Easley, Pickens Purchasing Former Rail Line

Pickens and Easley officials are moving ahead on a project designed to create a trail linking the two cities.

Last night, both cities’ councils approved purchasing the former Pickens Railway line in order to create a bicycle and pedestrian trail, much like the Swamp Rabbit Trail.

Easley City Administrator Fox Simons said the purchase was a “once in a lifetime” opportunity.

Pickens Mayor David Owens said each city would pay $250,000 of the $500,000 asking price.

The Pickens vote was unanimous, with Councilman Fletcher Perry and Councilwoman Patti Welborn absent.

“We’ve been talking about this a good while,” Owens said. “We’ll be equal partners. I’m really excited about it, and I think most everybody in Pickens is excited about it.”

Purchasing the former Pickens rail line property from the Pickens Railway Company will allow for the creation of an 8.5 mile trail linking Pickens and Easley.

Pickens is funding their half of the purchase through hospitality funds.

The city issued a $2 million hospitality bond that is also funding the city’s new amphitheater and work on Town Creek Park and the city’s recreation center.

“To us, it was a no-brainer,” Owens said. “That’s what hospitality tax money is for, to draw people in.”

Included in the sale is a locomotive engine, two boxcars and a World War II-era kitchen car.

Pickens will keep the locomotive and one of the boxcars. Easley will keep a boxcar and the kitchen car.

The former CLCX office on Hampton Avenue is included in the sale. Owens said the office, part of a 1.9 acre-tract, could be used as a trailhead for the path.

“Once we purchase it, we’ll get together and decided what to do with it,” he said.

The cities are responsible for taking up the crossties, but Pickens Railroad Company is will remove and sell the rails themselves.

Having the company remove and sell the rails allowed for the asking price, originally $1 million, to come down, Owens said.

The project will be beneficial to both cities and Pickens County in a number of ways, he aid.

Owens said the Swamp Rabbit trail is always busy.

“I’ve talked to people in the area, especially in Traveler’s Rest, a town about our size,” Owens said. “The mayor up there, he’ll tell me to bring any naysayers up there and he’ll be happy to buy them lunch at one of the restaurants on the Swamp Rabbit that was empty before the Swamp Rabbit was open.

“I think it’s going to be an asset,” he continued. “It’s going to bring revenue to Pickens, the county, Easley as well. I think it’s a win-win for all of our residents.”

Owens said the line’s gentle slope will make it attractive to walkers, runners and bicyclists of all ages.

“There’s not a lot of hills,” he said.

He said the trail will not only draw new visitors to the area, but will spur the creation of new events.

“You can have half-marathons, 5Ks, 10Ks,” Owens said.  “It’s going to draw a lot of people to the area. When they come in, they’re going to eat, they’re buy gas. That’s what it’s all about for us, to draw people into town.”

Easley officials also signed off on the purchase, though not without some words of warning from one resident.

Jim McDonald spoke before Easley city council’s vote.  

He said chemicals, including PCBs, were dumped on properties along the railway. He said he had proof of chemical contamination on the railway.

McDonald said he wasn’t against a trail. 

“I just don’t want you to buy a pig in a poke,” McDonald said.

He said the cities could be setting themselves up for liabilities if they went ahead with the purchase.

“It may cost you $20 million to clean up,” McDonald asked Mayor Larry Bagwell. “Can you take on that responsibility? Can the City of Easley? Can the City of Pickens? There’s more contamination out there then you realize.”   

He said PCBs were to blame for his health problems. 

“Do you want other people to go out there and have to go through what I’ve gone through?” McDonald said.

Simons said environmental studies undertaken in connection with the project had “come back clean.”

Several council members expressed concerns following McDonald’s appearance before council.

Simons read a clause in the contract. 

“The Pickens property, the rail line property in the past during seller’s ownership of the same have not been used and are not presently being used for the handling, storage, transportation or disposal of hazardous substances or in any manner contrary to applicable laws or regulations regarding such hazardous substances,” the clause reads.   

“There is some protection that Mr. (Pickens Railway Company President Chipley) Johnson has signed,” Simons said.

The contract also states the seller has “received no notice from any governmental entity alleging any violation of any environmental laws, rules or regulations by the seller at or involving the property,” Simons said.  

Bagwell said he was “pretty sure” the city would be protected.

“This is something we have looked at and gone over for, what, about a year?” he said. “My vote is going to be to purchase the railroad.”

Simons questioned McDonald’s timing.

“Why now?” Simons said. “Why didn’t you come two weeks ago to talk to me and the mayor? This has been in the works for a year and half now.

“To my knowledge, he never presented all the information he did tonight,” Simons said after the meeting. “He could have come up any time. He knows how to find us. Why tonight?”

Easley council members voted unanimously to purchase the property. Councilman Dave Watson was absent.

Simons said city officials would look at the information McDonald presented.

The deal will close following “at least” a thirty-day window, Simons said.

Following that window, the city will “hand over the check” and pursue further funding for the project, he said. 

Easley is also funding the purchase through hospitality tax monies.

There’s no timeline on when the project will completed.

“It’s a significant project,” Simons said. “You don’t get an opportunity to buy this type of asset every day. It’s a big deal.” 

“First step was to purchase the property,” Owens said.

Easley officials are awaiting word on if the Greenville Pickens Area Transportation Study will award funding for a feasibility study regarding the project. That vote is expected later this month, Simons said.