Clinchfield Railroad Sidings
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- Predecessors: Summary | CRRR | 3Cs | OR&C | S&W | CC&O
- Leaders: George L. Carter | M.J. Caples | John B. Dennis
- Floods: Floods and Clinchfield/CSX Reconstruction
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- Related Websites: Appalachian-Railroads.org | Southern-Railroads.org
Clinchfield Railroad Passing Sidings and Sidings
Researched and Chronicled by Scott Jessee and Sandhi Kozsuch
Below is an initial list of the Clinchfield passing sidings and sidings, comparing 1947 to 1982.
You can see that most of the major passing sidings were lengthened in the 1950s/1960s/1970s……while others were removed such as Fremont, St. Paul, Castle, Wood, Boulder, and Waycross.
We will continue to build and adjust this list as we compare it against the many sources such as timetables and track charts. If you have edits, questions, or additional information, please contact us below.
Passing Sidings
| PASSING SIDINGS/YARDS | MILE POST | 1947 | 1981/82 | TODAY |
| Elkhorn City Yard | 1.0 | 8250′ | ||
| Towers | 5.6 | 4404′ | 9199′ | 8939′ |
| — Rex | 10.0 | 1747′ | 5406′ | |
| Delano | 14.3 | 4063′ | 6435′ | 6235′ |
| — Rush | 16.0 | 1628′ | 1629′ | |
| — Fremont | 21.5 | 3100′ | ||
| — Caney | 23.0 | 3100′ | 4252′ | |
| Allen | 24.5 | 4597′ | 6352′ | 6102′ |
| Trammel | 32.2 | 4003′ | 3941′ | Out of Service |
| Dante Yard | 35.1 | 4500′ | 4500′ | 5500′ |
| Boody | 41.8 | 4100′ | 7963′ | 7713′ |
| Castle | 44.5 | 3000′ | 6758′ | |
| Miller Yard | 52.5 | 4161′ | 8450′ | 8200′ |
| — Wood | 61.6 | 4055′ | ||
| Starnes | 68.8 | 4508′ | 7518′ | 7268′ |
| — Boulder | 77.4 | 4580′ | ||
| Kermit | 81.8 | 5018′ | 7580′ | 7330′ |
| — Waycross | 87.1 | 3962′ | 4000′ | |
| Kingsport Yard | 93.9 | 17,528′ | 17278′ | |
| Fordtown | 103.5 | 3918′ | 6580′ | 6330′ |
| Boone | 111.6 | 3736′ | 6347′ | 6097′ |
| — Soldier | 116.3 | 4187′ | ||
| — Barrett Yard | 119.0 | 7500’+ | ||
| Johnson City Yard | 120.3 | 17,233′ | 16983‘ | |
| — Okolona | 124.7 | 4067′ | ||
| Hannum | 131.7 | 4182′ | 6830′ | 6580′ |
| Erwin Yard | 136.3 | |||
| — Canebottom | 144.1 | 3060′ | ||
| Poplar | 148.6 | 5039′ | 6670′ | 6670′ |
| — Huntdale | 153.0 | 2362′ | ||
| Green Mountain | 160.2 | 4515′ | 7007′ | |
| — Toecane | 166.5 | 3287′ | ||
| Kona | 172.6 | 4690′ | 6992′ | |
| — Caxton | 178.3 | 4183′ | ||
| — Spruce Pine | 183.1 | 4615′ | Switching Lead | |
| Altapass/Toe River | 185.8 | 4290′ | Est. 6000’+ | 7090′ |
| — Ridge | 188.1 | 4656′ | ||
| Rocky | 196.6 | 4464′ | 8104′ | |
| — Avery | 205.2 | 4670′ | ||
| Sevier | 209.0 | 1033′ | 6628′ | 6628′ |
| — Catawba | 211.9 | 4228′ | ||
| Marion | 218.5 | 1225′ | 6407′ | 6407′ |
| — Mead | 220.3 | 4741′ | ||
| — Fero | 227.1 | 4056′ | ||
| Thermal | 232.6 | 4049′ | 6672′ | 6672′ |
