[train whistle blows] ♪ <Narrator> At the turn of the 19th century, North Americans predominantly traveled by wagons or boats, but a new age was on the horizon.

Nicknamed the Iron Horse, steam engines became one of the crucial contributions of the Industrial Revolution in the United States.

South Carolina's valuable agricultural products created the perfect vacuum for this new advancement in technology to thrive.

Though the golden age of railways has long passed, we'll see just how important they were and the significance they still hold today... From the Sky!

[train whistle blows] ♪ [soaring opening music] ♪ ♪ Compared to northern states, South Carolina's railroad system was never quite as extensive.

But it was one of the first with the creation of the South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company.

Operating for the first time on Christmas day in 1830, the SCC&RR started a railroad mania in antebellum South Carolina.

When the line was completed in 1833 connecting Charleston to Hamburg, it became the world's longest continuous railroad under single management at 136 miles.

The railroad boom would continue to expand, transforming the state, and depots created during the era would bring new towns into existence until the Civil War started in 1860.

Hundreds of miles of railroad would be dismantled by Union troops during Sherman's March to the Sea.

During Reconstruction, progress was slow in rebuilding the railways, but by the end of the century, South Carolina was close to having 4000 miles of track reaching every county within the state.

[train whistle toots] ♪ Rail fans can get their history fix and a little more at South Carolina's very own Railroad Museum.

Located in Winnsboro, the South Carolina Railroad Museum was established in 1973 by local dedicated rail fans to preserve and interpret railroading in South Carolina.

The museum is stationed at what was previously the Rockton and Rion Railway, which ran from Rockland Granite Quarry to the Anderson Granite Quarry until the 1970s.

Various freight and passenger vehicles, a historical center, as well as steam locomotive 44 that originally belonged to the Hampton and Branchville Railroad are among the exhibits.

The main attraction, however, is its guided tour and train ride that operates on five miles of the 11 and a half mile line of the former railway.

Here, passengers can get a breathtaking view of South Carolina countryside off the beaten track.

♪ After World War One and the introduction of the highway system, the need for freight and passenger trains started to diminish.

However, despite losing 1500 miles of track since the peak of the railway age, South Carolina has retained around 60% of its existing lines, which is a substantial amount compared to other states in the country.

Many tracks that were lost have been repurposed over the years.

Freight from the Port of Charleston, industrial products, and coal from the Upstate remain the biggest transportation market for railroads in South Carolina.

Supporting nearly 400,000 jobs, South Carolina's railway systems remain just as vital as they were in the past.

So the next time you're stuck at a railroad crossing, or hear a distant horn, be sure to take a moment and appreciate the value these essential vessels hold.

Now that you've seen them... From the Sky!

♪ [soaring closing music] ♪