Discover and Celebrate the Bliss of Old Fashioned Steam Locomotives and Railways in the Western North Carolina Area
" A year after iron rails reached Asheville in 1880, workers scattered to the west of the city, digging, filling, and blasting an extension of the line that stretched 116 miles to Murphy, providing thousands with a path to reach the outside world.... The iron horse beat riding a wagon, but in many ways the young railroad was still primitive. In 1892, a visitor from Chicago described it as "little more than two streaks of rust and a right-of-way." With tongue in cheek, he told the Chicago Tribune, "when the wind is just right, the fastest train on the line, the 'Asheville Cannon Ball,' can make 10 miles an hour." CLICK HERE for the rest of the fascinating history of the Great Smokie Mountain Railway (aka The Murphy Branch of the Western North Carolina Railroad)
Understanding the history of the railroad in North Carolina will take you a long way toward understanding the history of the settling of -- and phenomenal growth of -- Asheville and Western North Carolina in the early part of the 20th century. For example, it was the act of finding a cure for his mother's tuberculosis in Asheville that brought George Vanderbilt to the region. The same doctor that attended to Vanderbilt's mother was also responsible for bringing Edwin Grove to Asheville to heal his severe nosebleeds. But it was the arrival of railroads in Western North Carolina that paved the way for presidents and celebrities to easily reach Asheville and Grove's enormous Grove Park Inn, and for building materials, furnishings and ultimately guests to reach Vanderbilt's Biltmore Estate. Don't you wonder what Asheville might have been like today had it not been for tuberculosis and the railroad?
Great Smokie Mountain Railway
Great Smoky Mountains Railway ... Steam Engine 1702 pulling out from Bryson City, NC. The Nantahala Gorge Trip
Great Smoky Mountain Railway Scenic excursions out of historic downtown Dillsboro. Half-day and full-day trips plus a variety of special excursions including "raft and rail",
gourmet dinner and mystery theater excursions. and "Day out with Thomas" for kids.
History of the Great Smoky Mountain Railway"... The Murphy Branch of the Western North Carolina Railroad delivered thousands of mountaineers from the wilderness of their landlocked hills. A year after iron rails reached Asheville in 1880, workers scattered to the west of the city, digging, filling, and blasting an extension of the line that stretched 116 miles to Murphy, providing thousands with a path to reach the outside world. engine 1The iron horse beat riding a wagon, but in many ways the young railroad was still primitive. In 1892, a visitor from Chicago described it as "little more than two streaks of rust and a right-of-way." With tongue in cheek, he told the Chicago Tribune, "when the wind is just right, the fastest train on the line, the 'Asheville Cannon Ball,' can make 10 miles an hour."...Rails changed the way of life for Western North Carolina residents. Mercantile business was commodities for a few of the bare necessities. Conveniences and luxuries were not even dreamed of and cash was hard to come by. The iron rails brought a flood of salesmen who peddled oil lamps that superceded tallow candles and New England "factory cloth" to replace scratchy, uncomfortable homespun. From door to door they sold books, pump organs, enlarged pictures, jewelry, lightning rods, baubles and doodads. engine 2engine 3Passenger business was so good by the turn of the 20th century that six passenger trains ran every day between Asheville and Lake Junaluska and four daily between Asheville and Murphy...." CLICK HERE for the rest of the fascinating history.
"...Learn about train history at the 1915 Climax logging
locomotive and climb on board to ring the bell...."
Come learn about the 1915 Climax logging train on display at the Cradle of Forestry, and how it wound its way through the forest coves of western North Carolina for over 40 years during the Nation's pioneering era of forestry and timber harvesting.
Learn about the old logging trains of our region. Enjoy a presentation by WNC train historian Jerry Ledford at 10:30 a.m. and again at 2:00 p.m. featuring historical photographs, stories about the men who earned their livlihoods aboard the trains, and tips about where to find remnants of the original railroad system that once traversed the forest. Each presentation will be followed by a guided walk along the Forest Festival Trail to see the Cradle of Forestry's 1915 Climax logging locomotive. Climb on board and become a part of history by ringing the bell!
Browse AshevilleBliss.com's Bookstore
Discover the Bliss of the Great Steam Locomotives in the Mountains of North Carolina
Railroad through the back of beyond: The Murphy Branch Also Known As the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad "... saga of a railroad which freed people from the isolation of
the 'Back of Beyond' by use of its 15 mph passenger trains. Called temporary' when it was constructed in the 1890s, the railroad thrives today as an excursion line... Today’s rider can imagine going through the Cowee Tunnel aboard the Asheville Cannonball, just as it might have been experienced a century ago...."
