The History
The Charleston & Hamburg Railroad, later part of the South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company, was a pioneering railroad line in the United States. Chartered in 1827, the first train ran on Christmas Day in 1830.
The original line was built with wood tracks and wooden ties, a design choice that allowed for rapid construction and expansion. It was also the first railroad in the US to be powered entirely by steam and to carry mail under contract.
When the western section was completed in the fall of 1833, this was the longest single-line railroad in the world, at 136 miles. The goal of connecting Charleston to Hamburg (near present day Augusta, Georgia) had been met.
The original line generally paralleled U.S. Route 78 and remained in service until the 1980s.
The Object
Southern X484, sits on a short display track which is aligned with the right of way of the historic Charleston-Augusta mainline. This car is an example of a bay window caboose, a design which became popular in the late 1930s. The side protrusions (bay windows) replaced the function of earlier cupolas.
The Cache
This is intended to be an easy find. You are looking for a magnetic box, large enough for small swag and trackables.