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This is a bit off-topic for this forum but I'm taking off for Etowah, TN in a few minutes for a rare mileage excursion operated by the Tennessee Valley Railway Museum. The route is a remnant of the old Louisville and Nashville Railroad's original mainline between Knoxville and Atlanta. Specifically, 25 miles each way from a park on the outskirts of Etowah to the famed Hiwassee Loop and return.
It's not a grand Amtrak trip......but it's an afternoon spent aboard a train. I'll take that!
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Sounds like a great trip. That is supposed to be a very scenic line with the loop and is certainly rare mileage. It was listed as freight only in my 1954 timetable.
However in L&N's 1946 timetable there was a daytime local from Knoxville to Atlanta via the Blue Ridge (as that sub was named in the timetable). Would you believe 68 stops (including flag stops) in 9.5 hours for 227 miles. The mainline out of Etowah was much faster with the Southland doing Knoxville to Atlanta in a little over 5 hours.
About 14 miles beyond Copperhill was Blue Ridge where there was a branch to Murphy, NC. I'm sure you're familiar with that as an NC resident and no doubt a customer of the Smokey Mtn. RR.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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quote:Originally posted by palmland: Sounds like a great trip. That is supposed to be a very scenic line with the loop and is certainly rare mileage. It was listed as freight only in my 1954 timetable.
However in L&N's 1946 timetable there was a daytime local from Knoxville to Atlanta via the Blue Ridge (as that sub was named in the timetable). Would you believe 68 stops (including flag stops) in 9.5 hours for 227 miles. The mainline out of Etowah was much faster with the Southland doing Knoxville to Atlanta in a little over 5 hours.
About 14 miles beyond Copperhill was Blue Ridge where there was a branch to Murphy, NC. I'm sure you're familiar with that as an NC resident and no doubt a customer of the Smokey Mtn. RR.
Hi Palmland,
Yes....I've ridden the various GSMR trips a number of times. I've also gone Blue Ridge to McCaysville, GA (which is literally across the street from Copperhill, TN.) on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railroad.
Interestingly, I was living in Murphy, NC at the time they lifted the rail from L&N's Murphy Branch. The trains had stopped running about 18 months before that. The Southern Railway (by that time NS) Murphy Branch actually ran behind my apartment BUT by that time traffic had dwindled to two freights per week as far as Andrews proceeding on to Murphy only as neccessary.....once or twice per month.
Today's trip was certainly on par scenery-wise with the GSMR and a highlight, besides the loop itself, was riding the train upgrade on a mountain in Tennessee having a stunning view of the Appalachia Dam below us and across the river in North Carolina......oh.....and NO road whatsoever in sight.
The best part is that we were not delayed by a single freight train (as this portion of the line no longer has any of those....) and the TVRM fully expects to operate an expanded schedule of excursion trains over the Hiwassee Loop next year. They encouraged us to tell all of our friends about it!
Mr. Norman - Your reference to one of the L&N's great passenger trains is noted and appreciated!
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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Great news about TVRM operating trips next year - thanks. I'm a big fan of TVRM as their operation reminds me of Strasburg: well run, good equipment and financially able to do it right.
I guess this is straying from Amtrak, but who knows maybe one day Amtrak will have a Chicago-Cincinnati -Chattanooga-Atlanta train with a stop in Etowah.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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quote:Originally posted by palmland: Great news about TVRM operating trips next year - thanks. I'm a big fan of TVRM as their operation reminds me of Strasburg: well run, good equipment and financially able to do it right.
I guess this is straying from Amtrak, but who knows maybe one day Amtrak will have a Chicago-Cincinnati -Chattanooga-Atlanta train with a stop in Etowah.
I am a huge fan of TVRM as well. They offer a variety of trips from their 6 mile 55 minute on site 'sampler' to the all day steam trips down to Summerville GA and back. It's a first-class operation with something for everyone.
I certainly would love to see a Chi-Fla train but I bet a routing through Nashville would generate more political support than a routing through Knoxville and Etowah!
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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