Charleston 2008 Southern Hospitality

Your hosts and the fine folks of South Carolina will show you true hospitality during the Railroad Station Historical Society Annual Convention May 16-19, 2008. We shall see some 75 railroad structures during the four days. Charleston and Savannah are very historic cities which have preserved many century-old buildings, and the scenery is beautiful.

Friday we shall travel northwest to Holly Hill and Orangeburg, viewing Atlantic Coast Line depots in the morning, then continue to small stations from towns like North and Woodford on the Seaboard and Salley and Pelion on the Southern, and to the capital of Columbia with its beautiful railway stations and dinner in the old Union Station. We end the day at the restored depot of Pinewood on the Atlantic Coast Line Augusta Subdivision.

Saturday we'll follow Atlantic Coast Line routes, also stopping in Branchville, which was on the Southern and the first railway junction in the world. We'll visit its museum. We proceed towards Denmark, where we look at two depots and to Blackville on the Southern with its lovely depot. After lunch we'll see various Atlantic Coast Line, Charleston and Western Carolina, Seaboard, and Southern depots.

Sunday we start off in downtown Charleston with the venerable structures of the South Carolina Rail Road (later the Southern), then follow the Atlantic Coast Line A-line towards Florence, then turn towards Timmonsville, which was on the Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line, then go to Manning on the Atlantic Coast Line Sumter to Lane line. We rejoin the Atlantic Coast Line A-line at Saint Stephen and follow it back to North Charleston.

Monday we go to Port Royal, which was on the Charleston and Western Carolina by car pool, then make a quick stop at the Seaboard Air Line Pritchard depot, which was on the route of the legendary "Boll Weevil" and continue to Savannah with its myriad historic Central of Georgia and Seaboard structures.

On Thursday, May 15 from 7 to 9 P.M. there will be a hospitality hour during which we can meet the gracious and very helpful members of the Charleston Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.

The banquet speaker will be Tom Fetters, an authority on logging railroads of South Carolina and Palmetto Traction.

The Convention hotel is the Radisson, Charleston Airport, 5991 Rivers Ave.; North Charleston, SC 29406 843-744-2501

The special convention rate is $89.00 per night plus tax. You must make your own reservations at the above number. Inform them you are with the Railroad Station Historical Society.

2008 RSHS Convention Registration

Name(s)_____________________________________________________________________

Street Address_________________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip__________________________________________________________________

Phone # (include area code)______________________________________________________

E-mail address_________________________________________________________________

Name(s) for badges_____________________________________________________________

# Basic member registrations____ X $142.00* (until 4/14/08) = ______________

# Basic member registrations____ X $157.00* (after 4/14/08) = ______________

# Basic non-member registrations____ X $154.00* (until 4/14/08) = ___________

# Basic non-member registrations____ X $169.00* (after 4/14/08) = ___________

Banquet only tickets_____ X $30.00 (until 4/14/08) = ___________

Banquet only tickets_____ X $35.00 (after 4/14/08) = ___________

Total = ______________

Check should be made payable to: Railroad Station Historical Society

I (We) will be arriving by: ( ) Auto ( ) Amtrak ( ) Air – Arrival Date ______ Flight # __________

Banquet choice: ( ) Roasted Herb Chicken ( ) London Broil ( ) Crabmeat Stuffed Flounder [Note: If we have 40 or more attendees, we will have a buffet]

Cold drink preferences: [Note: you may make more than one drink choice] ___ Pepsi ___ Diet Pepsi ___ Coca Cola ___ Diet Coca Cola ___ Sprite ___ Diet Sprite ___ Root Beer ___ Diet Root Beer ___ Mountain Dew ___ Diet Mountain Dew ___ Bottled Water ___ other? (what kind?) ____________

I have special/disability needs (please describe) ______________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

I shall definitely participate in the Monday tour ( ) Yes ( ) No You will receive further information if you check “Yes”

I shall bring a cell phone ( ) Yes ( ) No [Please check]

I shall/shall not (circle one) have a vehicle available for the tour and can accommodate ____ additional passengers.

Send to: Ted Xakellis

10208 Brunswick Ave.

Silver Spring, MD 20902

Railroad Station Historical Society Conventions

Home