East Tennessee & Western North Carolina – ET&WNC
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East Tennessee & Western North Carolina Railroad – ET&WNC
ET&WNC Stats
- Began Operation: 1881
- Operated: Narrow Gauge was operated 1881 to 1950. The ET&WNC operated the standard gauge segments from 1906 until1983. A very small portion of the standard gauge segment is still operated today, but most of the roadbed has been converted by the Tweetsie Trail.
- Predecessors: East Tennessee Railway (Genesee & Wyoming)
- Length: 11 Miles Standard Gauge, 66 Miles Narrow Gauge (3 foot)
- Related Railroads: Linville River Railway
- Tracks: Narrow Gauge: Johnson City TN to Boone NC, Standard gauge from Johnson City TN to Elizabethton TN. The Cranberry to Boone NC segment was abandoned in 1940 due to damage by a flood.
- Headquarters: Johnson City TN
- Primary Cities: Johnson City, Elizabethton, Hampton, Roan Mountain TN, Elk Park, Cranberry, Linville, and Boone NC
- Freight: Timber, iron ore, minerals, and in later years, multiple industries in Elizabethton TN
- Clinchfield Connection: Johnson City TN
ET&WNC Railroad and the Clinchfield
For many years, the ET&WNC was an important interchange partner with the Clinchfield, supplying timber, iron ore, minerals, and finished products from the industries in Elizabethton. Initially, the freight had to be transferred by hand from the narrow gauge cars of the ET&WNC, to the standard gauge Clinchfield. In, 1906, the ET&WNC upgraded the first 11 miles of their line from Johnson City to Elizabethton into dual-gauge, lessening the need for manual transfer of freight.
Content and details to be added soon about the connection and interchange between the ET&WNC and the Clinchfield.
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.
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