| Bostic Yard | 245.1 | 6808′ | 6808′ | |
| — Blanton | 250.4 | 3938′ | ||
| Chesnee | 261.7 | 4113′ | 6642′ | 6642′ |
| — Padgett | 271.9 | 3977′ | ||
| Spartanburg Yard | 276.0 |
Sidings
| SIDINGS | MILE POST | 1947 | 1981/82 | TODAY |
| Elkhorn City Yard | 1.0 | 1.2M | ||
| Towers Station | 5.6 | 440′ | 4400′ | |
| Vireco | 7.0 | 1420′ | ||
| Splash Dam | 10.0 | 937′ | 1370′ | |
| South Haysi | 11.0 | 240′ | ||
| Haysi Station | 11.4 | 328 | 439′ | |
| Delano Station | 14.3 | 865′ | ||
| Steinman | 15.0 | 2171′ | ||
| Clinchco Station | 17.5 | 320′ | 385′ | |
| Freemont Station | 21.5 | 986′ | 369′ | |
| Hooker | 22.0 | 665′ | ||
| McClure | 23.0 | 535′ | 698′ | |
| Allen Station | 24.5 | 923′ | ||
| Wakenva | 30.0 | 3000′ | ||
| McCall/Caledonia | 34.0 | 410′ | 524′ | |
| Phillips | 36.0 | 4850′ | ||
| St. Paul Station | 42.5 | 1042′ | 760′ | |
| Quarry | 43.0 | 1700′ | 2692′ | |
| Castle Station | 44.5 | 3000′ | ||
| Shannon | 48.4 | 540′ | ||
| Carfax No. 1 | 49.0 | 230′ | ||
| Carfax No. 2 | 49.0 | 250′ | ||
| Dungannon Station | 57.0 | 880′ | ||
| Wood Station | 61.6 | 290′ | ||
| Ft. Blackmore Station | 64.4 | 341′ | 680′ | |
| Starnes Station | 68.8 | 230′ | 664′ | |
| Hill | 71.0 | 207′ | ||
| Speers Ferry Station | 80.1 | 600′ | ||
| Kermit Station | 81.8 | 216′ | ||
| Frisco | 88 | 2721′ | ||
| Fain | 92.0 | 240′ | ||
| Borden Mills | 95.0 | 1918′ | ||
| Utilities | 96.0 | 585′ | ||
| Fordtown Station | 103.5 | 218′ | ||
| Gray | 107.0 | 411′ | 2694′ | |
| Boone Station | 111.6 | 188′ | ||
| Johnson City Yard | 120.3 | 17,233′ | ||
| Brooks | 125.9 | 930′ | ||
| Unicoi Station | 130.7 | 423′ | ||
| Erwin Yard | 136.3 | |||
| Granville | 139.0 | 168′ | ||
| Lost Cove | 143.0 | 140′ | ||
| Poplar Station | 148.6 | 522′ | ||
| Huntdale Station | 153.0 | 1223′ | ||
| Relief | 156.0 | 175′ | ||
| Green Mountain Station | 160.2 | 485′ | ||
| Forbes | 163.0 | 670′ | ||
| Toecane Station | 166.5 | 1259′ | ||
| Lunday | 172.0 | 40′ | ||
| Ellis | 172.0 | 473′ | ||
| Kona Station | 172.6 | 536′ | ||
| Boonford | 175.0 | 600′ | ||
| Wing | 177.0 | 90′ | ||
| Penland Station | 179.6 | 350′ | ||
| Kaolin | 180.0 | 255′ | ||
| New Kaolin | 180.0 | 598′ | ||
| Minpro | 180.0 | 1197′ | ||
| Sparks | 181.0 | 159′ | ||
| Gold | 182.0 | 378′ | ||
| Standard | 182.0 | 149′ | ||
| Whitehall | 182.0 | 428′ | ||
| Harris Clay Co. | 183.0 | 750′ | ||
| Walter Wright Lumber | 183.0 | 391′ | ||
| Wiseman | 183.0 | 470′ | ||
| Gulf | 183.0 | 100′ | ||
| Spruce Pine Station | 183.1 | 1448′ | ||
| English/Flotation | 184.0 | 225′ | 2410′ | |
| Altapass Station | 187.0 | |||
| Ridge Station | 188.1 | 300′ | ||
| Rocky Station | 196.6 | 162′ | ||
| Ashford Station | 202.5 | 582′ | ||
| Avery Station | 205.2 | 480′ | ||
| Catawba Station | 211.9 | 259′ | ||
| Marion Station/Siding | 218,5 | 6163′ | ||
