Railway named cars after rivers in the area and this car was named Pacolet River.  

The Pacolet River was in service on the trains between New York and New Orleans as well as other lines where sleepers were used until 1979.  

The Spartanburg County Foundation is accepting donations to go towards the restoration of the rail car for a museum. The museum will have information on how the railroad came to the area.  

Landrum is also working with the University of South Carolina graduate program to tell the story of the railroad.