Atlantic Coast Line Railroad: Clinchfield Connection
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- Related Websites: Appalachian-Railroads.org | Southern-Railroads.org
The Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) connected with the Clinchfield Railroad at Spartanburg SC. Prior to 1959, the connection was actually with the Charleston & Western Carolina (C&WC) Railway, an ACL subsidiary. In 1959, the ACL absorbed the line, and the ACL/CRR direct connection was achieved.
This connection was important to both railroads for multiple reasons:
- The Clinchfield was actually leased by the ACL & L&N, but operated as an independent subsidiary beginning in 1923.
- The ACL, Clinchfield, and the C&O partnered on a manifest freight business that connected Chicago, Detroit, and other northern cities….with Florida and other southern markets.
- More and more coal passed from the Clinchfield to the ACL for delivery to southern electric generating plants.
Clinchfield Railroad Spartanburg Tunnel
For many years, the transfer of cars and trains to the ACL/CW&C was handled by the Southern Railway which fought multiple attempts by the Clinchfield to directly connect to the ACL/CW&C. During this time, the Southern was able to charge both railroads for the transfers that amounted to just hundreds of feet across the Southern mainline.
Finally in 1962, after numerous quarrels and negotiations between the railroads, a tunnel was constructed, crossing under the Southern allowing for direct connection to the ACL/C&WC and also the Piedmont & Northern Railway.
Click here for more information on the Spartanburg Tunnel.
More content to be added soon on the ACL-Clinchfield connection.
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
