Clinchfield.org Editor – Sandhi Kozsuch
- Clinchfield Railroad Home Page
- History | Design | Surveys | Railroad Battles | Construction
- George L. Carter | M.J. Caples | John B. Dennis
- Predecessors | CRRR | 3Cs | OR&C | S&W | CC&O
- Maps | Mileposts | Stations | Connections | Branches/Spurs | Yards | Sidings | High Line | Bridges | Tunnels | Grades | Loops
- Locomotives | Diesels | Steam | Challengers | No. 1
- Operations | Freight | Passenger | Timetables | Wrecks
- Corporate Couplings | Family Lines | Seaboard System | CSX | Closure/Reopening
- CSX/CRR Today | CSX Kingsport Sub | CSX Blue Ridge Sub
- Railfanning | Restaurant Guide | CRR 800
- Destinations | Elkhorn City | Breaks | Dante | Speers Ferry | Kingsport | Johnson City | Erwin | Nolichucky Gorge | Spartanburg | and more
- Clinchfield Model Railroads
- Resources: Books | Scholars | Museums
- Clinchfield.org: Editor | Site Map
- Related Websites: Appalachian-Railroads.org | Southern-Railroads.org
Clinchfield.org Website Editor
My role is as Researcher, Chronicler, Webmaster, Photographer, and Train Dispatcher of Clinchfield.org and the 3Cs Model Railroad. Additionally, I am creating two different, but complimentary websites: 3Cs and Rails Across the Appalachians and Southern-Railroads.
These websites are non-commercial, personal blogs intended for historical, educational, and entertainment purposes. My long-term goal is to donate all of information and digital files to the Regional Archives and Railroad Historical Associations.
My name is Sandhi Kozsuch, pronounced ‘Sandy Ko-such.’
Tennessean
Don’t let the spelling of my name throw you, I grew up in Johnson City TN, and still have remnants of a southern accent. Other career and train stops throughout my life include Richmond, Charlotte, Princeton NJ/New York City, and now the Atlanta area…..all excellent railroad destinations.
2nd Childhood
After an almost a 50-year career in television and the internet, it was time to enjoy my second childhood just like I did my first one. I spent countless hours watching the Clinchfield, the ET&WNC, and the Southern Railway trains parading through Johnson City. On many days, all I had to do was look out the window, as the railroads were just outside my school. Now, I can relive those great memories and those railroads through these websites, pictures, books, and on my model railroad.
History in my DNA
During those early years, many in my family loved history. In my youth, nothing could have been more boring to me than history. Over 50 years later, the opposite is true, I so enjoy researching and writing about the railroads of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. So wish I had taken the time to photograph and research during my days of youth.
3Cs and the Johnson City Railroads Come to Life
Lucky or unlucky for me, there is little written or highlighted about the Charleston Cincinnati & Chicago Railroad, the 3Cs. It was the predecessor of the Clinchfield Railroad by 25 years. This is my perfect opportunity to bring the 3Cs to life through historical research, writing, trekking and hunting for old roadbed, building a model railroad, and creating an online home for the railroads of the region.
To me, there are no four railroads in our country as rich in history and legacy than the 3Cs, the Clinchfield, the ET&WNC, and the Southern.
Clinchfield.org Goals
My goals for this endeavor are simple:
- Preserve and further explore the stories and the history of the Clinchfield
- Share the new information and stories I find, and link you to the information that exists
- Honor and highlight the individuals and organizations who have these same goals. and those who have already given so much of their time in decades past
- Share the hobby of model railroading
Clinchfield.org Timeline – A Work in Progress
With full retirement beginning January 2023, I’m hoping to have the website in good shape and full of good content within a year. However, I know true completion is years away.
The model railroad will take more time, with at least 5 years to complete all the scenery. Initial running of the trains has already begun.
Thank you for stopping by Clinchfield.org. Come back and visit the 3Cs websites often in the years ahead.
Give Me a Shout
Don’t hesitate to contact me below if you have similar interests in these railroads or in model railroading using the form at the bottom of the page.
Thanks!
Sandhi
Clinchfield.org Sources and Resources
- Personal Maps & Memorabilia – Documents, maps and track charts that I have from the CRR, CC&O, and S&W
- Archives of Appalachia
- Book – Drury: The Historical Guide to North American Railroads
- Book – Goforth: ‘Building the Clinchfield’
- Book – Goforth: ‘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’
- Article – Flanary: ‘The Quick Service Route, The Clinchfield Railroad‘
- Article – Flanary: ‘Men Against Mountains, Running Trains on the Clinchfield‘ October 2001
- Video – Ken Marsh on Kingsport area railroads and region’s history Video #1
- Video – Ken Marsh on railroads and region’s history Video #2:
- Articles – ‘Johnson City Comet‘
- Article – Scientific American: ‘The Costliest Railroad in America‘
- Article – Classic Trains: ‘Remembering the Clinchfield Railroad‘
- Article – Railway Age: ‘This Coal Road Is Also A Speedy Bridge Line,’ Sept 1, 1952 edition
- Article – ‘Railway Signaling and Communications‘
- Website – Carolana.com – North Carolina Railroads, South Carolina Railroads
- Website – StateOfFranklin.net which hosts Johnson’s Depot
- Website – RailFanGuides.us for Johnson City and for Erwin
- Website – The Radio Reference Wiki
- Website – SteamLocomotive.com
- Website – Clinchfield Railroad 1982 Track Chart at Multimodayways.org
- Website – Newspapers.com
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