Division 4 Survey of the Clinchfield Railroad

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Clinchfield Railroad

Clinchfield Railroad Survey – Division 4

Clinchfield Railroad: .5% Grade / 6-Degree Curves Goal

With the hiring of M.J. Caples in 1905 as General Manager and Chief Engineer, the South & Western Railway (CC&O, Clinchfield, CSX) had the goal of building its railroad with broad curves of 6-degrees or less, and a maximum ruling grade of .5%.  This would allow the railroad to carry heavy coal trains across the mountains with the least operating expenses.

The Clinchfield Loops on the south side of the the Blue Ridge Mountains was an engineering marvel, using multiple tunnels, bridges, cuts, and fills to conquer the mountains from Altapass to Sevier.  The S&W also had a similar plan for the segment from Erwin to Altapass, which they eventually did not build for several reasons including the financial panic and lack of investment funds of the early 1900s.

Division 4 Survey: Carnegie to Spruce Pine

Division 4 survey options 1 & 2 were the operated line of the Ohio River and Charleston from Carnegie TN to Spruce Pine NC, which the South & Western purchased. Eventually, the S&W would use this alignment with some modifications from south Johnson City to Spruce Pine.

Survey options 11& 12 were a lower grade/broader curve option they considered that would have:

  • Reduced the mileage from Unicoi to Spruce Pine by 10 miles
  • Provided a .5% grade
  • Provided broad 6 degree curves
  • Skirted Erwin on the ridge to the south
  • Crossed the river at Unaka Springs with a large, high viaduct
  • Required 17 bridges and 15 tunnels

Also at this time, the S&W was still considering various routes between Kingsport and Erwin, which could have potentially bypassed Johnson City. To see those options, click this link to see Division 3.

Use your browser zoom controls to see the list and map in greater detail. Zoom in, zoom out, and to scroll up, down, and across.

Survey Index – Division 4

Clinchfield Railroad Survey - Division 4 Index

Survey Map – Division 4

Clinchfield Railroad Survey - Division 4 Map

Erwin to Altapass .5% Option: 10 Miles Shorter – Many Bridges & Tunnels

If the S&W had built this segment to those standards, the Clinchfield would have been a proverbial railroad racetrack from Erwin to Spartanburg. It would have also been 10 miles shorter with the help of 17 bridges and 15 tunnels.

Interactive Map Comparing Routes

The following interactive map shows the actual route of the Clinchfield in black, as compared to the .5% grade option in red. You can zoom in and out on the Google Map seeing street level details of the two routings, with all tunnels and bridges labeled. Click here for Interactive Map

Clinchfield Railroad Route Comparison

With many thanks to Scott Jessee, I’ve used his alignment information he developed from the original survey maps by Carter, Caples, and the S&W. Scott also wrote a detailed article for the Jitterbug in December 2010 which is the magazine for the Carolina Clinchfield National Railway Historical Society.

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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.

Clinchfield Railroad

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