Interstate Railroad

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Clinchfield Railroad

Interstate Railroad – IRR | INT

Interstate Stats

  • Reporting Mark: INT | IRR
  • Chartered: 1896
  • Began Operation: 1909
  • Length: 88 miles
  • Headquarters: Andover VA
  • Primary Cities: Appalachia and Norton VA
  • Primary Freight: Coal
  • Passenger Service: Yes
  • Successor: Purchased by Southern Railway in 1961
  • Clinchfield Connection: Miller Yard

Interstate and the Clinchfield

Interstate originated coal along its 88 miles of mainline and branches and delivered to the Clinchfield Railroad at Miller Yard VA, and to the Southern Railway at Appalachia VA. Interstate also provided trackage rights for the L&N, allowing for coal and freight to be exchanged between the Clinchfield and the L&N. During most of its existence, the Clinchfield was jointly leased by the Atlantic Coast Line and the L&N.

Miller Yard by Ron Flanary

Miller Yard, VA, June 20, 1974. This facility was built by the Interstate Railroad in an isolated spot on the north bank of the Clinch River in 1923 as part of the line’s Guest River Extension from Norton, and down the Guest River Gorge.

Miller Yard VA - Interstate Railroad

From the left you have the Clinchfield RR main, the CRR passing track, then seven yard tracks, plus the Interstate main, all designated for either delivery or pick up traffic for the two railroads. On the far left were once a few section houses and a hotel, plus a depot (about mid-way down the tangent on the far left). There was also a coaling station (the concrete shell of which can be seen on the right), water tank and other facilities for both railroads. From 1930 to 1935, L&N crews also used the hotel for off-duty “rest” before heading back to Kentucky.

The small metal building held an Interstate clerk until just before this time. It was probably the worst job on the railroad, since this was (and is) a very lonely and isolated spot. The orange and white pole to the right is an antennae for the Interstate dispatcher’s radio.

After 1973, almost all L&N interchange traffic moved to the N&W Clinch Valley District between Norton and St. Paul, leaving very little interchange at Miller Yard. The TTX flat in the distance with two “pigs” were not permitted through the tight N&W tunnels, so they came this way for a few years. The Interstate continued to run its own coal traffic to the Clinchfield during this decade, but it eventually tailed off to nothing.

Interstate Memories by Ron Flanary

The first shot is USRA-design Mallet No. 21, one of two the line purchased in the mid-20s to handle traffic on the new connection to the Clinchfield at Miller Yard, Va. I’m guessing this was in the late 40s, after a shopping at Southern Railway’s steam shop at Coster (Knoxville).

Interstate Railroad Mallet #21 Steam Locomotive

The diesel shot is No. 37, which was actually the first purchased by the railroad in 1953. Alco won an order for eight of these units, but this one had been on the property for a time as demonstrator No. 1607. It was dark blue (solid) and was nicknamed the “Blue Goose”–most likely because of the “honk” of its single-note air horn. When the order was placed, Interstate shopmen refurbished and modified the demonstrator in the shop at Andover under supervision of Alco technicians. Dynamic braking was installed, along with MU capability, and of course, final painting in the scheme applied on units 30-36, built new at Alco’s plant in Schenectady, N.Y. The photo was likely taken by Interstate’s assistant to the president, Hank Stuart, who was the short line’s unofficial photographer.

Interstate Railroad #37

The last shot is one of mine taken on the evening of April 25, 2012. NS had agreed to paint one of the 20 “heritage” units in Interstate colors, and 8105 (a GE ES44AC) was the recipient of the distinctive paint scheme. The engine had just completed its initial road trip from the paint shop in Chattanooga, through Knoxville, and finally to Andover that night. I was the only photographer on site that night to record what was a “homecoming” of sorts.

Interstate Railroad Heritage Locomotive

Clinchfield.org Sources and Resources

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Clinchfield Railroad

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