Since the opening of the first permanent railway in 1833, hundreds of railroad companies have operated in North Carolina. Rail transportation, faster and more efficient than other methods of the era, opened new markets for the products of North Carolina’s farms, factories, and mines. Over the years, North Carolina rail companies have ranged in size from well-engineered giants like the Southern Railway to temporary logging railroads like the Hemlock.
Cross ties and rails were laid across almost every conceivable terrain: tidal marshes, sand hills, rolling piedmont, and mountain grades. Vulnerable to the turbulent and unregulated economies of the day, few railroad companies escaped reorganizations and receiverships during their corporate lives, often leaving tangled and contradictory histories in their passing.
During the steam era, a total of 128 locomo-tives saw service on the Clinchfield, ranging from the 39-ton 4-4-0 to the 500-ton Chal-lenger. This pictorial history begins with the Carolina, Clinchfleld & Ohio Railway Loco-motive Roster (nine pages), complete with number, builder, date, etc. Remarks such as "retired" and "scrapped" are noted along with other pertinent information. The final two pages contain a "Locomotive Engineers Se-niority List for 1947," which gives dates em-ployed and promoted.
Filling the pages between are more than 100 photographs of great variety, including a sec-tion of photos taken by "Rail Photographer Extraordinaire," Floyd A. Bruner of Marion, N.C. There are also many early photographs, like the first passenger train to Altapass in 1906, and one of the Class E-3 (war surplus) purchased in 1947, as well as an interesting "Before and After" that shows two photos of No. I. The final series, titled Wrecks, in-cludes one of the earliest known wreck pho-tos, made in 1906, north of Forbes, North Carolina.
The Road is basically a novel based about the building of a railroad across the appalachian mountains shortly after the civil war. It is very well researched; so its accurate to NC history, and if you have been to the Asheville NC area you might recognize some of the landmarks.
"... dozens of never- before-published photographs, traces the 140-year rise and fall and rise again of this tenacious railway.... the ups and downs of the line's construction-the politics, squabbling, triumphs, and failures... a microcosmic overview of American railroading in this story of a single line. Life on the railroad through the Great Depression, World War II, dieselization, and ab-sorption by Southern Railway are explored, punc-tuated by the real-life experiences of old-timers. Nearly 200 maps and photographs..."
"... over three hundred photographs and illustrations, including timetables and maps for most of the lines discussed.
Included are the Appalachian; Asheville & Craggy Mount; Asheville & Northern; Asheville & South-ern; Bee Tree Lumber Company; Black Mountain and the Yancey; Buffalo & Snowbird; Carolina & North-Western; Champion Fibre Company; Cliff-side; Clinchfield; East Tennessee & Western North Carolina; Graham County; Kitchen Lumber Com-pany; Laurel River & Hot Springs; Lawndale; Linville River; Madison County; Marietta & North Georgia; Mount Mitchell; Notwood Lumber Com-pany; Southern; Tallulah Falls; three Tennessee & North Carolinas; Transylvania; and Tuckasegee & Southern railroads.
"... Clinchfield Railroad penetrates the most rugged mountain barriers in the eastern United States.... by a retired Chief Engineer of the railroad fills a unique niche. He places a special emphasis on what was built, when it was built, and who did the building, including a brief biography of George L. Carter, the driving force that put it all together.
More than 3000 laborers (mostly Italians, Ger-mans, and Russians recruited in northern cities-many just off the boat in New York) were employed at one time to move the earth and rock...."
Trains Trestles and Tunnels : Railroads of the Southern Appalachians [CLV] (Paperback)
"Great Book! ....In 1955, photographer Winston Link took note of the disappearance of the steam locomotive from the American scene, and he decided to take quality photos of the last steam railroad left, the Norfolk and Western Railway. Over a period of several years, he took a series of excellent pictures of steam trains in motion...."
This is a very complete review of all the major types of steam locomotives in service, from 1880's through 1950's. The archival photos are clear and beautifully detailed, all in sharp black and white. The best feature is the alphabetical format for road names and types of locomotives, as well as interesting detail topics like water usage, superheating, and types of fireboxes.
Click on each of the dozens of categories to the left to uncover what makes the Asheville area so vital, so intriguing and so, well, UTTERLY BLISSFUL!
