Black Mountain Railway

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CSX Blue RIdge Subdivision

The CSX Blue Ridge Subdivision, the old Clinchfield line south of Erwin is now reopen after the extensive damage from Hurricane Helene. The first revenue freight train ran on September 21st, and two coal trains followed on September 25th. Ribbon cutting photo by Mark Loewe. Use this link to see Designs in Orbit’s exceptional video updates with drone footage. Also, Train Chaser Elliot also provides wonderful coverage.  Click here to read about the monumental CSX rebuilding efforts. In the weeks ahead we will add much more content chronicling the events of the past year.

Black Mountain Railway – Clinchfield Connection

As soon as the Carolina Clinchfield & Ohio was under-construction and initially operated, so to was the Black Mountain Railway. In the first few years the Black Mountain was a separate company that struggled financially until the Clinchfield Railroad gained control of it in 1913. The railroad was successful for its next ten years, but business began to decline and segments of the railroad were abandoned starting in the mid-1920s. In 1955, the Black Mountain Railway was sold and renamed the Yancey Railway.

Primary interchange with the Clinchfield: Timber, feldspar, mica, building materials, and agriculture commodities.

Initially the railroad used a shay and two 4-6-0s and a 4-4-0 to traverse the steep grades and tight turns. One of those 4-6-0s would eventually become Clinchfield Railroad’s famous #1.

Black Mountain Railway History

For nearly 50 years, the Black Mountain Railway hauled timber, mica, and feldspar out of the rugged Appalachian Mountains of Yancey County, North Carolina. Though its lifespan was relatively short, the railway’s history is a testament to the ambitions and struggles of early 20th-century industry in the region.

The railway’s story began in 1910 with the vision of local lawyer J. Bis Ray and civil engineer Charles L. Ruffin, who chartered the Black Mountain Railway to tap into the area’s rich timber reserves. Construction commenced in 1910, and operations began in 1911 with a connection to the Carolina, Clinchfield & Ohio Railway (later the Clinchfield Railroad) at Kona. The line extended westward, eventually reaching Burnsville and Eskota.

The Black Mountain Railway experienced mixed results early on. The railway struggled financially during its first few years until the Clinchfield Railroad took control in 1913. Under new leadership, the Black Mountain Railway prospered, particularly during World War I and into the mid-1920s. This was due to the high demand for mountain resources. The railroad used various steam locomotives to navigate the region’s steep grades and tight turns. During this period, a couple of short spurs were built to expand logging operations and to serve a feldspar crusher.

However, the railway’s reliance on the timber industry led to its decline. By the mid-1920s, most timber reserves had been depleted, which caused business to decline. Parts of the line were abandoned, and the Black Mountain Railway accumulated debt. The company filed for abandonment in 1951 and was sold in 1955 after legal proceedings. Local stockholders renamed it the Yancey Railroad, which operated until the mid-1980s before ceasing operations.

Today, the Black Mountain Railway exists only in historical records and memory. Much of its old grade between Burnsville and Eskota was used for North Carolina Highway 197.

Black Mountain Railway Timeline

  • 1903: South & Western Railway starts construction through Kona to Spruce Pine NC
  • 1908: South & Western Railway renamed Carolina Clinchfield & Ohio Railway (CC&O)
  • 1910: Black Mountain Railway chartered
  • 1911: Operation began from Kona to Bowditch
  • 1913: Railroad reaches Burnsville and Pensacola: 1913
  • 1926-1928: Eskota and Pensacola sections abandoned
  • 1951: Black Mountain files with ICC to abandon the entire line
  • 1955: Yancey Railroad is incorporated, Black Mountain ceases operating the line

Black Mountain Stats

  • Reporting Mark: BMRR
  • Chartered: 1910
  • Began Operation: 1911
  • Length: 12.83 miles after 1930, approximately 30 miles during the 1920s.
  • Headquarters: Burnsville NC, Erwin TN (Clinchfield Railroad was its corporate parent for many years)
  • Primary Cities: Kona, Micaville, Burnsville, Bowditch, and Pensacola NC
  • Primary Freight: Timber, minerals, building materials, agricultural products
  • Passenger Service: 1914-1927
  • Reorganized in 1955 – It was sold and its name was changed to the Yancey Railroad

Black Mountain Railway Map

Black Mountain Railway

The Google Interactive Map shows the mainline and the four branches of the Black Mountain Railway.

  • Mainline from Kona to Burnsville NC
  • Branch from Micaville to Bowditch NC
  • Spur from Burnsville to Eskota and Pensacola NC (Abandoned 1928)
  • George’s Creek Spur built by Tennessee Eastman Company to supply timber for their Kingsport chemical plant. (Abandoned 1920s)
  • Cane Branch Spur to a feldspar crusher (Abandoned 1920s)

Please click on this link for the Interactive Map. You will be able to see the legend and then Zoom in, zoom out, and move around, following the location of the roadbed. Note that the railroad borders the northern and western side of Mount Mitchell, the highest peak in the Eastern United States.

The Black Mountain Railway, John E. Beach, 2016

I highly recommend John Beach’s excellent book on the railroad. It is almost 200 pages of comprehensive details and pictures that follow the BMRR through its many years, and many phases of operations.

The Black Mountain Railway

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.

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3Cs Websites

Appalachian-Railroads.org | Clinchfield.org | Southern-Railroads.org