The Coming of the Railroad

Come in to see the Saluda Grade diorama built by the Apple Valley Model Railroad Club. The nation’s steepest standard-gauge mainline railroad made possible the trade and tourism that started Henderson County’s Golden Age. Also on display are railroad videos, photos & artifacts. There is a live model train running near the ceiling & a recreation of the Carolina Special which ran from 1911 until 1968. The train was a vital passenger link between South Carolina and the Midwest.