Tweetsie Railroad
(Formerly Engine Number 12 of ET&WNC Railroad)
Tweetsie was originally owned by East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad Company ((sometimes referred to as the "Eat Taters & Wear No Clothes" Railroad) and carried ore and lumber from the mountains of WNC back to Johnson City, TN. According to Wikipedia, ET&WNC Railroad was "Soon dubbed by mountain residents as the 'Railway with a Heart' as railroad personnel often performed errands for the locals (and even allowed passengers to ride for free during the Great Depression), its tickets were even validated with a heart-shaped punch...." The great hurricane-caused flood of 1940 shut down the Boone-Linville leg of the trip. Finally, economics took its toll, and the last steam engine hauled the last trainload in July of 1950, after which Steam Engine Number 12 was sold. Following a brief sojourn in Virginia (the train aficionado who bought the engine hauled it there and then scrapped it), she was purchased by Grover Robbins and brought back to North Carolina. Now honored by a listing on the National Register of Historic Places, Locomotive Number 12 happily carries tourists around a scenic 3 mile loop in Blowing Rock, introducing a whole new generation to the romance of the era of the great steam engines. CLICK HERE for an early photo of Engine 12.
Tweetsie Railroad "... a unique attraction that allows children and families to explore their
imaginations and a whole lot more. Be a cowboy, Indian or an engineer.
And of course, every guest will want to take a ride on our historic
steam locomotive, Number 12, listed on the National Register of
Historic Places.... Ride the rails on the famous Tweetsie Train and share a car with the
likes of Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Jesse James, or Billy the Kid. You
never know what might happen among these Legends of the Old West. Keep a sharp eye out for marauding renegades on the warpath. Anything can happen on this train ride through history...." Located in Blowing Rock, a couple of hours north of Asheville.
Tweetsie Railroad 2005 Raifan Weekend This is absolutely glorious footage shot from various locations along the track.
And some more Tweetsie Railroad... this time from RaiFan Weekend 2006 ... can railroad fans EVER get enough!
Tweetsie Railroad Ghost Train "...the ghost train rocks my family goes every year we went 3 times last
year we get season passes we went to tweetsie the other day ghost train
rocks..."
Railroad History in North Carolina: Clinchfield Loops, Saluda Grade, etc.
Clinchfield Loops
At "The Loops Overlook" at Milepost 329 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, "... Visitors will also see part of the Clinchfield Railroad that makes its
way through the Appalachians. The railroad travels along almost 32
miles and passes through 18 tunnels as it ascends the Blue Ridge. The
construction of the railway began in 1886. However, the gigantic
struggle with the mountains, funding and land slowed the progress of
the railway. In 1909 the rails were in place over the Blue Ridge. The
Clinchfield Railroad was complete and running from the East to Midwest
by 1915...." You can also see, from this overlook, the Orchard at Altapass. This is a great place to drop in during the summer and fall... where there is free 'roots' music every weekend afternoon from end of May through end of October.
Saluda Grade
"... The nation's steepest mainline railroad grade is in this small town near Tryon. The grade rises as much as 5 feet for more than 100 feet of horizontal travel; normal railroad grades are about 1/5 of that. The grade was the scene of so many runaway train wrecks at the turn of the century that the bottom was named Slaughterpen Cut. You can see it all from Saluda's quaint downtown, and the Green River Barbecue offers a tasty snack nearby...."
Saluda Depot District
"... It's obvious to anyone that visits Saluda that it is a railroad town.
Even though the trains no longer travel up the famously steep Saluda
Grade and through the middle of town, there is still an enchanting
opportunity for visitors to experience the railroad culture that has
been so important to this historic town. Where once the Saluda train
depot received the throngs of seasonal visitors that caused the annual
swelling of the population in their search for good health and
relaxation, the area has been lovingly restored to house several shops
in a unique setting rich with history and character. Known as Saluda
Station, the area between the Saluda Public Library and City Hall
contains the relocated Saluda depot building as well as a genuine 19th
century caboose from the Southern Railway line. The external colors are
taken from gallons of original paint discovered in a Columbia, S.C.
warehouse, while the interior surrounds one with the rich luster of
beautifully finished woodwork...."
SteamLocomotive.com This is an awesome compendium and fabulous resource. The site connects you with almost everything you would want to know about steam locomotives. Plus it has many original photos you won't find anywhere else from Chris's extensive journeys. Includes a section on North Carolina railroad history.
Browse AshevilleBliss.com's Bookstore
Discover the Bliss of the Great Steam Locomotives in the Mountains of North Carolina
Tweetsie Country can be roughly defined as being bound on the north by the Great Depression, on the east by the state of North Carolina, on the west by Tennessee, and on the south by hope and determination.
