“B” is for the Best Friend of Charleston

“B” is for the Best Friend of Charleston. Commissioned by the South Carolina Canal and Rail Road Company, the Best Friend of Charleston was the first locomotive built in the United States for public service. Constructed in New York City, the locomotive had its formal debut on Christmas Day 1830, pulling passenger cars from Charleston to Dorchester. Its performance exceeded expectations, with one observer writing that passengers “flew on the wings of the wind at the speed of fifteen to twenty miles per hour, annihilating time and space.” In 1831 the Best Friend was used to carry mail, freight, and passengers. In June 1831an accident brought an end to the Best Friend. A boiler exploded killing the fireman and injuring several workers. The Best Friend of Charleston was rebuilt and rechristened the Phoenix.