Mark A. Stevens
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- Clinchfield Model Railroads
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- Related Websites: Appalachian-Railroads.org | Southern-Railroads.org
Mark A. Stevens
Newspaper Editor and Publisher
Mark A. Stevens became interested in preserving the history of the Clinchfield No. 1, the celebrated steam engine, while at The Erwin Record, where he served as executive editor and publisher from 1997-2011. His professional newspaper career started at the Johnson City Press in 1989, working his way from internet to editor of the features department. He also worked as an editor at The Daily Advertiser, The Daily World and The Times of Acadiana for Gannett in Louisiana; was publisher and CEO of the Elizabethton Star in Tennessee; and executive editor of The Georgetown Times, the Waccamaw Times, the Inlet Outlook, The County Chronicle, and the South Strand News in South Carolina. The Erwin Record, The Daily Advertiser, the Elizabethton Star, and The Georgetown Times were all named the best newspapers in their states during his tenure — the Record won a record nine consecutive times and the Star won two consecutive times.
Clinchfield No. 1 Books with Alf Peoples
He says he’s most proud, however, of his work with A.J. “Alf” Peoples on the books, “The One & Only: A Pictorial History of the Clinchfield No. 1” (originally published in 2013 and republished in a special anniversary edition in 2018) and “The Clinchfield No. 1: Tennessee’s Legendary Steam Engine,” an in-depth written history of the steam engine from 1882 until its retirement in 1979. The book was published by The History Press in 2014. “Alf and I interviewed so many Clinchfield Railroaders who were integral in telling the stories in both books,” Stevens said. “Some of them passed away before the first book was even published, and many more have since passed on.
Keeping the Clinchfield Legacy Alive
If we had not done the books when we did, I don’t think we could have done them. It was the knowledge and memories of all those Clinchfield Railroaders who had worked on, rebuilt, and loved that steam engine that gave us the heart of her great American success story. Being part of keeping the Clinchfield history alive is one of my life’s biggest honors and will live on well past me.”
Clinchfield No. 1 Books
The Clinchfield No. 1 by Mark A. Stevens and A. J. ‘Alf’ Peoples, 2014
The 1 & Only by A. J. ‘Alf’ Peoples ad Mark A. Stevens, 2013/2018
Clinchfield.org Sources and Resources
The following are excellent resources for those of you wanting to explore and learn more about the Clinchfield Railroad. These sources of information also serve as reference and historical materials for Clinchfield.org. Much of the content on the website is verified across multiple sources.
- Association: Carolina Clinchfield Chapter National Railway Historical Society
- Association: Louisville & Nashville Railroad Historical Society
- Association: George L. Carter Railroad Historical Society
- Association: Watauga Valley Railroad Historical Society
- Personal maps, timetables, track charts, and memorabilia
- Archives of Appalachia – ETSU, Johnson City TN
- Book – Drury: ‘The Historical Guide to North American Railroads’
- Book – Goforth: ‘Building the Clinchfield’ and ‘When Steam Ran the Clinchfield’
- Book – Graybeal: ‘The Railroads of Johnson City’
- Book – Helm: ‘The Clinchfield Railroad in the Coal Fields’
- Book – Irwin & Stahl: ‘The Last Empire Builder: The Life of George L. Carter’
- Book – King: ‘Clinchfield Country’
- Book – Marsh: ‘Clinchfield in Color’
- Book – Poole: ‘A History of Railroading in Western North Carolina’
- Book – Poteat & Taylor: ‘The CSX Clinchfield Route in the 21st Century’
- Book – Stevens & Peoples: ‘The Clinchfield No. 1 – Tennessee’s Legendary Steam Engine’
- Book – Way: ‘The Clinchfield Railroad, the Story of a Trade Route Across the Blue Ridge Mountains’
- Magazines – ‘Trains‘ , ‘Classic Trains‘
- Newspaper Articles – Newspapers.com
- Online Article – Scientific American: ‘The Costliest Railroad in America‘
- Online Article – Classic Trains: ‘Remembering the Clinchfield Railroad‘
- Online Article – Railway Age: ‘This Coal Road Is Also A Speedy Bridge Line,’ Sept 1, 1952 edition
- Online Article – ‘Railway Signaling and Communications‘
- Online Article – Flanary: ‘The Quick Service Route, The Clinchfield Railroad‘
- Online Article – Flanary: ‘Men Against Mountains, Running Trains on the Clinchfield‘ October 2001
- Online Video – Ken Marsh on Kingsport area railroads and region’s history Video #1
- Online Video – Ken Marsh on railroads and region’s history Video #2:
- Website – Carolana.com – North Carolina Railroads, South Carolina Railroads
- Website – Johnson’s Depot hosted by StateOfFranklin.net
- Website – RailFanGuides.us for Johnson City and for Erwin
- Website – The Radio Reference Wiki
- Website – SteamLocomotive.com
- Website – VirginiaPlaces.org – Railroad History of Virginia
- Website – Multimodalways.org
Contact Us at Clinchfield.org
Would enjoy hearing from you if you have questions, suggestions, edits, or content that you are willing to share. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have similar interests in the Clinchfield or Model Railroads.
3Cs Websites
Appalachian-Railroads.org | Clinchfield.org | Southern-Railroads.org
