Clinchfield Railroad No. 1

Clinchfield No. 1 became a beloved steam engine that was nationally known when the Clinchfield Railroad ran it in excursion service from 1969 to 1979. Built initially in 1882 for the Columbus Chicago & Indiana Central Railway, it was then purchased several years later by a Clinchfield predecessor, the Ohio River & Charleston Railway. In ran on the Black Mountain Railway from 1907 to 1955, a rail line that was owned by the Clinchfield Railroad. Today it is on display at the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore MD.

Photo: No.1’s last solo excursion in 1978 passing through Johnson City TN.

Clinchfield Railroad No. 1 - Photo by Ron Flanary

Clinchfield No. 1 Stats and Timeline

Type: 4-6-0 Ten-Wheeler
Year Built: 1882
Original Railroad: Columbus Chicago & Indiana Central No. 423
1900: Engine was sold to the Ohio River & Charleston Railway (OR&C) and operated as No. 5
1903: South & Western Railroad (S&W) bought the OR&C. S&W became the Carolina Clinchfield & Ohio Railway in 1908, and eventually the Clinchfield Railroad in 1924.
1907: Engine was sold to the Black Mountain Railway and operated as No. 1
1955: Engine was sold back to the Clinchfield Railroad
1960s: Erwin TN displayed the engine in a public park
1968: Engine was sold back to the Clinchfield Railroad. Repairs were made to return it to operating condition.
1969-1979: Clinchfield Railroad ran No.1 in excursion service, gaining national recognition
1979: Engine suffered a crack frame and was retired
1981: Clinchfield No. 1 was donated to the B&O Railroad Museum where it resides today

Remembrances of Clinchfield No. 1 by Ron Flanary

Narrative and Photos by Ron Flanary

Saturday, November 27, 1976: “Clinchfield Railroad Ten-Wheeler No. 1 has just arrived at Kingsport, Tennessee with the annual Santa Claus Special from Elkhorn City, Ky.

One half of the famed Hatcher brothers who always handled the “One Spot”–fireman George Hatcher–is leaning over from the engine’s deck to catch a question coming from a railfan (who is unfortunately standing atop the rail!). George was quite a guy–a POW from WWII who kept in shape for this hard firing duties on No. 1 by riding a bicycle around Erwin. He died a few years ago but lived long enough to see Clinchfield’s first F-unit, No. 800, restored and placed on the point of the 2017 train.”

Clinchfield No. 1 - Photo by Ron Flanary

“No. 1 resides in the B&O Museum in Baltimore these days, still looking exactly as she does here, except for the absence of the spit and polish and shiny copper trim. The B-unit is one of two the Clinchfield used to provide most of the motive power, as No. 1 could only handle two coaches on the strength of her 125 PSI boiler pressure.”

Clinchfield No. 1 with the Hatcher Brothers - Photo by Ron Flanary

Clinchfield’s Hatcher brothers–George (on the left) and Ed–are giving Ten-Wheeler No. 1 lubrication attention during a water stop at Johnson City, Tennessee in 1973. This was a “steam only” excursion, with No. 1 pulling her maximum tonnage–two heavyweight coaches full of railfans. Man, I would love to do this again!

Links for More Information

Click here for more information about No.1 at the B&O Railroad Museum

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

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Clinchfield No. 1 – Fabled Steam Engine