Horry County railroad deal still pending, but officials, business leaders optimistic

A long-awaited deal to revive rail service in Horry County will take at least another week to complete, but all the parties involved insist negotiations are chugging along smoothly.

Kentucky-based R.J. Corman planned to purchase most of the Carolina Southern Railroad by Aug. 1 for $13.9 million. That didn’t happen. 

Although the money and deed are in escrow, some final details are still being ironed out, said Bill Henderson, Corman’s vice president of sales and marketing.

“We’re very close,” he said. “There’s probably just a few unresolved issues. ... You just want to make sure everything is done properly.”

Henderson said none of the items being negotiated are deal-breakers, and he pointed out that the railroad’s owner, Ken Pippin, allowed Corman to begin clearing brush and debris off the tracks two weeks ago.