| Fero Station | 227.1 | 373′ | ||
| Thermal Station | 232.6 | 540′ | ||
| Tate | 235.0 | 465′ | ||
| Logan Station | 240.0 | |||
| Beam | 242.3 | 618′ | ||
| Sand | 243.0 | 202′ | ||
| Mort (Bostic Connecting) | 245.0 | 234′ | ||
| Bostic Yard | 245.1 | 6808′ | ||
| Forest City Station | 247.7 | 282′ | ||
| Harris Station | 254.0 | 888′ | ||
| Brice | 259.0 | 1673′ | ||
| Duke Spur | 259.0 | |||
| Chesnee Station | 261.7 | 1340′ | ||
| Mayo Station | 266.6 | 426′ | ||
| Enola | 271.0 | 169′ | ||
| Spartanburg Yard | 276.0 |
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.
- Associations: Carolina Clinchfield Chapter National Railway Historical Society, Louisville & Nashville Railroad Historical Society, George L. Carter Railroad Historical Society, Watauga Valley Railroad Historical Society
- Personal maps, timetables, track charts, and memorabilia
- Archives of Appalachia – ETSU, Johnson City TN
- Books – Beach: ‘The Black Mountain Railway,’ Drury: ‘The Historical Guide to North American Railroads’, Goforth: ‘Building the Clinchfield’ and ‘When Steam Ran the Clinchfield’, Graybeal: ‘The Railroads of Johnson City’, Helm: ‘The Clinchfield Railroad in the Coal Fields’, Irwin & Stahl: ‘The Last Empire Builder: The Life of George L. Carter’, King: ‘Clinchfield Country’, Marsh: ‘Clinchfield in Color’, Poole: ‘A History of Railroading in Western North Carolina’, Poteat & Taylor: ‘The CSX Clinchfield Route in the 21st Century’, Stevens & Peoples: ‘The Clinchfield No. 1 – Tennessee’s Legendary Steam Engine’, Way: ‘The Clinchfield Railroad, the Story of a Trade Route Across the Blue Ridge Mountains’, Wolfe: ‘Norfolk & Western’s Clinch Valley Line‘ and ‘Southern Railway Appalachia Division,’ and Young: ‘Appalachian Coal Mines and Railroads in Color.’ Volume 1: Kentucky, Volume 2: Virginia
- Magazines – ‘Trains‘ , ‘Classic Trains‘
- Newspaper Articles – Newspapers.com
- Online Article – Scientific American: ‘The Costliest Railroad in America‘, Classic Trains: ‘Remembering the Clinchfield Railroad‘, Railway Age: ‘This Coal Road Is Also A Speedy Bridge Line,’ Sept 1, 1952 edition, ‘Railway Signaling and Communications‘, Flanary: ‘The Quick Service Route, The Clinchfield Railroad‘, Flanary: ‘Men Against Mountains, Running Trains on the Clinchfield‘ October 2001
- Online Videos – Ken Marsh on Kingsport area railroads and region’s history Video #1, Ken Marsh on railroads and region’s history Video #2:
- Websites – Carolana.com – North Carolina Railroads, South Carolina Railroads, Johnson’s Depot hosted by StateOfFranklin.net, RailFanGuides.us for Johnson City and for Erwin, The Radio Reference Wiki, SteamLocomotive.com, VirginiaPlaces.org – Railroad History of Virginia, 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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