The East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad was born in this Blue Ridge Mountain country more than a century ago. In the 1880s it was called the "Stemwinder," and later, the "Eat Taters & Wear No Clothes."
But it was the children (who rode the swaying cars to numerous summer camps) who christened it with the name that lasted: Tweetsie! Here is all the color and charm of the Tweetsie with its broad gauge aspirations on a narrow gauge budget. It is the story ofa unique little railroad that traveled the Blue Ridge country and won the hearts of those who lived there. This handsome pictorial history includes 250 outstanding photographs, plus maps, scale draw-ings, and three full-color paintings by Mike Pearsall and Casey Holtzinger.
Today Tweetsie is known by many only as an amusement park between Boone and Blowing Rock North Carolina. This book tells the story of the real Tweetsie Railroad, what it meant to the citizens of Western North Carolina in the early 1900s and why they made the considerable effort to bring the locomotive home after its retirement.
Blue Ridge Stemwinder: An Illustrated History of the East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad and the Linville River Railway (Hardcover)
Mount Mitchell: Its Railroad and Toll Road ".... Short line mountain railroads are often miracles of construction. Built primarily for shipping logs, the Mount Mitchell Railroad was no exception. Within a span of 2l miles, the road climbed 3,500 feet, but utilized only three trestles and nine switchbacks, while maintaining a grade of five and a half percent.
'In this richly illustrated work the author brings to life a time when Mount Mitchell was dressed in vir-gin timber. Access to the mountain, located in West-em North Carolina, was slow and difficult; but after completion of the railroad, a timbering industry was born. The railroad also provided tourists with scenic trips along its rugged contours.
"When passenger service was discontinued, a motor toll road was built over much of the same route. Its completion marked the first time visitors could travel to Mount Mitchell using their automobiles...."
Railroads of North Carolina ".... Since the opening of the first permanent railway in 1833, hundreds of railroad companies have operated in North Carolina. Rail transportation, faster and more efficient than other methods of the era, opened new markets for the products of North Carolina’s farms, factories, and mines. Over the years, North Carolina rail companies have ranged in size from well-engineered giants like the Southern Railway to temporary logging railroads like the Hemlock.
Cross ties and rails were laid across almost every conceivable terrain: tidal marshes, sand hills, rolling piedmont, and mountain grades. Vulnerable to the turbulent and unregulated economies of the day, few railroad companies escaped reorganizations and receiverships during their corporate lives, often leaving tangled and contradictory histories in their passing.
Scenic excursions out of 
"... The Murphy Branch of the Western North Carolina Railroad delivered thousands of mountaineers from the wilderness of their landlocked hills. A year after iron rails reached Asheville in 1880, workers scattered to the west of the city, digging, filling, and blasting an extension of the line that stretched 116 miles to Murphy, providing thousands with a path to reach the outside world. engine 1The iron horse beat riding a wagon, but in many ways the young railroad was still primitive. In 1892, a visitor from Chicago described it as "little more than two streaks of rust and a right-of-way." With tongue in cheek, he told the Chicago Tribune, "when the wind is just right, the fastest train on the line, the 'Asheville Cannon Ball,' can make 10 miles an hour."...Rails changed the way of life for Western North Carolina residents. Mercantile business was commodities for a few of the bare necessities. Conveniences and luxuries were not even dreamed of and cash was hard to come by. The iron rails brought a flood of salesmen who peddled oil lamps that superceded tallow candles and New England "factory cloth" to replace scratchy, uncomfortable homespun. From door to door they sold books, pump organs, enlarged pictures, jewelry, lightning rods, baubles and doodads. engine 2engine 3Passenger business was so good by the turn of the 20th century that six passenger trains ran every day between Asheville and Lake Junaluska and four daily between Asheville and Murphy...." 
Come learn about the 1915 Climax logging train on display at the Cradle of Forestry, and how it wound its way through the forest coves of western North Carolina for over 40 years during the Nation's pioneering era of forestry and timber harvesting. 
"... a unique attraction that allows children and families to explore their
imaginations and a whole lot more. Be a cowboy, Indian or an engineer.
And of course, every guest will want to take a ride on our historic
steam locomotive, Number 12, listed on the National Register of
Historic Places.... Ride the rails on the famous Tweetsie Train and share a car with the
likes of Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Jesse James, or Billy the Kid. You
never know what might happen among these Legends of the Old West. Keep a sharp eye out for marauding renegades on the warpath. Anything can happen on this train ride through history...." Located in Blowing Rock, a couple of hours north of Asheville. 
