Draft:Best Friend of Charleston (1928 Replica)

Best Friend of Charleston (1928 Replica) is a 0-4-0 steam locomotive built in 1928. The engine went to railfair 1939-1940. In 1948-1949 the locomotive went to Chicago and participated with the other engines and was retired. The locomotive was restored in 1970 participated at steam expo 1986. The engine was retired on 1987. The engine went to railfair 1999 but no tender and no passenger cars. On August 6, 2005, the City of Charleston lent it to the Norfolk Southern Railway for five years. On December 12, 2005, the locomotive was on display at the New York Stock Exchange on American railroad history. On August 6, 2007, the locomotive went to the NRHS on a truck and was placed on display on Peachtree Street in Atlanta. In 2013, the locomotive was loaded on to a truck and was moved inside the South Carolina Museum.

Revenue Service (1928-1949)
The locomotive was built on 1928 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the South Carolina Canal & Railroad Company. On 1939-1940 it went to the New York's World fair alongside with Stourbridge Lion, John Bull (locomotive), Danniel Nelson (locomotive), John Hancock (locomotive), The General (locomotive), William Mason (locomtive), B&O 147 Thatcher Perkins, MT. WR 1, B&O 305 Ross Winans, MNP 1 Minnetonka, B&O 600 J. C. Davis, C&S 9, CB&Q 35, V&T 12 Genoa, V&T 21 J. W. Bowker, Rio Grande 169, C&S 9, PRR 1187, BM 494, DeWitt Clinton (1893 Replica), NYC 999, PRR 7002, DL&WR 952, PRR 3768, NYC 4697, B&O 5404, Lafeyette (1927 Replica), Tom Thumb (1927 Replica), NYC 2998, PRR 6759, N&W 1206, CN 6400, B&O 5600, LMS 6229 Duchess of Hamilton, UP 2906, NYC J-3a Hudsons 5449, 5451, 5452, 5453 5454 and 5455, NH 1400, CP 2850, DLW 1939, John Bull (1939 Replica), John Stevens (1939 Replica), PRR 6100, and PP&L Co. 1. In 1948-1949, the locomotive went to Chicago and participated alongside with Stourbridge Lion, Atlantic (1836 Replica), John Hancock (locomotive), Pioneer (locomotive), CVRR 13 Pioneer, William Mason (locomotive), William Crooks (locomotive), The Yankee (locomotive), B&O 147 Thatcher Perkins, Reuben Wells (locomotive), B&O 305 Ross Winans, MNP 1 Minnetonka, V&T 12 Genoa, V&T 18 Dayton, V&T 21 J. W. Bowker, V&T 22 Inyo, IC 201, CB&Q 637, DeWitt Clinton (1893 Replica), NYC 999, AT&SF 5, C&S 9, D&RGW 268, MCRR 248, PRR 7002, BW&Co. 801, C&EI 327, PRR 3768, NYC 8000, B&O 5302, Tom Thumb (1927 Replica), Stephenson's Rocket (1931 Replica), John Bull (1939 Replica), UP 4022, B&O 7603, AT&SF 5020, PRR 6200, DRB Class 42, PRR T1 Duplexes 5502, 5513, and 5549, NYC Niagaras 5500 and 6007, CRI&P 5118, Rogers (1948 Replica), and NKP 779.

Retirement (1949-1970)


In 1949, it was retired and placed on static display at the United States National Museum. In 1969 the replica got a new boiler being removed from display for starting a new carrier. In 1970 the locomotive was joined to the Norfolk Southern Railway and was restored into operating condition.

Excursion Career (1970-1987)
The engine was restored and returned to service on 1970 to join the Southern Railway program with SOU 4501, S&A 750, SOU 630, and SOU 722 for South Carolina's tricentennial celebration. In 1972 it ran around the Aiken House. In May 1986 the engine participated at SteamExpo 86 in Vancouver British Columbia alongside with V&T 22 Inyo, CP 374, CP 3, ERM&L Co. 1 Falk, Dunrobin (2nd), PL Co. 12, GW 51, AP 2, CN 1392, UP 4466, HL Co. Ltd. 1, MB 1077, QRR 2, Tom Thumb (1927 Replica), MRSR 91, John Bull (1939 Replica), CP 2860, CP 1201, CN 6060, John Molson (1970 Replica), and Stephenson's Rocket (1979 Replica).

Second Retirement (1987-present)
The locomotive was retired and stood there at the 1987 convention with N&W 611, and N&W 1218. In 1993, it was donated to the City in Charleston. In June 1999 Along the way SP 4449 and MEL Co. 1 had to stop for a picture to pose right next to MCRR 25 for a picture and then they set off again to the California State Railroad Museum. In Sacramento, the engine participated at Railfair 1999 but no tender and no passenger cars alongside with Eureka (locomotive), ERM&L Co. 1 Falk, BHL Co. 1, SCLL 4 Denna, F&W Co. 1 Sespe, ML Co. 1, MSVR 3, JK&Co. Gwen, SERA 28, PM Co. 1, MEL Co. 1, GCRR 1925, H. RY. Co. 5, (1928 Replica), KFR 6, De Arend (1939 Replica), John Bull (1939 Replica), SP 4449, UP 3985, UP 844, AT&SF 3751, John Molson (1970 Replica), and a newly restored SP 2467 where Gov. Stanford, C. P. Huntington, V&T 13 Empire, V&T 12 Genoa, NPC 12 Sonoma, NSL 1, AT&SF 1010, NWP 112, UP 4466, GR Co. 10, SP 4294, AT&SF 2925, and AT&SF 5021 live. SP 1233 had to pull a mixed freight train. UP 4466 did a last year run before being retired and put back on display. The shay locomotives were having the great shay race. Everything went well then suddenly UP 844 had suffered a tube and at the end, UP 3985 had to take UP 844 home dead in tow back to Cheyenne, Wyoming for an overhaul restoration into operating condition. On August 6, 2005, the City of Charleston lent it to the Norfolk Southern Railway for five years. On December 12, 2005, the locomotive was on display at the New York Stock Exchange on American railroad history. On August 6, 2007, the locomotive went to the NRHS on a truck and was placed on display on Peachtree Street in Atlanta. In 2013, the locomotive was loaded on to a truck and was moved inside the South Carolina Museum.